I have yet to meet a British serviceman claiming that the British army "won" in NI.

Most admit that PIRA was a very hefty opponent and that they struck almost at will in some area.

They generally speak about having reached "an acceptable level of violence" but after having lost 763 KIA in "the province", the only victory for the British army is that a political process has been followed, (the Belfast Agreement); it will eventually, in all probability, end with the Sinn Féin, the PIRA's political wing, reaching power in the near future.

I don't see any victory there. Containment for sure, but victory I think not.