While watching Zulu for about the bajillionith time, I was curious about the British military strength back in the 1800s worldwide. I did a quick search of Wikipedia and came across a list of all British military engagements over the centuries. One of them sort of stuck out, primarily due to the random name: The Pig War
San Juan island lays inbetween the US and Canada just up from Seattle. In 1859, an American farmer shot a roaming pig that was owned by an employee of the Hudson Bay Company. The farmer offered $10 in compensation, but the owner demanded $100.
And this led to military action.
US troops (including George Pickett of Pickett’s Charge fame) landed on the island, and British navy sent in ships. The US sent in more canons and the British prepared to deploy some Marines. The orders from the Canadian governor was to a British Rear Admiral was to “engage the American soldiers” but the Admiral refused.
“Two great nations in a war over a squabble about a pig” would be foolish he is quoted as saying.
Troops from both sides occupied the islands, exchanging insults and occasionally swapping alcohol and other goods. When word got back to Washington and London the leaders were flabbergasted that something like this was about to go to military action. They agreed on binding arbitration which was eventually decided in favor of the US.
Now, 150 odd years later, we have China and Japan fighting over another silly little island, this time not about pigs but about oil. So as to avoid the braindead QQ puppets and Japanese nationalists who pummel any posting about the islands with moronic jingoistic claims, I’ll forgo delving into the underlying claims of either country. But I will point out that a British Rear Admiral at the time had more sense than any number of politicians to keep things sane and under control rather than risk a battle between two superpowers over something as silly as a tiny island. Sadly I don’t think the players in either country in today’s battles has half as much sense.
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The Pig War: Japan and China and an island dispute from long ago.
In the next few days, you are going to start seeing signs all over the net for KONY 2012. No, he’s not a politician–far from it, he’s Joseph Kony, the leader of the Lords Resistance Army in Uganda and a total and complete scumbag.
Internet savvy users around the world are pushing for his arrest in a coordinated effort this year to capture him. Last year 100 US military advisors were put on the ground to train the locals to help find him.
So join the 
Fascinating little video here on the history of “Keep Calm and Carry On”, the iconic World War II poster that has been reprinted and parodied all over the world.
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Act II takes place with the British forces, and is quite the “pip pip” and all that of massive horse charges (beautifully filmed by the way) and tragic consequences of the ‘Flower of England’ going to war in the trenches. Another act with a refugee family before the horse finds himself in the service of the Germans, pulling large artillery pieces through the trenches past the corpses of many a horse that has pulled before.
Over the past few years, we’ve seen the US play a more active role in Asia, primarily as a counter to China. On 
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London and much of the UK is in a mess right now but help is on the way in the form of a really ugly but functional armored vehicle.
For those not versed in US history, “Dewey Defeats Truman” was a famously inaccurate banner headline on the front page of the Chicago Tribune on November 3, 1948, the day after incumbent United States President Harry S. Truman beat Republican challenger and Governor of New York Thomas E. Dewey in the 1948 presidential election in an upset victory.
Living in DC you see your share of