Falklands again?

yay bring back the 'iron lady', she'll sort them out - i agree with the quote about the channel tunnel aswell, the channel tunnel makes:-

. smuggling into the country easer

. easy access for illegal immigrants (ect)

its the worst thing thats EVER been built over here.


[edit on 28-2-2006 by st3ve_o]

Think that book's complete toss. Written long after any evidence to refute the wild claims died with Mitterand.

1. We would have nuked Argentina - ridiculous suggestion, we'd have lost all goodwill we had in the world and caused major issues for Chile - our ally

2. Argentina had limited exocets (6 air-launched?) they had a good return on those 6 (Sheffield & Atlantic Conveyor) AFAIK we never had effective counter measures in place during the conflict, just that they ran out of missiles (this says 5 exocets)

www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil...

3. Channel tunnel was built by joint anglo-french consortium - it was a long-stated UK objective to have a channel tunnel (ever heard of Ted Heath?). I think the author of this book is confusing Mitterand and Napolean!

The US and Latin America have a love hate relationship. I am an American. I love America. I am a disabled American veteran. I don’t love what America has done over the last 200 years to other people, especially the poor people - the overwhelming majority - of Latin America. From the get-go, the US opted to have a “commercial” empire as opposed to a political empire of the European style. We Americans - say the R&Fs - rich and famous - the economic oligarches who “own” and “rule” America, have always supported clever and ambitious locals who would do our corporate bidding. Say hello, US Marines. OK, you knew that.

Unfortunately, not one American in 1000 knows or cares that the US invaded Russia in the 1920s, and lost, for example, or it occupied Haiti from 1918 to 1933, and Haiti is still the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. And etc. None of this reality is taught until POST K12 and not even then in the basic required US history courses which is mostly we good guy they bad guy hoopla. Patriotic propaganda. (Reminds me of pumping up Palestinian suicide bombers.)

While individual Latinos get along well with individual Americans I believe 99% of the inhabitants south of the Rio Grande River HATE American policy towards them. As in America's long time nemisis, Cuba's Castro, Kirchner, Chevez and the new Bolivian president and a new Chilean woman leader, MUST use the anti US - and by extension, anti UK - rhetoric to stay “alive” in domestic politics. Hey, for them, the bogey man is REAL. (Reminds me of Iran.) It will take a genuine effort at reconciliation and adjustment of interests by the UK to avoid another Argentine adventure in the Falklands. For Kitchner, it is a win-win situation.


The Falkland Islands. From the CIA World Factbook.
First sighted by English in 1592, the first landing was in 1690. The first settlement was by the French in 1764. Transferred to Spain in 1766. Since then the islands have been the subject of disputes first between Britain and Spain, then between Britain and Argentina. The UK established a naval garrison there in 1833. Argentina invaded the islands on 2 April 1982. The British responded and after fierce fighting forced Argentine surrender on 14 June 1982.

Land area: 12,173 sq km, includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and 200 smaller islands. 2005 pop 2,967, capital, Stanley. Fishing contributes the bulk of economic activity. In 1987 the government began selling fishing licenses to foreign trawlers operating within the Falklands exclusive fishing zone. These license fees total more than $40 million per year, which goes to support the island's health, education, and welfare system. Squid accounts for 75% of the fish taken. Exports feature high-grade wool to the UK and the sale of postage stamps and coins. The islands are now self-financing except for defense.

The British Geological Survey announced a 200-mile oil exploration zone around the islands in 1993, and early seismic surveys suggest substantial reserves capable of producing 500,000 barrels per day; to date no exploitable site has been identified. Tourism, especially eco-tourism, is increasing rapidly, with about 30,000 visitors in 2001. The British military presence provides a sizeable economic boost. GDP per capita - US$25,000 (41,000 pounds sterling?) Internet country code: fk.

Argentina claims the islands in its constitution but agreed in 1995 to no longer seek settlement by force; however, UK continues to reject Argentine requests for sovereignty talks.

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