All these things and more.

Actually, you Brits have for the past century or so wrung the last farthing from just about every undeveloped nation in the Middle East and parts of Asia, thereby creating multifaceted problems for America to correct.

The only thing to come out of GB recently that had balls is the "Iron Maiden." The Ol Girl had more between her legs than most men! The greatest MAN to come out of Britain was a WOMAN! The next pint I drink will be to Lady Margaret Thatcher.

Now to Britiana.

India.

Why didn't British Lord Mountbatten settle the issue of Kashmir once and for all when he was Governor General of India. As Viceroy he had the power. Now, we're stuck with two nuclear nations each laying claim to the same piece of land and continually rattling their atomic swords.

Middle East.

Iraq.

He added: "We are today not far from a disaster." Sound familiar? That was T. E. Lawrence Lawrence of Arabia writing in The Sunday Times of London on Aug. 22, 1920, about the British occupation of what was then called Mesopotamia. And he knew. For it was Lieutenant Colonel Lawrence and the intrepid British adventuress Gertrude Bell who, more than anyone else, were responsible for the creation of what was to become Iraq. A fine mess they made of it, too. (By John Kifner)

Iraq was partitioned by Britain without regard to tribal affilication, language, culture, religion and socio-economic conditions.

Palestine.

What was the purpose of the British Mandate for Palestine?

By this document, the British government was made responsible for the territory known as Palestine for the specific purpose of facilitating Jewish immigration, settlement, and the establishment of a "national home for the Jewish people". While it is noted that the "civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine" shall not be prejudiced by the purpose of the Mandate, the clear intent was to go forward with the Zionist program of Jewish immigration and settlement.

Unfortunately for all parties, early optimism that this could be done with justice for all was destroyed by Arab hostility to the basic concept, however implemented, and increasing anti-Jewish violence from the Arabs as the Mandate period proceeded. Ultimately the British reneged on their obligations and adopted a largely pro-Arab approach to policies in the Mandate territory.

China: The Opium War--1839-42

In the nineteenth century, Chinese green tea became very popular among Europeans and Americans. Chinese silk and porcelain were also in great demand. The Chinese, on the other hand, needed almost nothing the west had to offer. This created an imbalance of trade, especially bad for the British, who were weary of sending shiploads of silver to Hong Kong. Their solution was to develop a third-party trade: exchanging their merchandise in India and Southeast Asia for cotton and opium, welcomed in China as currency, in spite of the Imperial Chinese prohibition on opium. (Opium is a preparation made from the juice of poppy seed pods, and is where heroin comes from.) During the early 1800's opium addiction reached epidemic proportions in China, after the British began using it instead of money. Even the upper command of the Imperial army were 'stupid and besotted,' not to mention badly hooked.

Your charge that the U.S. is in it for the "Oil" is valid to a point. Oil is a precious commodity these days. Even more so as the years pass and it becomes more scarce. However, the problem is infinitely more complicated than just a few million barrels of oil. The entire damned region is a powder keg.

West vs East. Islam vs Christianity. Poor vs Rich. Democracy vs Dictatorial Rule. Seemingly, the whole world vs America.

GET MY DRIFT, HERE? The Colonialists (especially Britain) globe trotted around the world, screwing it up, and sat on their ill gotten booty and waited for America to clean up their mess.

This already being a rather lengthy piece, I'll spare everyone the agony of telling you everything you don't know about Iraq and America's involvment in it.

I apologize for this unabashedly patriotic diatribe and I'll put my soapbox under the bed. Thank you and good night.

Regards to all
and a happy and properous New Year!