| Argentina has eyes for Falkland Islands
again  ACCORDING
to reports it seems that Argentina is casting eyes at the Falklands again
and it should come as no surprise.
The 25th anniversary of the Falklands War focuses attention on the tiny
British outpost once again and I suppose that the speculation is bound
to rear its head.
Argentina has always considered the Falklands to be theirs because it
is only about 300 miles off their coast and Britain’s stance is
that the islanders themselves should decide whether they want to be part
of Britain or Argentina.
This is a stupid argument and an insult to Argentina.
Britain planted a colony there and to pretend otherwise is ridiculous.
The Falklands War although only lasting 10 blood-stained weeks cost the
lives of 255 British troops and 655 Argentineans and ensured Maggie Thatcher’s
political future.
There is no doubt that the invasion was a ploy by Argentina’s General
Galtieri to shift attention from domestic issues but he badly misjudged
Thatcher’s reaction.
The result of this serious mistake was death and injury to both sides
and humiliation for Argentina.
Galtieri thought that the British would not have the will to fight a battle
so far away and he was nearly right.
British military commanders were against the war but Maggie stuck to her
guns and the rest is history.
Not withstanding the 25th anniversary of the conflict I cannot help but
wonder at the timing of the renewed claims by Argentina.
Is the fact that Britain is bogged down in Iraq and being humiliated by
Iran seen as an opportunity for them to press their claims to ownership
once again?
If that is their case then they might be up against even bigger problems
this time around namely the possibility of large oil and gas reserves
in the Falklands.
While the present British Government might be willing to consider dumping
the population of the Falklands there is no chance that they would ever
give up oil and gas revenue.
My bet is that Argentina may have missed the boat in 1982. |
