Have you ever stopped to think about how many of the worst trouble spots in the world are former British colonies?
A few minutes ago it was reported that Aung San Suu Kyi has finally been released from house arrest in Burma/Myanmar. It is worth mentioning that the woman has spent 15 of the last 21 years under house arrest. So, Burma, aka Myanmar. Former British colony. Blame Louie Mountbatten for leaving things in a mess, such that the nation has been ruled by a military dictatorship since 1962.
Right, the war in Afghanistan. Another former British colony.
And it spills over into Pakistan, which is another former British colony. Pakistan has perennial problems over Kashmir which it disputes with with India, another former British Colony.
The endless misery of Palestine, and the lands stolen by Israel? Both former British colonies. In all fairness, Lebanon can be blamed on the French, just for variety.
Remember the long and bloody insurgency in Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon? Another former British colony.
Strikes and nasty economic problems in South Africa? Yet another former British Colony.
Election violence in Kenya? And another former British Colony.
Ongoing misery under Evil Dictator Mugabe in Zimbabwe, formerly known as Rhodesia? Still another former British Colony.
What's my point? I don't suppose I really have one, other than the general evils of colonialism. Thank goodness "we" don't do that anymore.
Except that we do. Today the US and many European nations practice not military colonialism, but economic colonialism, the evils of which are more subtle, and far less apparent to the public eye.
I've noticed that too. The British Empire seemed to royally fuck everything it touched.
ReplyDeleteAnd the United States, which is not only suffering from its own economic and political turmoil but is spreading that turmoil around the world? Also a former British colony.