I don't think Egypt was actually in the Empire - more a protectorate, and the brits had been invited in by the Egyptians for this purpose originally.

Iraq and Palestine I don't know too much about. Meddling in ME politics and the remodelling of that world.

The "bowing out" I refer to refers mainly to the 50s/60s. At one point, as a kid, it seemed like the Union Jack was being lowered in a different country every week, on the news.

As for the rest - British dependancies (hell there's a US Virgin Isles too!) - not an Empire! Most ex-empire countries are still in the Commonwealth and look to the Queen as their sovereign. Who else are these tiny islands going to turn to for support? I don't know but I assume they elect to remain British (just as I said the States elect to remain American).

The Falklands. Bit of a cheap shot. It was hardly the plucky islanders fighting the might of the British forces for independance! They wanted to remain British and were suddenly invaded by an alien culture, put under military rule, had to drive on the right, were about to be put under a spanish school regime, etc. etc. The US would have done exactly the same if one of her dependancies had been thus invaded.

For my part, I think we should have let the Argentinians have the uninhabited west island and kept the east.

>I wouldn't say Britain 'bowed out' exactly. Iraq didn't gain full sovereignty until 1932. British gave up Egypt in 1936. India was partitioned in 1947. Palestine in 1948. Later Africa. There was that nasty skirmish in the Falklands in 82 or 83. Britain still administers (governs?) St Helena, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Nontserrat, South Sandwich Islands, South Georgia, the Falklands, Turks and Caicos Islands, and Pitcairn right?