Is the British Empire responsible for many of the worlds problems?

[Egbert]

Uh. The Prime Minister of the the United Kingdom has had the audacity to suggest the British Empire was responsible for many of the problems in the world. Sounds like he's some freedom hating Al Quada radical terrorist.
How strongly do you disagree with his idiotic idea.

BTW Although I am of British ancestry I am completely unbiased.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12992540

David Cameron has suggested that Britain and the legacy of its empire was responsible for many of the world's historic problems. But is that view fair?

Answering questions from students in Pakistan on Tuesday, the prime minister said: "As with so many of the problems of the world, we are responsible for their creation in the first place."

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

Yes, and it's really funny. Ha ha. Ha ha ha ha ha. And we're keeping the Elgin Marbles and Koh-i-noor.

[Egbert]

You lot really are hellbent on claiming the credit for everything and anything.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

Well, we didn't invent colonial exploitation on a massive scale. We just proved better at hanging on to the loot. Had it not been for William of Orange/Napoleon, this thread might have been about the Dutch.

[Egbert]

To give credit where it's due, Cameron has left himself plenty of scope for backpedalling. He can still blame everything on the Yanks whilst claiming credit for everything good. He can apologise for America's existence, explain they were revolting in 1777 and stayed that way ever since, he can disclaim all responsibility for them since the Treaty of Paris in 1783.

[Aeson]

Without the British Empire there never would have been the USA. Read that as you will...

5 stars!

[Egbert]

Without the British Empire there never would have been the USA. Read that as you will...

5 stars!

Yep. As I said, convenient scapegoat.

[Aeson]

Convenient until we start bombing YOU...

[Egbert]

Why would yanks bomb us? Americans are wannabe Aussies.

[BeBMan]

From the linky

By the time the British left India in 1947 they had given the subcontinent a number of priceless assets, including the English language,

[Wezil]

If you want to see a colonial power that left a legacy of **** look to the Francophonie.

The Brits by comparison left (for the most part) very stable colonies/countries.

[Riesstiu IV]

Well, yes. The British created the United States.

[OneFootInTheGrave]

The British also created India and Pakistan, were instrumental in screwing up Afghanistan, created Iraq and Libya...

Americans should save their bombs, save some money and bomb London again, as retribution for all the billions of taxpayers money they spent cleaning up the mess Brits left behind

[notyoueither]

India is an example of the Brits ****ing up?

[notyoueither]

From the linky

It makes trade with and moving around in real countries easier.