Falkland Standoff

Society Pakistan & World Affairs
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Nearly 30 years after the United Kingdom went to war with Argentina over the Falkland Islands, tension between the two nations ratcheted up once again with the British foreign office warning Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay against closing their ports to ships bound for the South Atlantic islands. The sea bed in the region is learnt to possess vast mineral and oil wealth.

Argentina, which claims sovereignty over the islands, along with Brazil and Uruguay, has barred British vessels from reaching the Falklands using a maritime blockade. A former British Naval chief called on Whitehall to send a nuclear submarine to the region.

Earlier, a statement issued by presidents of Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay said UK’s ships “should not dock in Mercosur ports; and if that were to happen, they should not be accepted in another Mercosur port”.

Mercosur is a trading block comprising Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.

The statement added that “all measures that can be put in place to impede the entry of ships flying the illegal flag of the Malvinas (Falkland) Islands” should be adopted.

The UK foreign office reacted saying, “We’re concerned by this latest Argentine attempt to isolate the Falkland Islands people and damage their livelihoods, for which there is no justification.”

‘Don’t doubt us’

While London has started diplomatic efforts to lower the temperature, it also warned that “no one should doubt our determination to protect the Falkland Islanders’ right to determine their own political future”.

UK maintains the people of the Falklands are overwhelmingly of British origin and its claims over it, since 1833, are non-negotiable.

In 1982, then British PM Margaret Thatcher went to war and re-captured the Islands after Argentina invaded it. While using force does not appear a possibility, a stand-off is not ruled out. Britain is seen as much weaker than 30 years ago; while Argentina has grown stronger.

Former British naval chief called on Whitehall for a nuclear submarine because, unlike 1982, UK doesn’t have an aircraft carrier.

The Mercosur decision was the latest in a series by Latin American regional bodies showing solidarity with Argentina. The Falklands are a powerful Argentine national symbol.

Argentinian president Cristina Kirchner said, “The UK is a permanent member of the Security Council, yet it does not respect a single resolution.” She added, “We are not asking them to come here and recognize that the Malvinas are Argentinian, but what we are saying is for them to comply with the UN, sit down and talk, talk, talk.”

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Re: Falkland Standoff

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Falklands is thousands of miles away from UK how can they claim they belong to them makes no sense.

Maybe it is the oil which has been found in the region that made UK so stubborn in keeping them.

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If british people setteled there that is not argentinas problem.But that is what western society good at.
They settle anywhere in the world and claim that piece of land as there own i.e. australia,usa,canada etc.
While muslims are blamed as imperialists.

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Because 100% of the people who live there want to be part of the UK? In the same way that Kashmiris should be allowed to determine their future, the Falkland Islanders should be allowed to determine theirs.

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Europeans also settled in argentina and in fact, I believe it is the most whitest (or pure european) of all south american countries that matter. Many westerners give that as a reason to how Argentina was the USA (or even higher growing USA) of the south america before some stupid rulers came and messed things up.

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Maybe the South American whites should go back to spain and leave South America to the indeginous people who the practically wiped out. At the end of the day the falklands were a uninhabited desolate island before the British moved there, if they want to remain British then let them.

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The difference is that the inhabitants of the Falkland Islands are not natives. They are immigrants. A stark contrast with the Kashmir issue but more in line with the Palestinian issue.

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In same Manner British r ruling north ireland though north irish ppl dont want to be part of uk.so 3000 falkland islanders can be ruled by argentina.why is so hue and cry about right of self determination of 3000 peoples while millions of muslims are starving for that right.

I never understand y christian community Gets right of self determination anywhere in world so easily eg.east timor s.sudan

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similar argument was given for Hong Kong it was under british rule, eventually the british gave back to China even many Hong Kong people wanted to stay under british rule.

Falklands is on doorstep of argentina just because europeans from thousands of miles away occupied the island does it mean it belong to them ?

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Millitarily I think the South Americans have a slight edge now. Back when the Argentines and British last clashed it was a very near run thing although the media of the day did not make this all too clear.

Britian had the edge with the Royal navy and aircraft carriers especially.... this time round Britians Navy is not as top heavy...

True the Argentines and Brazzillians dont exactly have much of a formidable heavy Navy either. However they do have some decent aircraft much closer at hand plus the availability of modern Naval artillery systems and missiles.

The most deadly weapon in the Argentine arsenal back in the last clash was the Exocet Missile.... things have moved on a lot from that time.

I remember when the Mighty Isreal nearly lost a warship becuase of the primitive drone which Hezbollah rammed into the ship back in 06. That was a war Isreal lost and while it might not have been the biggest war in recent times, millitarily speaking it was the best example of assymetric warfare at its best.

Britian could not win so easily again without some support at a local level. Perhaps America might join in the fray and help out the British?

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The example of falkland islands will be a political argument for the muslims in the future.

When the islamic state arises again we will claim back the land of palestine and maybe fighting will be involved, lets see if the british will speak against that after what they did in the falklands.

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The UK was legally obligated to return Hong Kong to China, as it had only leased the territory from China for 99 years. The UK's claim to the Falklands comes from the 1770 settlement between Britain and Spain where both countries recognised each other's claim to the Falklands.

Argentina did not exist at that time. Spain's defeat and withdrawal from Latin America left the UK as the sole legal claim holder to the territory.

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Not really in line with the Palestinian issue, as the Falklands have only been permanently inhabited since 1828, in a settlement founded with British permission, and under direct British rule since 1833.

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The Falklands are much more heavily defended this time round. There is always a nuclear submarine on patrol when tensions rise in the south atlantic to deter the Argentine carrier force (fear of a single submarine kept the Argentine carrier out of the war after the Belgrano was sunk). On top of which the 4 Typhoon fighters on the island are significantly more advanced than Argentinian aircraft.

Britain has a much more robust defence plan this time around. Surveillance around the island has been increased to ensure earlier detection of Argentine forces, a local militia of the inhabitants trains with the British garrison for defence, and the core of the defence is the massive air base on the island. In addition to the 4 fighters on station, there is a aerial tanker based there permanently that can, in conjunction with tankers flying from the UK, ensure that fighter bomber reinforcements can reach the Falklands in large numbers in just hours. The UK also maintains a rapid reaction force specifically for the Falklands from all 3 services (the composition is classified) that is permanently in reserve for deployment to there.

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Britain unable to defend Falkland Islands again says 1982 Commanderhttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2003263/Falkland-Islands-Britain-defend-English-Channel.html

*“The truth is we couldn’t defend anything further than the other side of the Channel”

  • *Admiral Sandy Woodward
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Correction: The country with about 90% European population in South America is URUGUAY. The Europeans annihilated the locals there.
However, Uruguay and Argentina are very much alike. Speak with the same accent. I think Uruguay is like an extension of Argentina.

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So UK has only 4 fighter jets there?

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Don't u think using nuclear detterence against non nuclear power nations is kind of provocation to build the bomb.......

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But was the land their's to begin with? The independence movements of the 1940s to the 1960s showed that colonial era land claims are no longer tenable. And to be very honest the reason the Brits want the Falkland Islands is not for the inhabitants and their rights. Its for the use of the Island as a naval base.