CROATS AGAIN MARCHING TO RUSSIAN FRONT :D

[Rumata]

Idiot. Croatian hooligans want Croatia to be eliminated, they are in war with FA and on last Euros they sabotaged game against Czech Republic hoping Croatia will be banned from competition.

They didn't travel to Russia because they are afraid of tough Russian prisons.

It seems like it's some positive effect of that system at last.

[Rumata]

Btw, I will cheer for Belgium against Brazil. You are similar like we, small country with lot of talent.

Well, Belgium used to own a huge territory in Africa which was comparable to the whole Eastern Europe without Russia.

[Jana]

I was pretty sure OP was a bad joke, because I couldn't imagine Robocop saying it seriously.
Still, I remember Robo saying that in the time of his youth even in Dalmatia there on basketball fields he was the only one who didn't 'pretend to be an ustasha' (strike like an ustasha etc). They had 'ustasha' as a positive symbol. And he said that in Herzegovina it was worse.

Dalmatia is very nationalist. I grew up in ''red'' city but I visit Dalmatia so I know what are they like (my ancestry is Dalmatian)
My city is different world though. They call us Serbs.

[Jana]

To add more dirty laundry before the game. Luka Modrić is under investigation for perjury and he could end up in jail. State prosecution filled charges against him on day of Nigeria match.

He was under huge pressure and most of press didn't have any expectations of this team when going to Russia, with label of loser generation that never delivered. I read Russians faced similar negative press.

How things have changed, for both sides

[Mraz]

Well, Belgium used to own a huge territory in Africa which was comparable to the whole Eastern Europe without Russia.

Actually to be accurate Congo was the personnal belonging of Belgian King Leopold II who gave it to Belgium as heritage

[Dandelion]

Actually to be accurate Congo was the personnal belonging of Belgian King Leopold II who gave it to Belgium as heritage

Because of the atrocities in the Free State Period when it was Leopold's personal domain, under international pressure the Belgian government forced Leopold to relinquish control of the colony to Belgian civil administration in 1908.

How did he get hold of such territory?

After numerous unsuccessful schemes to acquire colonies in Africa and Asia, in 1876 Leopold organized a private holding company disguised as an international scientific and philanthropic association, which he called the International African Society, or the International Association for the Exploration and Civilization of the Congo. In 1878, under the auspices of the holding company, he hired explorer Henry Stanley to explore and establish a colony in the Congo region.[16]:62 Much diplomatic maneuvering among European nations resulted in the Berlin Conference of 1884–1885 regarding African affairs, at which representatives of 14 European countries and the United States recognized Leopold as sovereign of most of the area to which he and Stanley had laid claim.[16]:84-87 On 5 February 1885, the Congo Free State, an area 76 times larger than Belgium, was established under Leopold II's personal rule and private army, the Force Publique.[16]:123-124

[Mraz]

Because of the atrocities in the Free State Period when it was Leopold's personal domain, under international pressure the Belgian government forced Leopold to relinquish control of the colony to Belgian civil administration in 1908.

How did he get hold of such territory?

Yes he had to hand it to Belgim, still he did it at his death and Congo was his private property during his life so we can speak about a legacy. Belgium ended up as a colonial empire just because his king had some side activities that were successful and not because it wanted to become one.

[Dandelion]

Yes he had to hand it to Belgim, still he did it at his death and Congo was his private property during his life so we can speak about a legacy. Belgium ended up as a colonial empire just because his king had some side activities that were successful and not because it wanted to become one.

'Successful'. Disastrous would be more correct. He was successful in acquiring it though but terrible at running it. You don't want international outrage like that, it just wouldn't hold for generations.

[Mraz]

'Successful'. Disastrous would be more correct. He was successful in acquiring it though but terrible at running it. You don't want international outrage like that, it just wouldn't hold for generations.

Of course it was disastrous, cutting hand policy and exploitation are unacceptable...But sill Leopold II was a true gangsta and made Belgium part of the colonial club

[Robocop]

I will close this thread because honestly it was a joke, but I admit it was a bad one. No offence to anyone