Telegraph.
Argentina has ridiculed Britain as an impotent colonial aggressor on the wrong side of history in the Falklands dispute, insisting it will not be cowed by "verbal and military threats" as "the lion roars but does not inspire fear".I do wonder what the 35 indigenous groups or Argentine Amerindians make of Mr Timerman's claims to a set of islands 300 miles off its coast. After all, it's the Argentinian colonists who are occupying their land after all. There's also the oddity that the UK gives Argentina £2 million in direct aid and another £7 to £50 million via the G20 group. Perhaps we should look at this source of funding and give it to more worthy (grateful) causes.
In a lengthy denunciation of British policy published in Argentine daily Pagina 12 (Page 12), Héctor Timerman, the country's foreign minister, painted Argentina as a valiant underdog cheered on by the world in its David and Goliath-esque battle with an arrogant but ailing colonial power.
He accused Britain of "inappropriate" aggression in its attempt to maintain sovereignty over the Falklands, attributing such behaviour to its "failed attempt to confuse the world" - a reference in part to the islands' 2013 referendum - over what he characterised as the "colonial and military occupation of Argentine territory".
As for their economy, they defaulted the payments of their foreign debt, they are currently being taken to court in the United States for the millions of Dollars that they still owe, and now they put themselves on the same footing as a Military Junta that launched an unprovoked and cowardly attack in the middle of the night without a Declaration of War. Only this time without an air-force which has been grounded as unable to be flown safely.
Still no doubt there are a few leftards out there more than happy to hand a people who voted to remain part of the United Kingdom overwhelmingly to a corrupt bankrupt foreign power simply because it's always our fault in their eyes...
7 annotations:
If Blair's New Labour was still in power, believe me they would have long ago. Remember, they tried it with Gib'.
But to be fair to the Argentinian's, they do indeed smell the wind of political change and I would not be too surprised if they tapped up Red Ed on this.
A true sad indictment of our so called democracy.
The problem the Falklanders voting to stay british and stay put is that they haven't been given any sweetners to change their mind, there are umpteen solutions which mostly involve money/pensions/houses, a free move back to UK on a lifetime golden handshake deal, Argentina could even pay most of this bill, or even the islanders stay with enhanced deals under Argie rule with specific laws introduced so they don't have to hablar espanol etc
Its a tricky situation with the British not wanting the victory of the war to be pissed all over and the Islanders don't want to be seen as ungrateful money grabbers either.
Money is the unspoken answer, the UK gain from saving money on defending the islands and the Argies get their way, which i'm certain isnt just cristina de kirchner trying to divert attention from economic or political problems, its a big issue in Argentina
You don't seem to have a grasp of the socio-economic reality that is Argentina. It's essentially an oligarchy with a corrupt set of families running the place and hence going through a recurring 20 year boom and bust cycle in which they go bankrupt on a regular basis. This coupled with an inherently unstable military with its own occasional seizure of power means that at the moment they can't afford to bribe the Falklanders (indeed never could) and if it does go too tits up will revert to a military dictatorship and break its word anyway (has in the past with other South American countries) The Falklands are a big thing with ordinary Argentineans simply because its a pressure relief cause celebre of its ruling classes to keep them occupied whilst they wreck the country by grand theft. Frankly any Falklander voting to join such a corrupt mendacious bunch of thieves would be amazing in and of itself.
You don't seem to grasp that money is the unspoken answer, the British could give each islander £25,000 instead of spending that money on defending the Falklands this year. Argentina is a rich country and they could bribe the falklanders with a bung too.
Its a win win for both countries and the Falklanders too, forget all the conspiracy about grand theft by a corrupt set of families with the falklands as a smokescreen, the answer is still money.
The problem is which UK prime minister will be the one that does a dodgy cash deal with the Argies over the graves of the war dead,.
The recent vote by the Falklanders was a sham really, there has been no negotiations with Argentina , nothing is being offered except a threat from the UK that they will take a massive economic benefit away from the islands and leave them undefended
There are many options and plenty of deals which could benefit everyone, your simple view of the situation suggests no solution but dragging up the past and throwing in a conspiracy.
There could be a negotiated deal with the Falklanders who would still have the last word, at the moment there has been fuck all done about anything for 30 years and the reason for that is politicians come and go and its easy to ignore it and let someone else deal with it later, meanwhile we keep chucking £75 million each year at that rock.
Why should we pay people tp join a corrupt country? They don't want to be Argies. There's also the fact that the Falklands are about 300 miles from Argentina so by your (and their) reckoning Cuba can be claimed by the USA using your standard. You seem terribly keen to waste money giving British citizens over to a corrupt foreign power. Still its about what I've come to expect from you.
The people will be given a choice after negotiations, my idea is to save money and not throw it on the Falklands isles for eternity ,especially as the people went to live there chose the most isloated spot from the UK they could manage.
You seem happy with this stalemate without any ideas, so do the politicians, i go for the honest straight talking approach that money matters but no-one has the bollocks to mention it.
Oil will be the next big problem , someone will have to start talking soon.
You expect the UK to sell out its citizens after some sort of faux negotiations.
How terribly socialist of you.
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