Cameron, ‘the most robust PM in the Falklands’ issue in the last 30 years’, says Professor Dodds
Britain went to war over the Falkland Islands over thirty years ago when the Argentine military invaded the Islands, but the issue of sovereignty disputed by Argentina has never really gone away. Germany’s Deutsche Welle looks at the current UK government's policy towards the Falklands and the coming referendum, in an interview with Klaus Dodds, Professor of Geopolitics at Royal Holloway, University of London.
“Do you wish the Falkland Islands to retain their current political status as an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom?”
That's the yes/no question that will be put to Falkland Islanders when they go to the polls on March 10-11. And the English-speaking community of 3,000 people is widely expected to vote overwhelmingly for the status quo: that is remaining a British overseas territory.
“There's absolutely no appetite for any fundamental change,” said Professor Dodds, who will be in the Falkland Islands at the time of the vote. He believes the Islanders are holding the referendum to send a message out to the wider world, to say “here we are, we're a small community, and we don't wish to be bullied by a larger neighbor.”
Could 1982 happen again?
That larger neighbor is of course Argentina, which has upped its rhetoric against Britain over the issue in recent years. In January, President Cristina Fernandez sent an open letter to British Prime Minister David Cameron, calling the recapture of the Falkland Islands “a blatant exercise of 19th century colonialism” and pointing out that the Islands are situated some 14,000 km away from London.
Relations between Argentina and the UK are “at their worst since 1982,” according to Klaus Dodds.
But could we be about to see a second war over the Falkland Islands?
“I don't think Argentina first of all is militarily capable and secondly I don’t think it considers it politically desirable to resurrect any kind of military invasion-like strategy” said Dodds.
“I think what's however occurring is a concerted effort on the part of Argentina to use almost every bit of leverage possible, bar the military option, to pressure the UK to negotiate over the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands.”
The Iron Lady?
But the UK, it seems, is not about to budge. In contrast to what's been described as the “flaccid” attitude of the then Thatcher government in the run up to the 1982 Argentine invasion of the Falkland Islands, David Cameron is leaving no room for doubt:
“Cameron, you could argue, has been incredibly robust, and made it perfectly clear that he's not prepared to talk about sovereignty at all,” said Dodds. “So whilst we often think of Margaret Thatcher as the Iron Lady in so many areas of her administration, it is worth recalling that I would argue that the government of David Cameron has probably been the most robust in the last 30 years.”
Laurence Allan of the forecasters, IHS Global Insight, agrees with Dodds.
“In the last 12 months or so I think we've seen quite clearly that the UK government has taken a bit more of a pro-active policy,” he said.
“I know that it's far more energetically engaged in Latin America itself, in trying to buttress its position diplomatically with some of Argentina's neighbors.”
British attitudes
But whilst 30 years ago, Britain did enjoy the support of its allies, notably the United States, the UK government has less international support these days for its “colonial exploits”. Most international governments are reluctant to support any hint of colonialism, and Britain's refusal to return the territories to Argentina, thus restoring its territorial integrity, has proved contentious in some quarters.
Some think it's even time to consider giving the Islands up. Simon Winchester is a British author, now living in the US. In 1982, he was one of the first journalists to arrive on the Falkland Islands after it had been invaded. He was arrested for “spying” and imprisoned by the Argentines for three months.
“If there was an attack against the Falkland Islands today, I think Britain would be very hard-pressed to fight against an invading force,” Winchester told DW. “And [Britain] would also lose the goodwill of not just Argentina … but the other Latin American countries that would be almost universally hostile, as would the United States.”
“Not worth dying for”
Winchester thinks it's a cause that's not worth pursuing.
“It is ridiculous,” he said. “There are 1,500 people [sic] living in one of the most miserable countries on the planet and yet two major powers with more serious things to deal with are scrapping over it, and people could die and spill blood as a result. I think most people would realize that this is just crazy and cannot happen again.”
“It's simply not worth people dying for, and that's what I want to avoid,” Winchester added.
During the 72-day conflict, 649 Argentines, 255 British and three Falkland islanders lost their lives.
But despite that, Professor Dodds says the current UK government does have considerable public backing for pursuing its policy on the Falkland Islands.
“One shouldn't underestimate the extraordinary power of war memories,” said Dodds.
”The Falklands veterans and the way in which we commemorate that particular campaign are now part of British public life. So for example, when we have Remembrance Sunday in November, the Falklands campaign is part of Britain's official war memories, alongside World War One and World War Two”.
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48 comments Feed
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If he doesn't believe defending freedom is worth dying for, I doubt he feels anything is worth dying for.
The cost of Freedom has always been paid in blood. Mr Winchester should remember how many men and women have died to ensure his freedom. Then he should go and hang his head in shame for making such comments.
As for the article above, there are significant errors in it, the most blatant being that the UK cannot return the Islands to Argentina, because they have never been Argentine.
Face it, colonialism is a thing of the past. Argentina should bury its colonial ambitions and look towards making their own country a success without looking in envy at other peoples land.
In the 21st century only self-determination matters. That self-determination will be expressed by the Islanders in March this year.
At last there seem to be some sensible Rgs appearing here that you can actually have a discussion with. The noxious trolls are clearly in decline.
may we be reminded, firstly To have something returned you once had to own it!
secondly,it is not the for The UK or any other country to decide the fate of The Falklanders that is their choice, there is a little issue of The human rights of the Falklanders who live there, we wouldnt want another “diego garcia” on our hands would we :) as was the argentine plan in 1982 to eject The Falkland population by force, bearing in mind the falklanders have existed on their islands for a far longer than the mauritian workers had before accepting compensation to move back to their homeland mauritius and leaving the island as it was before they arrived,
come to think about it The falklands Islands are older that Argentina......and far richer per person :)
SELF-DETERMINATION......
why would they want to leave THEIR beautiful islands?,
unlike argentina who were dying to get into planes.....oooops, did i go there??
SELF-DETERMINATION....
The British foreign secretary, William Hague, interviewed by Clarin correspondent in London, said that “the current Argentine government about a way that is counterproductive to dialogue and understanding over the Malvinas Islands,” adding later that, “other Argentine governments have come to a more constructive dialogue ”and that“ the islanders must be present at the negotiations, if it comes to the islands. ”
It also says that “in the modern world, we believe in self-determination in a democratic society”.How strange to understand these Brits! ... to produce almost all the best musicians of history emparentares emerged clearly an issue in our land: “We are the pirates ...” In praise previous Argentine governments, as is described by the correspondent-smile when appointing Di Tella and mistreat our current government because it allows dialogue in the presence of the islanders.
I wonder, and I ask readers to support or not the current government: Who are the islanders? I have my answer. Neither more nor less than the descendants of the invaders. You certainly have no differences with that assessment. What about the self-determination of peoples, in this case of the Malvinas-means you have to respect the vote of the heirs of those who invaded our lands and allow them to be part of the dialogue?
What do you think will be the answer to your vote islanders usurpers, Sir William? You do not like that the Argentine people loudly claiming their true rights. Nor do we like the eternal “whisper liar” to which we are subjected by the British Malvinas.
Ricardo Borro
www.clarin.com/opinion/gusta-susurro-mentiroso-britanico_0_865713501.html
Anyway...
@6 Raul: And I ask you, who are the Argentinians? I have my answer. Neither more nor less than the descendants of the invaders (3% is not statistically significant).
Klaus Dodds: “One shouldn't underestimate the extraordinary power of war memories,” said Dodds.
”The Falklands veterans and the way in which we commemorate that particular campaign are now part of British public life. So for example, when we have Remembrance Sunday in November, the Falklands campaign is part of Britain's official war memories, alongside World War One and World War Two”.
This revisionist history line, that the UK would only be willing to fight for the Falklands BECAUSE we fought for them before does not make any sense. It opens up the question, why did we fight for them in 1982 then? The truth is that the UK backs the Falklanders because it is the right thing to do. No one in the UK would say, 'How dare you? British soldiers died for that land!', if the Falklanders chose to go it alone and moved for independence, or even chose to intergrate themselves into SA state.
Simon Winchester: “It's simply not worth people dying for, and that's what I want to avoid.”
I wonder if he would call the police if armed squatters took his house off him? Is it really worth people dying for?
So much for his reality of hospitality of Falkland islanders
Winchester, his opinion is not worth diddly squat, perhaps his stay in argentina exposed him to brainwashing history lessons.
The article gets a few points right... british public opinion, cameron's robustness.
Argentina's claims are pure fantasy and will remain so unless the islanders change their minds and I can't see that happening after the juvenial hypocritical spite from CFK and her followers
@4 fair_easy
Islanders have a higher GDP per capita than argentines, so more likely to have those things than argentines.
The issue is purely a legal one, the UK has the legal sovereignty, therefor the islanders have the right under the ICJ rulings to self-determination. In addition Argentina has acquiesced by her tacit acceptance of the referendum; i.e. she has taken no legal steps to prevent it.
What good will?
Mans a prize prick. If there was an invasion and we fought back we risk losing their good will. Duh! Tell me I am reading this wrong, no one could be that fucking stupid!
still not gone to bed yet
Anyway who cares.uk is a terrorist country that will be destroyed!
uk is FINISHED!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbLfje8_jgI
I guess that would be very difficult for them to run...
Loser!!!!!
The only running the British do is in chasing Argentine soldiers running away, like last time! Do you remember the Argentine soldiers who vastly outnumbered the British running away whilst showing the white flag Danny?
We do.
www.muslimpopulation.com/America/Argentina/Video.php
No more than your muslim population
Since when was argentina a power outside its own ego?
You have no rights here, Raul.
Do not delude yourself.
We don't care if you like it or not.
Thats just the way it is......................and it's going to stay that way.
Um... wha?!
Goodwill - Argentina?
Whos side would countries like Uruguay choose REALLY. USA will remain as neutral as always; that is until one of their oil tankers gets attacked by the RGs when the good old peeps of the Falklands start pumping oil (don't mess with the USA's oil - they don't like that, not one bit).
Also the we would lose part of the comment... I don't get that. I mean yeah our armed forces are not huge, but then it doesn't need to be. What we lack in numbers we more than make up for in quality of training and outstanding equipment. The stuff our armed forces use these days is amazing; half of it the USA dreams to have (eg. Rapier, S10 resperators, etc *cough, cough*). Our military budget is 2nd in the world if you take it by populus; where the hell does he think all that money goes?! We could quite easily skimp the quality and hire a ton of people to bolster the numbers to make us look more formidable for fools like him if the need was there - theres plenty of young people out of work that would probably go for it!
The errors you identify in the article have been made because the interviewer is German. In Germany Las Malvinas are regarded as part of Argentina.
I think Simon Winchester's comment is prescient, don't you. I don't think the UK can afford to earn the hostility of America.
What territorial integrity? This could only apply to “enclaves” - the Falkland Islands have never been part of Argentina's continental limits.
You have eyes and not want to see, have ears and do not want to hear.
UK has no legal sovereignty. His occupation is illegal since 1833.
International law clearly states that it is a conflict of sovereignty. Your fundamental problem is that you do not want to see or recognize that there are multilateral bodies like the United Nations, which go hand in hand with international law, which clearly specify that it is a sovereignty dispute. No self-determination.
You do not want to comply with international law, do not want to comply with the resolution of the Decolonization Committee of the UN and not the United Nations Resolution 2065 of 1965, ratified by later resolutions 1973 (3160, XXVIII) 1976 (31/49) . After the war the Resolution 1982 (37/9), 1983 (38/12), 1984 (39/6), 1985 (40/21), 1986 (41/40), 1987 (42/19) and 1988 (43/25). They all declare the existence of a sovereignty dispute. No self-determination.
Do not want to understand that international law has created the Resolution of the Assembly of the United Nations (2065) and decolonization committee to resolve a conflict of sovereignty created by colonialism and imperialism in the UK. Of the 16 cases of colonialism in the world, 16 are generated by the UK.
I always forget about this concept. The UN resolutions, international law, to made to met and were created to solve international disputes peacefully and no violence.
Besides ..... Argentina has paved by their tacit acceptance of the referendum, ie, it has not taken legal action to prevent it.
Another mistake yours. You have eyes but do not want to see. Read the following link:
Political ploy 'referendum' C24 Malvinas chair calls'; Argentine president praises.
en.mercopress.com/2012/06/16/c24-chair-calls-falklands-referendum-political-ploy-praises-argentine-president
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNhciE5WzaI
Then they can cry another river.
11th March Raul, there is nothing you, your looney government, or a bunch of disgruntled UN nobodies can do about it. It's in the charter.
SELF DETERMINATION
Do not be so sure. You arrogas the opinion of others. Many English not as you say. The world moves. Greatly underestimate those who work for peace and harmony in both the UK and Argentina. English colonialism and imperialism will disappear. It is only a matter of time.
31 CaptainSilver
March 11, Raul, there is nothing that you, your government looney, or a group of disgruntled UN nobody can do about it. It's in the letter.
Self-determination.
You are mocking the other passes. No problem. They can do many referendum is not a tautology Argentina prevents them. But international law and world opinion is against English colonialism and imperialism.
Always keep in mind the Constitution Argentina:
“La Nacion Argentina ratifies its legitimate and sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands and the corresponding maritime and insular areas, being part of the national territory. Recovery of said territories and the full exercise of sovereignty , respecting the way of life of their inhabitants and according to the principles of international law are a permanent and unwavering goal of the Argentine people. ”
CONSTITUTION ARGENTINA, Prime transitional provision
E-Mail: face1354@hotmail.com
Keep shouting and complaining, we'll just keep ignoring you, because we know there in nothing you can do about it. It's amusing watching you wind yourselves up, year in year out.
Talks cheap and the way things are going with you, it looks like it is going to be the cheapest thing you posses.
Your fundamental pro0blem is exactly that, Raul. You keep stating resolutions that are non binding. They are non binding, Raul. And they do not even back your case.
What rules are binging? The UN charter and it's mandates.
What is the C-24's mandate:
“in the process of decolonization there is no alternative to the colonizer's allowance of self-determination”
What does the UN charter state in TWO of it's THREE chapters? That all people have the right to self-determination
UN Chater > all. This is something you fail to understand at all points, Raul.
But the result will have far more reaching effects, than Britain and Argentina,
It may very well be the beginning of the end of democracy,
And whilst this is fantastic news for Argentina, china, Iran, north Korea, Africa, And the likes,
Its very bad news for the Falklands, channel islands , Balearic islands ,Iceland , Ireland , Madagascar ,
Corsica , Crete , Cyprus , Sardinia , Tenerife , Taiwan, all the islands in the west Indies,
Caribbean, new Zealand , new foundland , and every other islands nation on the planet,
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
And when these future dictators and tyrants get their fill,
Then the countries on the mainland will be open to any body that wants to claim them,
And the UN will be worthless as a new group or tyrants rule what was once DEMOCRACY,
Ad does the likes of CFK and others give a fxck.
Like fxck they do,
They will get whatever they want,
And the UN and other stupid do-gooders and bleeding hearts will be entirely responsible,
And they will be among the fist to say, it was him not me,
Be warned, you open the doors to the likes of CFK, and you open the doors to tyrants,
And fxck democracy,
Just my opinion..
l agree with you, countryman.
“Just my opinion”-- l value your opinion.
@32 Raul,
lt is only you(& Think!)who say that l'm arrogant.
You only say that because l don't agree with you.
So anyone who doesn't want OUR land to be colonised by Argentina is arrogant by your standards?
l think that you are arrogant.
l think that Argentina is arrogant.
My brother is a mining engineer in Peru.
He tells me that a lot of Peruvians say that Argentines are more arrogant than the Spanish.
Peru is/was your ally, yet they consider your countrymen to be arrogant. lol lol!
There is no English colonialism but you would like to have Argentine colonialism.
Argentina has no moral, legitimate or legal rights to OUR lslands & the sooner that you realise this the better.
Hopefully Argentina will implode & break up into smaller more manageable countries.
lt is only a matter of time.
Peace.
thanks
.
I have a brother... ha ha
Oops there is mine there... Hey do you know how arrogant argies are?
Really?
yes says the Peruvian...
They claim to be the 2nd military power in the world after US.
really?
They claim to be the bigger contributor to EU
really????
They claim to have invented the car, computer and that they have 2000 years of history and to be decedent of German stock...
They claim to be the 2nd military power in the world after US.
really?. No we don't
They claim to be the bigger contributor to EU
really???? No we don't, Germany is !
They claim to have invented the car, computer and that they have 2000 years of history and to be decedent of German stock...
The car, No
The electronic computer Yes
2000 years of history No. About 10,000 but so has the rest of Europe.
Descendants of Germanic stock, partly correct.
Any more pearls of half-baked wisdom to share ?
l fail to see what you find funny about having a brother?
As a matter of fact, l have 2 brothers & 1 sister.
l suppose you are an only child.
Your mum & dad would have said “mein gott” if thats what our children turn out like, we're not having anymore!
True or false, Dany?
We invented a lot of things, Dany & we are of part German stock.
Frisian is the closest language to English.
Just because you don't like it, doesn't make it not so.
You are a raving ratbag, Dany. All malvinistas are.
Look at OUR lsles & weep, Dany, for you'll NEVER get them(or the OIL!).
lol!
I was considering to buy a ticket to see funny comedians in BA but after reading your post I guess that I will save that money because they certainly will not be more funny than you guys.
ha ha
Here's an endorsement of UK sovereignty from the former president of the ICJ “But what the protests do not do is to defeat the British title, which was built up in other ways through Argentinas acquiescence.80”
80. Rosalyn Higgins, ”Falklands and the Law,” Observer, 2 May 1982.
and
'there is little reasonable doubt that Great Britain acquired definitive title to the Islands by prescription before 1982.'
The Falklands (Malvinas) Islands: An International Law Analysis of the Dispute Between Argentina and Great Britain by James Francis Gravelle
and
'In order to avoid extinguishing its claim, Argentina should have resorted to the ICJ rather than continuing to protest. The fact of the matter was that Argentina never submitted its claim to the Court for judgment, Its failure to do so, to take advantage of the requirements prescribed by international law, has quietly ceded sovereignty to Britain by extinctive prescription. Thus by 1982, Argentina's claim was extinguished.'
The Falkland War : Britain versus the past in the South Atlantic /by Daniel K. Gibran.
The UK is in compliance with international law, the resolutions of committees of the UN do not have the force of law, they are only advisements. The President of C24 is a biased political hack without any legal authority.
ls that the best you can do, Danyboy?
You don't like the truth, do you dear Dany?
l'm glad that you find us funny.
That might salve the pain that you will feel when OUR oil starts to flow.
Suck it up Baby.
“To develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights AND SELF-DETERMINATION OF PEOPLES, and to take other appropriate measures to strengthen universal peace;”
Is there any doubt that Argentina's asinine policies violate the letter and the spirit of the UN Charter?
Philippe
PS. GA resolutions, like old res. 2065, are meant to entertain the third world gallery, and no more!
it is a sad country.
“They claim to have invented the car, computer and that they have 2000 years of history and to be decedent of German stock...”
The UK also claimed to have kicked your Nazi asses off the Falklands in 1982.
But then again you claimed to have sunk HMS Invincible 5 times-did you like how our salvage team-repaired it every time :-)
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