Actually, as odd as this may seem I was wondering if my nation could have at least okay relations with the Goblins, you will understand more when my sheet is finished and up but secretly my nation wants a buffer nation to the south. A huge swamp and boggy area, inhabited by an irrepressible people who I imagine will be great at guerrilla warfare make an excellent shield against the rest of the world. No real threat of invasion by the Goblins but a fantastic buffer. So my nation would offer the following. They would guarantee the independence of the Goblin nation, protecting them in wars if need be and even offering to held them expand their borders coast to coast. In return the Goblins would be asked to resist any hostile armies marching to my nation from the south. Also their may be trade, less for industrial reasons but more for science as far as my nation is concerned. They may want to experiment with swamp gasses and the various other unpleasant elements of the swamp. In return my nation could provide an array of things, your choice Meeky. 

As a side note their may be some cultural sympathy between our nations, you will see when I post it. 

Do you have any thoughts?