Congratulations to England

[Steve Lux]

I just wanted to say congratulations to England on the return of your personnel from Iran. It was a tense time for all and I am happy to see them safely returned to their country and to their families. (I do wonder how many hundreds of millions more $$ the oil companies made in those few weeks - but that is an entirely different subject)

And I have a question for someone "in the know": Could you tell a Yank what the difference is between Britain and England? Now I know the entire island was once called the United Kingdom (Britain/England + Ireland + Wales + Scotland) by all but the Welsh, the Scots and the Irish ;), but I'm fuzzy on the difference between England and Britain.

[Strongbow]

Thanks Steve, the press are all over them as the moment - I'm sure they just want to spend time with thier families rather than get mics and cameras pushed at them though!

Britain (Great Britain as it once was) is England, Scotland and Wales.

England is just the English!

When someone calls you British then you cover all three countries!

United Kingdom (UK) actually covers Northern Ireland as well!

[Beerknurd]

Great explanation... I always wondered about that too...

I plan on going across the pond in a few years... I wanna pay a visit to Old Trafford and see the boys in Red whoop some butt!!!

GLORY GLORY MAN UNITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Nflight]

Steve Lux very well said. I too want to acknowledge the brave men and women of the ex-British captives in Iran. How dare those people act like animals with our men and women. Maybe that wording is not harsh enough, maybe it can be strewn as too much, but I have angst against those in Iran for their actions.

[Steve Lux]

I want to be careful to not get involved in a politicial issue here. We are an international team and the actions of a military and government don't neccisarily reflect the wishes of its people. Every people hazzard the risk of answering for the actions of their governments, but as I cannot justly answer for all the actions of my own government in every instance, neither can I expect another people to justly answer for the actions of their governments.

I fully believe that these people were outside the established boundaries of Iran and were incorrectly detained and falsley accused. That said; I am simply happy that they have been returned to their own countrymen and to their families.