[heero_yuy]

Originally Posted by Gary L

I never understood that at school when we were told that we used to own countries on the other side of the world.
I always imagined that it just happened one day like an auction where countries would say I'll have this one and that one. till they were all taken.

Many of those "countries" weren't really countries, just various tribes in scattered villages. What boundaries that existed were merely the limits of one tribes influence. We just walked in, set the borders and organised things.

It was setting those borders without regard to the ethnicity or religeons of the various tribes that were ruled by us and the other colonial powers of the time that seem to be at the root of many of todays conflicts.

---------- Post added at 10:55 ---------- Previous post was at 10:54 ----------

Originally Posted by Mr Angry

This is a very valid point.

You can't spend centuries democratizing countries telling them how your democracy, citizenry and society (amongst other things) are the best in the world and then somehow be surprised / offended when they want to come and live with you.

There is however a world of difference between them wanting to come here and the authorities putting out the welcome mat and pots of money.