Provided by U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy One of many murals throughout Northern Ireland glorifying the paramilitary organizations that have now laid down their weapons in favor of a Catholic-Protestant self-rule government.

By U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy At a gathering in my district a few months ago, a discussion of the war in Iraq came up, as it often does. One man said in frustration that the Sunnis and Shiites had been at war for centuries, and it seemed impossible to stop it. Another person identified himself as a Muslim and said, "I will explain to you why Sunni and Shiites have fought for hundreds of years, but then please explain to me why Catholics and Protestants in Ireland have been killing each other for hundreds of years."

U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Upper St. Clair, represents Pennsylvania's 18th District in Congress (http://murphy.house.gov/).

He had a point. Catholic-Protestant battles in Ireland have spanned centuries, making it the longest running conflict in the Western world. But in the past few weeks something remarkable has happened. It appears that Ireland's conflicts may be over, replaced by peace and self-rule in the North. For anyone who has followed Ireland's history of struggle in even in the most rudimentary way, the possibility of peace is hard to comprehend.

Ireland's past fills volumes with the horrors of invasions, enslavement, rebellion, confiscation, suppression, civil war, poverty, famine and massive emigration.

In the 1960s, marches for civil rights in Northern Ireland were followed by decades of riots, assassinations and bombings carried out by paramilitary groups like the Irish Republican Army and the Ulster Volunteer Force. Thousands of British troops occupied the North to stop the violence. Cease fires would stop the attacks temporarily, but "The Troubles" as they came to be known, continued. In the end, some 3,225 were killed and thousands more were wounded.

Recently, eight members of Congress traveled to Ireland, London and Northern Ireland, including Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Forest Hills, and me. Our group has been meeting regularly with Irish leaders both in Ireland and Washington to work towards peace.

Nine years ago the Northern Ireland political parties signed the Good Friday Agreement, which established a blueprint for self-rule. But reconciliation has faced continued difficulties. Deadlines to start self-government have come and gone, and cease fires have barely held.

After the election that took place in March, however, for the first time men who were lifelong sworn enemies, such as Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness, sat at the same table to establish self-government, which was formally installed this week. It's been nothing short of revolutionary and has left all of Ireland with a palpable sense of awe, joy, relief and hope.

How did they do it? And what can we learn from them? Key elements include:

The hope for prosperity. The south of Ireland is in the midst of the greatest economic boom in the European Union. Fueled by low taxes, job-friendly regulations and a well-educated and dedicated work force, the jobless rate is so low that thousands of eastern Europeans are moving to Ireland to fill jobs. Families in Northern Ireland want to be a part of that prosperity and to shake their dependence on government positions. They have been putting tremendous pressure on their leaders to settle their differences and create jobs.

International diplomacy. The prime ministers of the United Kingdom (Tony Blair) and Ireland (Bertie Ahern), along with the United States, have maintained pressure to resolve the conflict. Long-term programs supported by the International Fund for Ireland also have brought Catholics and Protestants together to build relationships.

Disarmament. The IRA says it has given up its weapons and outside observers agree. And even though other paramilitary groups say they are not yet ready to disarm, there remains a widespread feeling that terrorism is a tactic of the past. Each day without violence builds trust.

Integration of the police. To overcome fears that the police force will continue to be used to benefit one side or the other, it is to become 50 percent Catholic and 50 percent Protestant. Political leaders are working toward this goal and respect for law enforcement is growing on both sides. After 30 years of occupation, the last British troops quietly left Northern Ireland a few weeks ago. Local police now enforce the law.

Perhaps the lessons of Ireland can give us direction in trying to resolve the war in Iraq.

Other nations must push for peace. There must be outside support for programs that build understanding between rivals. Iraqis must demand a shared future of promise and prosperity rather than allow themselves to succumb to warfare and poverty.

There also must be negotiated disarmament among factions, an uncompromising disdain for terrorism, a trust in Iraqi police and security forces and a transition away from outside military forces. A strong self-rule government is essential.

If peace can hold in Ireland after centuries of conflict, why not in Iraq and elsewhere?