Argentina opens up second front in Falklands Kerfuffle

[Coito ergo sum]

wouldn't be surprised if the Falklanders are richer, per capita, than Brits. Make a lot of money from fishing licences, never mind the oil.

Per capita GDP is about the same for the Falkland Islanders and the UK in general.

Although, I think Falkland Islanders are British. ARen't they?

Their kids get free University places in the UK too.

Jeez...and I thought universities in the UK were free for everyone already.

Nope. Kids (or parents) pay tuition fees now. Free to Falkland Islander kids.

What kind of a society doesn't provide free college educations to all? It's a human right, after all....

And, those freeloading Falklanders! Send them to the Argentinians!

[Rum]

More accurately perhaps, the Falkland Island local government system pays for their kids.

[Coito ergo sum]

More accurately perhaps, the Falkland Island local government system pays for their kids.

Socialist bastards.

Give the islands to Chavez, and then let's see what the Argentinians do.

[klr]

1/2 page ads in the papers today, featuring a personal plea from President Kirchener of Argentina calling for an end to the "anachronistic" colonial administration of the Falkland Islands. She is also pushing this at some meeting at the UN today as well.

Quite ironic, the leader of a S. American country calling for the end of colonialism but hey ho.

There's to be a referendum in the Falklands asking the people if they prefer British rule, Argentine rule or independence, with the Argentines allowed to advertise, etc. Can't see there being many takers, though.

And the Spanish are moaning about Gibraltar again. Damned opportunists.

The British Ambassador should issue a statement at the UN, something along the lines of "Oh do bugger off"

I think the whole point of the referendum is that there will be no votes for Argie rule.

Unless the penguins revolt.

[Horwood Beer-Master]

...be interesting to see what, if any, material the Argentine govt puts out when the referendum goes ahead.

They won't. Their position is to treat the Argentine people as if they don't exist, hence the ads in British newspapers - I somehow doubt they placed a similar ad in Penguin News.

[Clinton Huxley]

An invincible aura of high-handed condescension will see us through. God Save The Queen!

[Clinton Huxley]

Crazy Cristina has demanded talks in her rant at the UN. Sorry, love, you don't get to demand anything. In the parlance of our times...."jog on"

HBM is right in his comment above, of course. She bangs on about the Falklands being close to Argentina and about the claimed history of the settlement there but clearly has no regard at all for what the current inhabitants actually want.

[Rum]

There is an element of hypocrisy in the UK's position however. The majority of the Hong Kong population had no wish to be part of China in 1997. They weren't given a choice. The situations are not dissimilar.

(Posted by mistake in the Venezuela thread)

[Clinton Huxley]

There is an element of hypocrisy in the UK's position however. The majority of the Hong Kong population had no wish to be part of China in 1997. They weren't given a choice. The situations are not dissimilar.

(Posted by mistake in the Venezuela thread)

You are right, of course. This is where the realpolitik comes in. We could and (hopefully) still can defend the Falklands. A defence of Hong Kong would have been impossible. You can only play with the cards you have. I don't think there was much else we could have done with Hong Kong.

[Tyrannical]

Use the Falklands as a penal colony, then we'll see if Argentina still wants it.

[mistermack]

There is an element of hypocrisy in the UK's position however. The majority of the Hong Kong population had no wish to be part of China in 1997. They weren't given a choice. The situations are not dissimilar.

I wouldn't agree there. It's perfectly obvious that Hong Kong is part of mainland China. It was on a legal lease which both parties honoured, and the lease expired. That's how I remember it anyway.

The Falklands are 300 miles from Argentina. If proximity means you have a right to territory, we still have a right to Ireland. And half of France. And Argentina can claim most of Chile.

As far as I'm concerned, 300 miles of ocean might as well be 3,000. It's historical claims that count, and Argentina has never had a population on the Falklands, Britain has, for nearly 200 years.

The historical valid objection to empire has been the subjugation of the indigenous population, and the taking of their homeland.
That simply doesn't apply to the Falklands. In fact the exact opposite applies.

If Argentina got their hands on it, that WOULD be subjugation of the indigenous people, and taking over their land.

And that's how Argentina was born in the first place.

[Coito ergo sum]

Crazy Cristina has demanded talks in her rant at the UN. Sorry, love, you don't get to demand anything. In the parlance of our times...."jog on"

HBM is right in his comment above, of course. She bangs on about the Falklands being close to Argentina and about the claimed history of the settlement there but clearly has no regard at all for what the current inhabitants actually want.

The current inhabitants were described as "usurpers."

[Clinton Huxley]

Crazy Cristina has demanded talks in her rant at the UN. Sorry, love, you don't get to demand anything. In the parlance of our times...."jog on"

HBM is right in his comment above, of course. She bangs on about the Falklands being close to Argentina and about the claimed history of the settlement there but clearly has no regard at all for what the current inhabitants actually want.

The current inhabitants were described as "usurpers."

That makes Argentina a nation of "usurpers".

[Coito ergo sum]

Crazy Cristina has demanded talks in her rant at the UN. Sorry, love, you don't get to demand anything. In the parlance of our times...."jog on"

HBM is right in his comment above, of course. She bangs on about the Falklands being close to Argentina and about the claimed history of the settlement there but clearly has no regard at all for what the current inhabitants actually want.

The current inhabitants were described as "usurpers."

That makes Argentina a nation of "usurpers".

In that respect, so is England, since the Normans were from Normandy, and the Angles and the Saxons were from Germany and Denmark.

Everyone is descended from usurpers.

[Clinton Huxley]

Crazy Cristina has demanded talks in her rant at the UN. Sorry, love, you don't get to demand anything. In the parlance of our times...."jog on"

HBM is right in his comment above, of course. She bangs on about the Falklands being close to Argentina and about the claimed history of the settlement there but clearly has no regard at all for what the current inhabitants actually want.

The current inhabitants were described as "usurpers."

That makes Argentina a nation of "usurpers".

In that respect, so is England, since the Normans were from Normandy, and the Angles and the Saxons were from Germany and Denmark.

Everyone is descended from usurpers.

so we all need to hand all the land back to each other