michael semple is a keen runner and took part in the recent belfast marathon.o that long—distance commitment. and believes his upbringing on these streets has helped prepare him for that role. being able to navigate northern ireland with due sensitivity enables you, or at least gives you a good head start in trying to understand where afghans are coming from, and successfully navigate afghanistan. though far from perfect, he feels the peace process in northern ireland could still offer lessons for afghanistan. i think that some of the things which went right in northern ireland were neglected in afghanistan and helped to explain why peace has still proven elusive. and one important lesson of northern ireland, according to michael semple, is that problems don't go away. politicians must stay the marathon course. keep hergoing. the war continues, which of course is a tragedy forafghanistan, potential source of instability in the region and globally. there must be a peace process. this isn't a happy ending. it's not a... it's certainly not happy, and it's not an e