Are there some countries it would be better just to see broken up?

I'm normally for as few borders as possible, but there seem to be certain countries that, due to racism and past grievances, just cannot seem to stay as one country without, at the very least, oppression, and at the worst, outright civil war. (Somalia is the one that comes to mind.)

With this in mind, are there some countries which, frankly, just need to be allowed to have the disparate elements go their separate ways, at least until the bitterness is resolved by history? Does splitting nations up even prevent conflict? Surely if the hatreds are that bad, being two different nations won't solve the problem; the creation of Israel and Palestine didn't stop the two nations from doing their best to annihilate each other, because the suspicions and hatreds were still there.

The term "Great Man" is disturbingly interchangeable with "mass murderer" in history books.

Somalia.

Semi-joke entry: Belgium.

INT is knowing a tomato is a fruit. WIS is knowing it doesn't belong in a fruit salad. CHA is convincing people that it does.

Well recognising the bit of Somalia that works (Somaliland) would be something.

The term "Great Man" is disturbingly interchangeable with "mass murderer" in history books.

Recognization of Somaliland would, while not fix up the place, do wonders.

OTOH I have a few not-so-serious partition plans for Belgium.

INT is knowing a tomato is a fruit. WIS is knowing it doesn't belong in a fruit salad. CHA is convincing people that it does.

We need a separate country for the Kurdish people for sure.

And Tibet.

Banned entirely for telling FE that he was being rude and not contributing to the discussion. I shall watch down from the goon heavens.

This thread isn't going to devolve into Balkanizing states that neither need nor want to be Balkanized is it? Stuff like wishing the US were broken up into more nations or that Iraq should have been split along ethnic lines (nevermind that from a stability point of view they are starting to do fairly well) and other such nonsense.

It depends on historical context, and sometimes there simply isn't an easy solution. The partitioning of Ireland did not exactly bring about an end to strife there.

With cannon shot and gun blast smash the alien. With laser beam and searing plasma scatter the alien to the stars.

Partition was done against the wishes of the overwhelming majority, though.

Most of Russia could still be partitioned off, as well as parts of China. I think my dear own USA will eventually split, but I'm not sure about where the lines will be drawn.

The entire map of Africa should probably be redrawn, as it was divided by colonial powers.

the pronoun system in Cherokee is just better. Need Scion GM.

Gonna make the necessary Pakistan suggestion now. I've explained why in other threads.

I disagree about Russia. With the exception of the North Caucasus and the former lands of the Kazan Khanate, the rest is pretty Russified by now. Indeed, they could probably retake Belarus and Ukraine and the reamalgamation wouldn't take much time.

edited 26th Jun '11 12:02:11 PM by FFShinra

@Major Tom: While Iraq is improving, it still would avoid further strife. Kurdistan should definite be made, but I doubt Turkey would sign up for that.

• Tibet
• Uighurstan
• South Sudan (I'm happy for that)

Pakistan? It' already been split, and that's not counting 1947 split fromm India.

edited 26th Jun '11 12:17:00 PM by Erock

If you don't like a single Frank Ocean song, you have no soul.

Turkey wouldn't sign up for that. They've been trying to keep hold of the region since whenever.

You know, I have serious doubts about the legitimacy of a democratic country that holds distinct groups within its country together at gunpoint.

The term "Great Man" is disturbingly interchangeable with "mass murderer" in history books.

I did say they wouldn't btw.

And Turkey is't really a democracy att the moment: it's a one party government.

If you don't like a single Frank Ocean song, you have no soul.

Ah. You said "I doubt" which I took to mean "maybe they will, but probably not."

So they're a one party state? We're considering letting them into the EU why?

The term "Great Man" is disturbingly interchangeable with "mass murderer" in history books.

I always find it very weird how Alaska is still a part of the US....of course, US paranoia has always been weird.

With that in mind...break up the US and shove Alaska back into Canada?

edited 26th Jun '11 1:08:30 PM by Signed

"Every opinion that isn't mine is subjected to Your Mileage May Vary."

Back into? We never had it in the first place. :P

Still, Having an eleventh province/fourth territory would be interesting.

ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖅ ᐊᑕᐅᓯᖅ ᓈᒻᒪᔪᐃᑦᑐᖅ

Is there any good reason for Alaska not to be part of the US? I don't hear many people say "God I wish Alaska were out of the union", and Alaskans themselves seem to be in no hurry to leave.

Belief or disbelief rests with you.

It looks ugly this way. It could be said that I have OCD when it comes to borders.

The sin of silence when they should protest makes cowards of men.

Thats not a great argument. There could be a country made up of small possessions on all six non-frozen continents, if it works, fine.

On the other hand, Alaska might find its own local government can help it better than a federal one. Thats the current argument many Scots are using regarding the Scottish government, which many Scots see as simply more competent and more connected with the people than Westminister.

edited 26th Jun '11 1:36:06 PM by GameChainsaw

The term "Great Man" is disturbingly interchangeable with "mass murderer" in history books.

"shove Alaska back into Canada?"

You do know that Alaska was acquired from Russia, don't you?

And better than thy stroke; why swellest thou then?

Which is just as weird considering who it's stuck on. Either way, it doesn't fit the US. It looks like a rejected mutant offspring budded from the parent organism.

edited 26th Jun '11 1:40:19 PM by Signed

"Every opinion that isn't mine is subjected to Your Mileage May Vary."

Alaska find the local government helps it more than the Federal?

The Federal Government pumps more money PER CAPITA into Alaska than any other state.

They aren't going anywhere.

Have you, uh, ever looked at a globe in your life? The entirety of North America was colonized by Europeans; Russians happened to be the closest Europeans to the territory of Alaska.

"The Federal Government pumps more money PER CAPITA into Alaska than any other state."

Unsurprising, since it only has 710,231 capita, according to the latest census.

edited 26th Jun '11 1:46:26 PM by kashchei

And better than thy stroke; why swellest thou then?

MAH BOI!!!!

edited 26th Jun '11 1:44:08 PM by MilosStefanovic

The sin of silence when they should protest makes cowards of men.

Gotta admit to also having similar OCD tendencies with borders. Quite apart from anything else, if Scotland or Wales split from the United Kingdom the island would look untidy*

. I never like the look of islands that consist of two nations squeezed together. ¬_¬

edited 26th Jun '11 1:53:16 PM by pagad

With cannon shot and gun blast smash the alien. With laser beam and searing plasma scatter the alien to the stars.