MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, March 29th 2024 - 09:06 UTC

 

 

Falklands’ Defence Row

Thursday, November 11th 2010 - 16:32 UTC
Full article 260 comments
Sir John Nott and Lord West: carriers or no carriers? Sir John Nott and Lord West: carriers or no carriers?

The controversy over Britain’s ability to defend the Falkland Islands against Argentine attack has continued in the United Kingdom with the former Defence Secretary at the time of the 1982 invasion, Sir John Nott, joining in.

Claims by the former head of the Royal Navy, Lord West, and other retired naval chiefs that the UK’s recently announced cuts in military spending are tantamount to an invitation during the next ten years for Argentina to mount another invasion, were outlined in a letter to the Times newspaper. The navy chiefs’ fears have been rejected by the British Government, and the Falkland Islands Government says it is content with the UK’s assurances that their defence is sound.

But Lord West has gone on television to describe as “bonkers” (mad) the UK’s decision to do away with its two remaining aircraft carriers and their Sea Harrier jump jets. HMS Ark Royal has already been decommissioned while her sister ship, HMS Illustrious, which briefly took over defence of the Falklands immediately after the 1982 conflict, remains in service until two new bigger aircraft carriers now being built are ready in a few years’ time. Lord West says it would have been cheaper and more effective to retain the carriers and Sea Harriers instead of land-based Tornado warplanes.

Sir John Nott went on television to declare that the UK will not need a carrier strike force in future and should sell off the new super carriers as soon as possible after they are built. But Lord West said Sir John Nott had never understood the value of aircraft carriers, which continue to give valuable support to land operations in Afghanistan and the Middle East.

As Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s Defence Secretary, Sir John Nott imposed severe spending cuts on the Royal Navy before the Falklands’ invasion including the sale of two aircraft carriers which later played a vital role in the liberation of the Falklands. His cuts, then also opposed by Navy Chiefs, would have been disastrous but fortunately for the UK the two carriers had not been delivered to their new owners.

Lord West, a military adviser to the previous Labour Government, was commander of the warship HMS Ardent, which was repeatedly bombed and sunk by Argentine aircraft in 1982, with the loss of 22 crew dead and another 37 wounded.

The retiring head of the armed forces, Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, says that during his four years as Chief of the Defence Staff, coinciding with major operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, he gave a good deal of thought and attention to the defence of the Falkland Islands.

The security of the Islands depends crucially on possession of the military and air base at Mount Pleasant and on rapid reinforcement through Ascension Island in mid-Atlantic. Regular warship and submarine patrols, radar surveillance and Rapier anti-aircraft missiles, as well as about 1,400 military personnel, are a formidable deterrent to Argentina whose forces have been depleted since 1982. It says it will continue its claim for sovereignty of the islands by diplomatic, but no longer military, means.

By Harold Briley, London
 

Categories: Politics, Falkland Islands.

Top Comments

Disclaimer & comment rules
  • Marcos Alejandro

    UK Government should care more about the millions suffering their economy disaster instead of spending so much money to defend a few hundred fat rich people against a non-existen threat and in a land that is not theirs.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/universityeducation/8123194/Student-tuition-fee-protest-turns-violent-as-Tory-headquarters-evacuated.html

    Nov 11th, 2010 - 05:00 pm 0
  • xbarilox

    “The controversy over Britain’s ability to defend the Falkland Islands against Argentine attack ” Are all you idiots? Argentine attack?????????????????? If this is not warmongering then I don't know what warmongering is. Shame on you Brits, shame on you, and I thought the Falklanders were peaceful islanders. I thought, like an idiot, that a dialogue was an actual possibility for the Brits too, but I see that you are hopless people. If there is something I recognize to my country's government is the honest wish to have an open and honest dialogue with the British government about the islands.

    Nov 11th, 2010 - 05:05 pm 0
  • yaghan

    The degree of misunderstanding shown in the whole Malvinas issue is alarming. I wonder how much of this warmongering is caused by Kelpers themselves.
    Luckily, I will get prompt answers by those involved in short time.

    Nov 11th, 2010 - 05:14 pm 0
Read all comments

Commenting for this story is now closed.
If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page!