Former Maine Sen. George Mitchell’s mission to resuscitate the Northern Ireland peace settlement hit yet another snag last week when the Ulster Unionists, the Protestant majority party in the British-controlled province, rejected the new proposals Sen. Mitchell helped craft. The Unionists continue to demand that the Irish Republican Army disarm before they will allow members of the Sinn Fein, the pro-Catholic minority party, to take leadership positions in the new Northern Ireland assembly.

Sen. Mitchell had attempted to circumvent the Unionists’ blockade by creating a commission on disarmament and establishing a verifiable timetable for eliminating all guerilla weapons, Protestant and Catholic extremist groups alike. This timetable would begin in January and end in May, the date set in the original Good Friday Peace Agreement of 1998. David Trimble, the leader of the Unionists, has once again been unable to gain enough support from Unionist legislators to take the plan to the full party for endorsement.

Sen. Mitchell’s new tactic is to plan a series of interlocking steps that both the Unionists and the IRA must take to further the peace plan. On Monday, leaders from the Unionists, the Sinn Fein, and the Social Democratic and Labor Party, expressed confidence in the new approach. Gen. John de Chatelain, the Canadian chairman of the disarmament commission, met with representatives of the paramilitary groups yesterday. Today, the IRA is scheduled to make a public statement regarding its renewed committment to the peace plan. On Thursday, Sen. Mitchell will deliver a report and return home to the United States.

Unfortunately, the Good Friday agreement, born of the hope to finally end the ancient conflict between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland, is no closer to implementation.

Ending hatred’s mantra of “an eye for an eye” requires great courage and selflessness. Retribution is seductive, and it enflames the rhetoric of politicians and enrages the masses. Mr. Trimble does not have the political courage to lead his party into powersharing with Sinn Fein. It won’t matter whether the weapons decommissioning is on schedule, the Unionists will find an excuse to subvert the peace process. Bringing peace to a centuries’ old religious war requires statesmen with the vision to see beyond the self interest of their parties.

No matter what type of plan Sen. Mitchell inspires, the Unionists do not appear up to the challenge. At least, not yet.