Richard, Thatcher put all of her energy into dealing with the situation in the North of Ireland after her friend, Hairy Knees went vertical. She failed miserably because she under estimated their resolve. Here she wasn't dealing with the conscripted army in the Malvinas. John Major had a lot more wisdom when it came to dealing with the Irish. On the afternoon of the 9th of February 1996, the day the device detonated on the Southern Quay of Canary Wharf,he received a phone call stating another two similar devices were primed and already in the capital, he made the right call to begin talks, without sounding melodramatic, the country would have faced bankruptcy. Thatcher failed, in Ulster, Unionism is now fragmented, the largest party in government over there are the very people she attempted to break.