Hang on, could a war over some islands affect the election?

[Gibbon]

Compared to the Taliban and Iraqi rebels who’ve been causing enough trouble. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t doubt the ability of British service personnel; I think they’ve proven that enough times. Trouble is, Argentina is not a poor turd world country, it’s got a big military budget, it has considerable forces and could make life very difficult despite the undoubted commitment of British forces. I’m afraid at some stage the capacity of the British forces will be beyond it’s maximum.

Yes tey have a big military, but's it's getting across 300 miles of hostile ocean. Think how close D-Day was and that was with massive superioty in the air and numbers of troops. Also their army is mainly conscript and poorly led.

The Argies have nothing like the Typhoon and honestly until you've worked on it you have no idea how lethal it is.

[Mich the Tester]

Yes tey have a big military, but's it's getting across 300 miles of hostile ocean. Think how close D-Day was and that was with massive superioty in the air and numbers of troops. Also their army is mainly conscript and poorly led.

The Argies have nothing like the Typhoon and honestly until you've worked on it you have no idea how lethal it is.

They scrapped military service after the 1983 overthrow of the military government; their army is now fully professional.

It's all very well talking tough, but what's the point if a long term deal can be done? Stop seeing Argentina as Britain's enemy. They aren't. Right now the biggest threat is from fundamentalist wahabi loonies that hate everything western and hate Argentinians as much as they hate Brits, and not from another western country that just wants a bit of recognition and some prospect of a deal on a long running territorial dispute. I say Britain should do everything to build a friendly relationship with Argentina, except for handing over the islands.

[Moscow Mule]

The Argies have nothing like the Typhoon and honestly until you've worked on it you have no idea how lethal it is.

To the pilot?

I've played EF2000. That woman's voice is quite comforting, until she tells you a wing is about to drop off...

[Tarquin Farquhar]

It's all very well talking tough, but what's the point if a long term deal can be done? Stop seeing Argentina as Britain's enemy. They aren't. Right now the biggest threat is from fundamentalist wahabi loonies that hate everything western and hate Argentinians as much as they hate Brits, and not from another western country that just wants a bit of recognition and some prospect of a deal on a long running territorial dispute. I say Britain should do everything to build a friendly relationship with Argentina, except for handing over the islands.

It does seem to me that Britain has committed itself to stubborn unthinking defence of the Falkland islanders' unconditional right to make no compromises or changes in anything, at a time when the British people are having to accept and live with much greater changes themselves all the time.

Do a deal, or at least do a conversation. At least look at what might be done.

[Mich the Tester]

It does seem to me that Britain has committed itself to stubborn unthinking defence of the Falkland islanders' unconditional right to make no compromises or changes in anything, at a time when the British people are having to accept and live with much greater changes themselves all the time.

Do a deal, or at least do a conversation. At least look at what might be done.

whs
Just look at the opportunity there with all that oil under the Falklands. Economic and logistical cooperation with Argentina, easy access to the growing South American markets, access for Argentina to EU free trade deals through Britain, research cooperation etc. I think times have moved on. I don’t think it’s in British interests to unconditionally defend the islands; it’s in British interests to talk with Argentina and offer more and deeper cooperation. In doing so, trust improves. If that leads, in the long term, to a change of constitutional arrangements that’s accepted by the islanders then so be it.