Falklands Referendum

[MartyBA]

Sure, that's nice, but in the mean time you have to do something about the Islands, specially when you have a military force that projects power over the continent...

 

[scotttswan]

Interesting perspective here:

http://www.guardian....-colonial-relic

Its typical stuff from Seumas Milne. He seems to think Venezuela is a paradise thanks to Chavez.

 

[scotttswan]

Sure, that's nice, but in the mean time you have to do something about the Islands, specially when you have a military force that projects power over the continent...

The UK is projecting power over South America? The only reason there's any military there is because of the invasion by Argentina.

 

[mrporoto]

The US doesn't recognise it's fast becoming an islamic state.The enemy within is always the last engaged.

 

[jp]

Interesting perspective here:

http://www.guardian....-colonial-relic

Interesting, but unfortunately based on a number of inaccurate suppositions and cliches which unfortunately tend to characterise media dicussions about the islands.

Dubious/inaccurate accounts of historical events (allusion to Palmerston's gunboats) - check.
Ethically confused reference to the expulsion the Chagossians - check
Unsubstantiated claims about the UN position towards the fate of islands - check

Can't help thingking its basically a theatrical wailing and gnashing piece - injustice porn for guardianistas with a low outrage threshold.

But at the same time, I agree with the thrust of the piece. Whilst I don't think the Islander or the UK are morally or legally obliged to accept Argentine sovereignty, I think its in the Islanders long term interests to develop a meaningful relationship with their neighbour, perhaps underpinned by some sort of legal construct. Can't see it happening with this government though, and not for another few decades. Lets see where things are on the 50th anniversary of the invasion...

 

[MartyBA]

There were UK military there, before Argentina landed in the Islands, and what they have there now is also a component of the Joint Rapid Reaction Force. Do you have any idea of what they have in the Islands and what they been doing ? .

 

[scotttswan]

There were UK military there, before Argentina landed in the Islands, and what they have there now is also a component of the Joint Rapid Reaction Force. Do you have any idea of what they have in the Islands and what they been doing ? .

The military there was practically non existent before the war.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1982_invasion_of_the_Falkland_Islands#Forces_involved
57 marines
11 RN sailors
25–40 FIDF and some volunteer civilians

They don't have a lot there now either.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_of_the_Falkland_Islands

 

[ajoknoblauch]

Sure, that's nice, but in the mean time you have to do something about the Islands, specially when you have a military force that projects power over the continent...

What force would that be? The Chileans, or the Brazilians?

 

[ajoknoblauch]

Interesting, but unfortunately based on a number of inaccurate suppositions and cliches which unfortunately tend to characterise media dicussions about the islands.

Dubious/inaccurate accounts of historical events (allusion to Palmerston's gunboats) - check.
Ethically confused reference to the expulsion the Chagossians - check
Unsubstantiated claims about the UN position towards the fate of islands - check

Can't help thingking its basically a theatrical wailing and gnashing piece - injustice porn for guardianistas with a low outrage threshold.

But at the same time, I agree with the thrust of the piece. Whilst I don't think the Islander or the UK are morally or legally obliged to accept Argentine sovereignty, I think its in the Islanders long term interests to develop a meaningful relationship with their neighbour, perhaps underpinned by some sort of legal construct. Can't see it happening with this government though, and not for another few decades. Lets see where things are on the 50th anniversary of the invasion...

You have matters reversed. It's Argentina whose long term interest is to develop a meaningful relationship with the Islanders, but for the Argentine government long term means until the October elections.

 

[MartyBA]

The actual number is not what really matters. The relatively small garrison deployed in the Islands in 82 was a component of a much larger force, same as now. I have to assume that you don't know what the UK JRRF is. On the other hand you also have to consider what are the activities of the servicemen deployed. In this case you have electronic eavesdropping, submarine surveillance, intercepting aircraft in international waters ( in some cases with elected officials on board ), and the like, so, I understand the concern of the Argentine government on this. Now i wonder what would you say if the Argentines decide to reciprocate, ie, by escorting the supply planes coming from St Helena or Asuncion or for instance those of maritime patrol that sometimes operate in the Islands....