One Saturday evening in the early 1990s, I sat watching the BBC Northern Ireland news.  There had been trouble in North Belfast, disturbances on the streets and the throwing of bricks and petrol bombs.  The rioting was in daylight and the BBC news cameras, positioned behind a row of grey RUC Land Rovers, showed youths who were wearing balaclavas, or who had handkerchiefs tied across their faces. The boys were showering the Police positions with an array of missiles. The police were static, appearing disinclined to take on the mob …