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

[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.

[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.

[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...

[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.

[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.

[Churchill]

... to the extent that there are more than twice as many ex-Nazi's living in Argentina as there are living in the Falklands.

FTFY

[Tarquin Farquhar]

I have to wonder whether the real issue in Argentina is the Falklands. Having visited Argentina three times and spoken with lots of Argentineans, and having Argentineans friends, I think what actually pisses them off is the feeling that Europe sees them as a turd world underdeveloped country. They feel they should be able to trade freely and move freely with the EU, as Europeans can, because they actually consider themselves to be European. If you visit you’ll see that it’s the most European culture in the world outside of Europe. I actually think a lot could be achieved if Britain were to help Argentina gain the sort of political and economic deals they want with the EU, and at least leave the option open to discuss the Falklands at a later date. That’s not selling anyone down the river, but recognizing that there are shared interests with Argentina.

... to the extent that there are more than twice as many British citizens living in Argentina as there are living in the Falklands.

[Mich the Tester]

is this in comparison to the taliban or the british army?

I have to wonder whether the real issue in Argentina is the Falklands. Having visited Argentina three times and spoken with lots of Argentineans, and having Argentineans friends, I think what actually pisses them off is the feeling that Europe sees them as a turd world underdeveloped country. They feel they should be able to trade freely and move freely with the EU, as Europeans can, because they actually consider themselves to be European. If you visit you’ll see that it’s the most European culture in the world outside of Europe. I actually think a lot could be achieved if Britain were to help Argentina gain the sort of political and economic deals they want with the EU, and at least leave the option open to discuss the Falklands at a later date. That’s not selling anyone down the river, but recognizing that there are shared interests with Argentina.

[Mich the Tester]

is this in comparison to the taliban or the british army?

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.

[ratewhore]

...a well equipped professional army in the Falklands.

is this in comparison to the taliban or the british army?

[Mich the Tester]

They would also find their airfields suddenly hit with cruise missiles about 30-40 minutes after they launched any attack.

This is all rather a shame. I was just looking into a trip to Cerro Castor for some skiing and snowboarding.

[Moscow Mule]

They couldn't just walk in there's a 1000 strong garrison there. Equipped with eurofighters and also a RN ship is also on station down there and more than likely a sub.

They would never gain the air superiorty required to launch a seaborne invasion.

They would also find their airfields suddenly hit with cruise missiles about 30-40 minutes after they launched any attack.

[Gibbon]

They couldn't just walk in there's a 1000 strong garrison there. Equipped with eurofighters and also a RN ship is also on station down there and more than likely a sub.

They would never gain the air superiorty required to launch a seaborne invasion.

[Mich the Tester]

What's in it for them?

They can join the 6 Nations Championship and probably beat everyone.

[Tarquin Farquhar]

The Argies could probably walk right in to "Las Malvinas" now, and stay.

When the earthquake in Haiti struck last month, Britain was unable to help much because, for the first time since the Reign of Charles I, there were no Royal Navy Ships or helicopters in the Caribbean.

It turned out that a couple of weeks earlier, Gordon Brown had asked for them all to be withdrawn, to cut costs.

I sincerely hope that none of the Thatcher fanboys on here is going to have the effrontery to pile in with some kind of fictitious suggestion that Thatcher's treatment of the Royal Navy was not considerably worse than Brown's