President Bush: Supported by unionists

Politics in Northern Ireland is hard enough to understand without a war in Iraq to further confuse things.

But the conflict has rocked the traditional alliances and antipathies of the key parties in the peace process, not least because President George W Bush's role in the peace process is still open to debate.

While unionist politicians are historically wary of US involvement in Northern Ireland's affairs, President Bush's determination to oust Saddam Hussein has won the support of Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble.

Mr Trimble supports the war in Iraq, the closest that a unionist leader has ever been to Washington thinking.

The warming to the US administration has come from the UUP's support for British involvement in the war, but also because unionist leaders have hoped Mr Bush would be prepared to take a tougher line with republicans than his predecessor, Bill Clinton.

PROTEST AT HILLSBOROUGH Tell [President Bush] we will not allow you to use the yearning for peace of the Irish people as cover for your imperialist adventure in Iraq Eamon McCann appeals to nationalist leaders

As President Bush arrived, politicians from both the UUP and Democratic Unionists joined hundreds at a Belfast rally for in support of the troops.

The rally, organised by veteran Ulster Unionist and Second World War tank commander Sir John Gorman, saw participants waving Union Flags and the US Stars and Stripes.

"We want to show in a public and dignified manner our support for what it is they are doing and pray for their safe return," said Sir John, whose grandson James is in Iraq with the Irish Guards.

UUP leader David Trimble attacked Sinn Fein's position over the war.

"These people were quite happy to kill for an ignoble cause, who were prepared to pursue a war to undermine democracy, and who now oppose the liberation of people and the freeing of them from what is undoubtedly an evil dictatorship," he said.

While unionists have a united front in support of the war, there are divisions within nationalism.

Nationalist leaders

Nationalist leaders have long drawn on the support of Irish America, a key element in the peace process. Bill Clinton, remains highly respected among Northern Ireland's Catholic population.

But both the SDLP and Sinn Fein oppose the war and are closely aligned to the anti-war movement on both sides of the Irish border.

DEMONSTRATION IN BELFAST We want to show in a public and dignified manner our support for what it is they are doing and pray for their safe return Sir John Gorman, UUP and war veteran

Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams described the war summit element of the visit as "insensitive" - but insisted that he was not now anti-American.

SDLP leader Mark Durkan said he could not disguise his "personal unhappiness" at the situation - but also committed to the meeting.

Anti-war protests in the Irish Republic have influenced nationalist politicians. Dublin remains officially neutral - but it has angered the anti-war lobby by allowing US military aircraft to refuel on its soil.

At the low-key anti-war protest near the Hillsborough talks on Monday evening, the demonstrators expressed their anger at nationalist party leaders who said they would join President Bush for talks on Northern Ireland.

Mitchel McLaughlin, chairman of Sinn Fein, received the loudest jeers from the crowd.

"Sinn Fein has been at the vanguard of the anti-imperialist struggle," he shouted over the boos.

"Then don't go tomorrow," came the reply from the crowd.

Eamon McCann, the Derry-based journalist and civil rights campaigner, was warmly received when he denounced the Tuesday meeting.

Mr McCann said Gerry Adams and Mark Durkan could still make a "principled decision" not to meet President Bush.

"[Tell him] we will not allow you to use the yearning for peace of the Irish people as cover for your imperialist adventure in Iraq," said Mr McCann.

"Don't do it Gerry, don't do it Mark, don't meet the bloodstained murderer in our name."

For his part, President Bush rejected suggestions that he was being hypocritical in pursuing war with one hand and brokering peace with the other.

He brushed aside unionist criticisms that he was turning a blind eye to the IRA - and said he had learned a lot from Prime Minister Tony Blair in how he had approached all the pro-agreement parties.

"These are men who have committed to an agreement, they have signed on to a process," President Bush told a news conference at Hillsborough Castle.

"I believe that peace is possible here in Northern Ireland. It makes me firmer in my belief [that we can bring change in the Middle East]. I am willing to expend the same energy in the Middle East."