Green leader Bennett sorry for 'excruciating' interview

[darmstadt]

Who are 'my lot'?

Anyone who's not a right ring ranker...

[SueEllen]

Apologies for the erroneous singular, however the Argentinian claim to sovereignty over the islands dates from 1833, is supported by most Latin American countries and China, and was the subject of a UN resolution as recently as 1988, and is written into the Argentinian constitution as ' a permanent and unwavering goal of the Argentine people'.

An accusation often levelled at The Left and the Greens has been one of naivity, that its fine to have principles, but they are often trumped by real-world economic realities and pragmatism.

The principle here is that the Islanders' right to self-determination, which is fine, part of International Law and which I in general support, however the cost of defending that 'right' in the face of aggression was nearly 1,000 lives (including three islanders killed by friendly fire) and about £1,000 for every household in this country (or over £1 million per Islander). An expensive principle.

A peaceful and negotiated handover, over time, with transition and relocation arrangements, and with the Islanders offered substantial compensation, it seems to me would have been a far more 'pragmatic' and less bloody solution. But it didn't, and won't happen - because of 'principle'.

You are aware that the USA could rightly claim the Falklands as well?

Just because you can claim sovereignty to a piece of land and put it in your written constitution doesn't mean you have the right to it especially if people live on it and have done so for generations. (Falkland islanders are a bit inbred.)

Also if you read my initial post I pointed out if the Argentinians hadn't been stupid and invaded they would probably have ruled them by now.

Not everything is about money. You sound like one of the accountants people complain about who know the price of everything and the value of nothing. International diplomacy and the people's rights such as the right to self determination are worth more than money.

[BolshieBastard]

Sorry, who is the unlubricated dildo(s) who is \ are linking a car crash interview with a rather tenuous claim by Argentina over the Falklands?

[SueEllen]

Had the Falkland Islanders been a bunch of Lentil eating banner waving lesbians "at one" with the planet you can bet any amount of money that the attitude of the left would have been quite different.

Since I worked with a former ex-military guy who fought in the Falklands and was definitely left wing, I don't understand why you think the "left" thinks this.

People on both sides of the political spectrum are often against wars as they are against people being used as pawns of political leaders especially if there is very little to be gained e.g. Iraq war.

[SueEllen]

Sorry, who is the unlubricated dildo(s) who is \ are linking a car crash interview with a rather tenuous claim by Argentina over the Falklands?

Threads evolve.

[BolshieBastard]

Threads evolve.

Mods should keep them on track.

[MicrosoftBob]

You are aware that the USA could rightly claim the Falklands as well?

Spain could rightly claim Argentina as well

[DodgyAgent]

Since I worked with a former ex-military guy who fought in the Falklands and was definitely left wing, I don't understand why you think the "left" thinks this.

People on both sides of the political spectrum are often against wars as they are against people being used as pawns of political leaders especially if there is very little to be gained e.g. Iraq war.

Fair comment. I am talking left wing in the context of the Green party. the self loathing idealistic idiot rather than the pragmatic (but still wrong ) socialist. many of the armed forces see themselves as working class and therefore opposed to Tory ideology. They are suspicious of privilege, business and markets (not unfairly) yet they hold many of the values of conservatism. These tend to be the ones that are sneered at by the left Emily Thornberry row: MPs like Ed Miliband are out of touch, says Hazel Blears - Telegraph

[DodgyAgent]

Spain could rightly claim Argentina as well

And our criminals have taken over much of Spain and Australia so they are therefore ours by right

[pjclarke]

You are aware that the USA could rightly claim the Falklands as well?

Just because you can claim sovereignty to a piece of land and put it in your written constitution doesn't mean you have the right to it especially if people live on it and have done so for generations. (Falkland islanders are a bit inbred.)

Also if you read my initial post I pointed out if the Argentinians hadn't been stupid and invaded they would probably have ruled them by now.

Not everything is about money. You sound like one of the accountants people complain about who know the price of everything and the value of nothing. International diplomacy and the people's rights such as the right to self determination are worth more than money.

But are they worth human lives? How many? Around one British serviceman died for every twelve Islanders. Overall 900 people died in a conflict over a population less than that of the town of Framlingham. I think Jorge Luis Borges got it right: a fight between two bald men over a comb.. Comparisons with WWII and Poland are just nuts.

And, as I said, I support self-determination, my admittedly flippant response was to point out the disproprtionate cost of defending that principle in this case (getting a Vulcan to bomb Port Stanley airport took multiple re-fuellings from multiple tanker aircraft, the raid did little damage). Untangling the historical claims to the islands is beyond my pay grade, however it is the case that they were settled by the French and the Spanish before us, and the British settlers abandoned the islands in the mid 18th Century. The Argentine aggression was illegal, immoral and self-defeating, but I find it absurd that a pragmatic and peaceful solution to the dispute remains elusive and we continue to be responsible for the defence of a tiny territory a third of the way around the globe.