WASHINGTON - Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has harsh words for violent opponents of the peace process in Northern Ireland.

Speaking at a press conference with Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin, Clinton praised Northern Ireland's leaders for unity in condemning recent violence.

She called attacks this month that killed two British soldiers and a policeman "an affront to the values of everyone community, every ethnicity, every religion and every nation that seeks peace."

Clinton also cut off a reporter who referred to opponents of the peace process as dissidents, saying "Not dissidents. I'm all in favor of dissidents, I'm not in favor of criminals."




The Associated Press, March 16, 2009