One thing that always puzzles me is why the British government are always the first to get involved in someone else's fight or internal disagreement. France, Germany, Spain or Italy all seem to stay out of it and leave it to Brussels, NATO or the UN.

Britain are always the first to pledge financial or military support before anyone else and quick to send out some minister to voice Britain's disapproval.

Maybe they are just being charitable or upstanding to some nation in a corner, but the days of the empire are over and I would imagine British taxpayers would prefer their local Accident and Emergency unit stays open or their potted road surfaces gets resurfaced instead of a bucket of stones heeled into it.