Argentine government to undermine Falklands Referendum

[Selous]

Certainly, though the counter-argument is that a 'colonial people' 's decision 'doesn't count' under UN 'law' (apparently, I've never looked into that bit).

[marktwain]

Originally Posted by Selous

The med stopped being part of British strategic focus a little while after abandoning the East of Suez role, give or take 10 - 15 years.
Our defense interests are closely allied to the US these days, which means keeping Gib is beneficial for the US, in turn beneficial for us. The USN regularly docks its subs at Gib.

Re-taking Gibraltar for Spain has support that is a mile wide & six inches deep

.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17635879

Gibraltar isthe economic engine's start button for Southern Spain.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17635879

After three hundred years its no more a foriegn colony than The Channel islands are to France, or the parts of Germany encased by Swiss territory are to the Swiss.

But a vote is a vote is a vote...

[Selous]

If you read much of the Spannish press (as I've idly done now'n then, but can't say as I've read a lot), you get the impression it's a veritable Tortuga, like in the Disney pirates film - a haven for smugglers and other ne'er do wells. Even if they're correct, it could still be a lucrative place on their doorstep, doubly so perhaps.

[marktwain]

Originally Posted by Selous

If you read much of the Spannish press (as I've idly done now'n then, but can't say as I've read a lot), you get the impression it's a veritable Tortuga, like in the Disney pirates film - a haven for smugglers and other ne'er do wells. Even if they're correct, it could still be a lucrative place on their doorstep, doubly so perhaps.

You notice the same demands in the Spanish press to return The Spanish enclaves on the Morocco coast to The Berbers...

[ChrisF1987]

Originally Posted by Selous

Certainly, though the counter-argument is that a 'colonial people' 's decision 'doesn't count' under UN 'law' (apparently, I've never looked into that bit).

According to the UN the only valid option for "colonized people" is independence.

This is the reason why the UN has been quiet about the recent Puerto Rican referendum: because 94% voted against independence and they voted for statehood (integration) into the United States.

As far as I am concerned the UN can go screw themselves. They have no business lecturing Bermuda or Gibraltar or Puerto Rico as to what they should do.

[Selous]

In the case of Gib and the Falklands, the people there, who wish to remain British, are the colonisers according to that facet of UN law, therefore their wishes don't count. It's a void referendum, according to the legal beagles backing the Spannish/Argentine claim.
I agree with you on the case of the UN, Chris

[Selous]

Today's news on Mrs K and the Falklands;

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...Falklands.html

"Argentina once again has been attacked by speculative funds, and by others who threaten to come 12,000 kilometres (7,450 miles) to invade and militarise our Malvinas" (Falkland Islands), a defiant President Kirchner said earlier.

She was referring to Mr Cameron, and the fund that had held the Argentine ship.

"We say to them, proudly and with conviction: what we see before us today is a lesson for history," Mrs Kirchner told thousands of tourists lining the port of Mar del Plata as the ship the Libertad – impounded in Ghana for 78 days until it was ordered freed by a UN court in December – finally arrived back home.

[copenhagen]

Originally Posted by Selous

Today's news on Mrs K and the Falklands;

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...Falklands.html

Now thats what I call reaching!

[Selous]

"We are accustomed to withstanding pressure ... and we are going to keep it up. Because nobody is going to take anything from Argentina by extortion or by force,"

She's dealing with the professionals now.

[BELGRAVE]

Originally Posted by Selous

"We are accustomed to withstanding pressure ... and we are going to keep it up. Because nobody is going to take anything from Argentina by extortion or by force,"

She's dealing with the professionals now.

Shame, I would have thought that a British counter-claim to Patagonia- originally colonized by Welsh settlers (Welsh is still spoken there, I believe)
might have been on the cards.

[queensman]

i say fcuk em, if they want it that bad then try and take it.
Then she can spend the rest of her term in office writing letters to the parents and wives of the people who died trying to retake the falklands.
Its not a spectacular place.. I spent 6 months there in 84 with 2 queens. Excellant training ground though, i did my nco cadre there and was told later it was the toughest one yet.
We felt like we were fighting the war again.
The penguins bite and the sheep are just flirts

... .... .. -

[UGLYGUTS]

We need a concerted effort on multiple fronts to make Argentina our bitch and bleed them dry in the process imho, Kirchner is doing pretty well on the bleeding em dry front without our help.

I think bilatteral trade is something in the region of 120 million in the Argies favour, perhaps put as much of that in Chile and Brazils direction as much as poss, as a start.

Brazil and Chile do not give a rats hind quarters as to who owns the Falklands, just in their national interests to cosy to the neighbours as opposed to the far off.

We accepted an offer of talks, only thing we asked for was to allow the leader of the Falkland Islands to join in, now they refuse to talk.

The Islanders for years were working hard to build dialogue to achieve mutual rewards from fishing, oil and tourism, the Argies up and left the debate like a flicked switch.

There is a lot at stake here, they claim not only the Falklands but Georgia and the South Sandwich islands and our Antartic territory.
I have no doubt that if they had the weapons that they would take them, at the moment they are a laugh a minute, but who knows in 20 or 30 years time, the time to thump em to the ground is now, kill thier ambitions.

Our so called NATO allies are fence sitting or in some cases refering to the islands as Malvinas, only Canada has had the goodness to stand by our rights on these issues.

For my money, until the US elects a president that will back our rights and the rights of the islanders in words (and thats all I ask is words), or at the very least just say Falklands and shut the hell up on it, NATO and a multitude of other things we get taken for granted for can take a frigging hike.
Perhaps we should do our military shopping with who backs our territorial rights the best in mind.

[copenhagen]

Originally Posted by UGLYGUTS

We need a concerted effort on multiple fronts to make Argentina our bitch and bleed them dry in the process imho, Kirchner is doing pretty well on the bleeding em dry front without our help.

I think bilatteral trade is something in the region of 120 million in the Argies favour, perhaps put as much of that in Chile and Brazils direction as much as poss, as a start.

Brazil and Chile do not give a rats hind quarters as to who owns the Falklands, just in their national interests to cosy to the neighbours as opposed to the far off.

We accepted an offer of talks, only thing we asked for was to allow the leader of the Falkland Islands to join in, now they refuse to talk.

The Islanders for years were working hard to build dialogue to achieve mutual rewards from fishing, oil and tourism, the Argies up and left the debate like a flicked switch.

There is a lot at stake here, they claim not only the Falklands but Georgia and the South Sandwich islands and our Antartic territory.
I have no doubt that if they had the weapons that they would take them, at the moment they are a laugh a minute, but who knows in 20 or 30 years time, the time to thump em to the ground is now, kill thier ambitions.

Our so called NATO allies are fence sitting or in some cases refering to the islands as Malvinas, only Canada has had the goodness to stand by our rights on these issues.

For my money, until the US elects a president that will back our rights and the rights of the islanders in words (and thats all I ask is words), or at the very least just say Falklands and shut the hell up on it, NATO and a multitude of other things we get taken for granted for can take a frigging hike.
Perhaps we should do our military shopping with who backs our territorial rights the best in mind.

I dont think any of this necessary. Reacting plays into her hands. They are in no position to take the islands, we have the assets there to ruin a lot of people's day. They're not going to get a negotiated settlement on this at all. They've got nothing and are just using it to prop up domestic issues. She's hanging herself and we should let her and keep our mouths shut whilst we pretend not watch her flounder. Ignoring her is the best way ot piss her off.

[Andy H]

Agree with Cope, there's nothing worse when one side is huffing and puffing for a verbal dust up, and the other side remains silent-all married men know this

Regards

[UGLYGUTS]

I withdraw my rant, and express my love for Chile,

Ignore Argentina and love Chile, my new mantra