oracle Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 Perhaps this is atonement for our past invasions. depends under what circumstances we invaded in the first place. if the cause is right,and we invade other people who were attemping to invade us in the first place, then we get the spoils. this country has a history of snatching victory from the jaws of defeat,remember. ie spanish armada attempt invasion, they fail, they lose gibraltar. the french try, fail, they lose scotland and ireland. the mad mullahs try, and fail..they lose the middle east. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happy_renting Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 I wish we still had Heligoland, simply because I like the name. We have yet to invade Legoland or Poundland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TheBlueCat Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 Newfoundland has some islands that are still part of France. St Pierre et Miquelon! In the ar5e end of absolutely nowhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stormymonday_2011 Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 The Wiki animated map of the evolution of the British Empire is quite revealing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territorial_evolution_of_the_British_Empire#/media/File:British_Empire_evolution3.gif The British Empire was probably at its peak in terms of real political, military and economic power in the early 19th Century but did not reach its maximum size in terms of territory until 1918. Essentially it was a maritime Empire that declined and then collapsed as soon as it acquired a vast land Empire to defend. Sadly that lesson was completely lost on Tony Blair who managed to get in a series of unsuitable conflicts. At least when fighting in the Falklands back in the 1980s we were playing to our historical strengths. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happy_renting Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 US military presence 2007 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 St Pierre et Miquelon! In the ar5e end of absolutely nowhere. Quite correct Mr Cat! France gets everywhere, and I have a sneaking respect for them, although I have never bought one of their cars. A Citroen DS Prestige would be great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saving For a Space Ship Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
talby Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 If you call it Palestine, it makes it a lot easier. I know what you mean, that's the thing isn't it - Israel was declared after the British ended their mandate and withdrew from Palestine (although according to wikipedia Israel was declared on the final day of the ending of the British mandate, so technically we "occupied" Israel for a few hours I think !). I think the list is suspect at best because of this counterexample - and others as pointed out in this thread ! Oh well, I suppose it gives Britain's detractors a propaganda stick with which to beat us Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EUBanana Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 I don't recall the invasion of Israel ! WW1, Edmund Allenby, as part of the fighting against the Ottoman Empire. That's why the list is dubious, a great deal of the time we were fighting against an imperial power who had someone (Israel, Argentina, Quebec) as one of their many satrapies. It's not the same as invading an entirely separate and independent country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EUBanana Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 Makes genocide so much easier. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_War Tasmania is enormous, it's just a bit smaller than Ireland. Only 900 aborigines there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debtlessmanc Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 Similar conversation is about members of the commonwealth, apparently based in being an ex british colony, yet counts cameroon (french colony) amongst its members although apparently other countries in a similar situation such as algeria have asked to join and been told no thanks. Must be gauling for the french that their ex-colonies are still expressing a preference to be part of our ex-colonies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecrashingisles Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 Must be gauling for the french that their ex-colonies are still expressing a preference to be part of our ex-colonies No pun intended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oliver Sutton Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 Tasmania is enormous, it's just a bit smaller than Ireland. Only 900 aborigines there? By then. About 7000 when the Brits arrived. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AThirdWay Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 Why no mention of China or Afghanistan? Is there some sort of rule that says that deposing a despot = invasion, supporting a despot = no invasion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EUBanana Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 By then. About 7000 when the Brits arrived. I assume disease was most of that. Most of Tasmania is empty, even today - not like it's been settled much beyond Hobart, huge swathes turned into farms and the like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EUBanana Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 Why no mention of China or Afghanistan? Is there some sort of rule that says that deposing a despot = invasion, supporting a despot = no invasion? The Opium Wars / Boxer Rebellion were definitely invasions... As for Afghanistan we invaded it, what, four times? Not all of those times were supporting a dictator. A lot of the 19th century especially invasions were not sanctioned by London though, in fact London was quite often opposed to what far flung corners of the empire were up to. I read a bit about the Maori Wars, that was interesting - the colonists complained to London about being attacked, London sent some redcoats over - and the redcoats eventually decided that they were not supportive of the colonists just wanting to murder the Maoris. Wasn't just that though, must have been half a dozen examples easily. As has already been mentioned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happy_renting Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 Newfoundland has some islands that are still part of France. Are they really French, or do they just smell funny? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Cavey Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 Tasmania is enormous, it's just a bit smaller than Ireland. Only 900 aborigines there? Wales as the standard unit not good enough for you? I'd also accept Belgium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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