Editorial Loyal vs. loyal

British troops are back on the streets of Belfast. The return to army patrols in some areas of the city has been sparked by an escalating wave of loyalist violence, directed not just at Catholics and their homes, but also, increasingly, at other Protestants and loyalists.

Some of a nationalist or republican persuasion might be tempted to draw grim satisfaction from the sight of this latest manifestation of loyalist infighting. But the most recent feuding poses dangers to the entire community and threatens the foundation of the peace process, one that has fostered a mostly working and workable peace between the two main communities in Northern Ireland over the last couple of years.

The reasons for the feuding, and its latest deadly twist, go back many years. Loyalism, as with Republicanism, is long familiar with the tendency of paramilitary groups to split into competing factions. Once the factions are established, periodic outbreaks of violence become virtually inevitable. The latest outbreak, however, carries particularly sinister undertones. It appears to have the potential to break out into an all-out power struggle with loyalist leaders — some considered pivotal to the evolution of a new politics in Northern Ireland — being targeted for assassination by others who would claim identical loyalty to the British crown.

Beyond the purely loyalist twist to the latest violence, attacks on Catholic homes in parts of Belfast have escalated sharply in recent days. The effective "Balkanization" of Belfast is a process that has been taking place for years. North Belfast in particular has borne the brunt of recent attacks. It is not difficult to understand why many Catholic families feel angry and frustrated when busloads of thugs can arrive at their front doors and carry out attacks with apparent impunity.

An ironic twist to this, of course, is that many Protestant families now feel just as intimidated, not due to attacks by any republican group, but because of violence and intimidation aimed at them and their homes by other loyalists.

In the last few days, shots have been exchanged between loyalist gunmen and the RUC. Into this volatile environment, the British army has returned to defend the realm against self-proclaimed loyal subjects of that realm.

History, as we all know, has its ironic twists. But this is one that Northern Ireland, all of Ireland, could do without right now.