The Argentine rhetoric is that Las Malvinas are a colonial venture in
the heart of Argentina, this works on the ignorant but those with a
knowledge of history know that Argentina was nowhere near the Falklands
when the British took full control in late 1832. The Argentines finally conquered Patagonia in 1881, fifty years after Britain had established a permanent administration on the Islands. (See The Falklands have always been Argentine - Las Malvinas son Argentinas ).
More serious than absurd claims about the Falklands being in the heart of Argentina, the Argentines have managed to convince, or incentivise, their South American cronies on the UN Decolonisation Committee that the population of the Falklands is of no account. This has allowed them to reduce the discussions to a battle over a lump of rock. A claim about property.
There can be no doubt that the Argentine claim to sovereignty in the Falklands Islands is deeply flawed and would be rejected by any International Court. The claim is too old, the law cannot easily permit 180 year old claims about property. It does not even permit such claims where more than property is at stake. Patagonia was only conquered 130 years ago so if 180 year old claims are regarded as "current" then the return of Patagonia to its original inhabitants should be heard first. Perhaps followed by the return of the whole of Argentina to its natives. The Argentines know that 180 years is too long which is why they have refused to allow the claim to be considered in court despite multiple invitations to do so.
So what are the Argentines up to? It is simple, they are an aggressive, expansionist power and they believe that one day they will have the military might to seize the Falklands. It is that simple. The South Americans are corruptible and will, for enough incentive, support them in this venture. The US is Machiavellian and will support whichever side yields the most profit, or in other words they are also corrupt. We are dealing with unreconstructed military hegemonists, like the European powers before the Second World War. Argentina might even persuade Brazil into a joint military adventure to grab resources from anywhere that they believe to be weak.
Basically, either the British must tool up and take their military power seriously in this wild world or negotiate some sort of balance of power between South American States, perhaps involving the USA, and splitting the Falklands between Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and an independent state, to get rid of the Falklands Problem. Be warned, these Argentines are actually proud of maintaining a boundary dispute for 180 years, yes, a 180 years, harassing the people of the Falklands and even causing war and death. Ordinary Argentines have been raised to be proud of this malevolence. These are truly the neighbours from hell.
The British really should remain well enough armed anyway, the Falklands is a "wake up call" about the world in general, the world is not civilised. Our pathetic governments of the past 40 years have gambled everything on the EU but that was foolish. The price of EU backing is to become part of a single European State and that price is too high. It is only through having our own military power that we can guarantee some level of civilisation for ourselves - although I had hoped that in the twenty first century law would prevail it is still the case that respect is purchased out of the barrel of a gun.
See also:
Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina and Las Malvinas
The Falklands have always been Argentine - Las Malvinas son Argentinas
More serious than absurd claims about the Falklands being in the heart of Argentina, the Argentines have managed to convince, or incentivise, their South American cronies on the UN Decolonisation Committee that the population of the Falklands is of no account. This has allowed them to reduce the discussions to a battle over a lump of rock. A claim about property.
There can be no doubt that the Argentine claim to sovereignty in the Falklands Islands is deeply flawed and would be rejected by any International Court. The claim is too old, the law cannot easily permit 180 year old claims about property. It does not even permit such claims where more than property is at stake. Patagonia was only conquered 130 years ago so if 180 year old claims are regarded as "current" then the return of Patagonia to its original inhabitants should be heard first. Perhaps followed by the return of the whole of Argentina to its natives. The Argentines know that 180 years is too long which is why they have refused to allow the claim to be considered in court despite multiple invitations to do so.
So what are the Argentines up to? It is simple, they are an aggressive, expansionist power and they believe that one day they will have the military might to seize the Falklands. It is that simple. The South Americans are corruptible and will, for enough incentive, support them in this venture. The US is Machiavellian and will support whichever side yields the most profit, or in other words they are also corrupt. We are dealing with unreconstructed military hegemonists, like the European powers before the Second World War. Argentina might even persuade Brazil into a joint military adventure to grab resources from anywhere that they believe to be weak.
Basically, either the British must tool up and take their military power seriously in this wild world or negotiate some sort of balance of power between South American States, perhaps involving the USA, and splitting the Falklands between Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and an independent state, to get rid of the Falklands Problem. Be warned, these Argentines are actually proud of maintaining a boundary dispute for 180 years, yes, a 180 years, harassing the people of the Falklands and even causing war and death. Ordinary Argentines have been raised to be proud of this malevolence. These are truly the neighbours from hell.
The British really should remain well enough armed anyway, the Falklands is a "wake up call" about the world in general, the world is not civilised. Our pathetic governments of the past 40 years have gambled everything on the EU but that was foolish. The price of EU backing is to become part of a single European State and that price is too high. It is only through having our own military power that we can guarantee some level of civilisation for ourselves - although I had hoped that in the twenty first century law would prevail it is still the case that respect is purchased out of the barrel of a gun.
See also:
Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina and Las Malvinas
The Falklands have always been Argentine - Las Malvinas son Argentinas
Comments
If The only constant in Argentina's history is military expansion and neo-colonialism, then what do 1st and 2nd world war countries get? What do countries that still got colonies get?
Argetina went to war on 1983 only because an arogant dictator wanted. That was his end. All people down there had to pay for his insanity but they got democracy back in exchange.
Believe me. War is not an option to those fellows any more. You can travel and check it by yourslef.
Peace. Ed
The reason I wrote this article is to try to wake the British to the fact that at the far end of the globe there are millions neo-colonialists with nothing better to do than contemplate events of 180 years ago.
The Falklands is an overseas dependent territory (not exactly a "colony") solely because it is under threat from Argentina. Without that threat it would be independent.
You say: "none of them ended up in war in the last 150 years." Patagonia was occupied 130 years ago and the Falklands was invaded in 1982.
We need both governments to consider how talk of war underlines the seriousness of the Falkland problem. It is time to negotiate. See The Falklands; Negotiate now!.