Released documents: Reagan's apologies to Thatcher over the invasion of Grenada

Tuesday, November 11th 2014 - 04:38 UTC

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A recorded conversation between an apologetic Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher over the invasion of Grenada has been published for the first time. Baroness Thatcher was angered that she was not consulted before the US invaded a Commonwealth state. Read full article

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Lucdeluc
Her majesty Queen Elisabeth 11 monarch of Grenada didn't call for a task force to retake the island.
Nov 11th, 2014 - 10:13 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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ilsen
HM The Queen has never called for a task force to retake any island.

That is the role and responsibility of the Government, at the behest of the people. Not the Monarch.
Nov 11th, 2014 - 10:18 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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Lucdeluc
So why didn't Thatcher call for a task force to reclaim Her Majesty's territory?
Nov 11th, 2014 - 10:45 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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War Monkey
Because by the time they'd have got there the Yanks had already left.

The only UK presence was a Royal Navy Sea King sent in to find out what the actual feck was going on. It turned out to be a storm in a tea cup. Nothing to get over exited about but it did elicit a few rolled eyes and raised eyebrows. We never did really find out what it was about, it was just a bit of an over reaction to a perceived threat.
Nov 11th, 2014 - 11:09 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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ilsen
a) she expected the US to return it after they finished their business?
b) she hated those Marxists more than the Americans did?
c) didn't care?
d) didn't want a fight with Uncle Sam?

Probably a mixture of all of the above. ....
Nov 11th, 2014 - 11:09 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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Anglotino
I hating you guys are slightly confused.

Grenada was an independent country and not part of the UK. There's a difference between a Commonwealth Nation, a Commonwealth Realm and a BOT.
Nov 11th, 2014 - 12:24 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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CabezaDura2
US should have wiped out Communist Cuba decades ago, it would have spared the world so much trouble
Nov 11th, 2014 - 12:48 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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ilsen
Point being is: Ol' Ronnie called Maggie to inform and apologise immediately. As one does with ones friends and allies.
Nov 11th, 2014 - 04:26 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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Conqueror
@8. Quite so. And when the full transcript is read by anyone with any sort of intelligence, it can be clearly seen how Reagan admitted all the American and abased himself. Must be a strange sight to see a dog 'owner' abasing himself to 'his' poodle. In the same year, high-ranking Nazi war criminal Klaus Barbie is arrested in Bolivia. Proving that argieland isn't the only place harbouring war criminals. The Venezuelan bolívar is devaluated and exchange controls are established in an event now referred to as Black Friday by many Venezuelans. The first democratic dictatorship elections in argieland after 7 years of military rule are held. Makes no difference. Argieland is still uneducated, irresponsible and terrorist.
Nov 11th, 2014 - 05:36 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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ilsen
@9
Indeed!
Nov 11th, 2014 - 06:31 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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Troll in The Dark
I guess war-mongers with no respect of other nations and cultures (USA), understand other war-mongers with no respect of other nations and cultures (UK). That's all this conversation means.
Nov 12th, 2014 - 04:00 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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Britworker
@11

I think you will find that there has been a big change in thinking in recent years. The British public are far less inclined now to step in to the perpetual turmoil of the middle east and more inclined now to look after and protect what is ours.
The middle east can sort their own shit out from now on.

That, however, doesn't bode well for any toleration of Argentine bullying in the South Atlantic. You might prefer us to me more occupied elsewhere.
Nov 12th, 2014 - 06:52 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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ilsen
@11

Throwing nuns from planes, throwing students from helicoptors, torturing and murdering 30,000 of your own people? Invading some small peaceful Islands?
look to yourself, look to yourselves...
Nov 13th, 2014 - 01:54 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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Pete Bog
@11
“I guess war-mongers with no respect of other nations and cultures”

The above is a perfect description of Nazi Argentina in 1982-in fact the above still apples to Argentina except that a tiny deterrence force in the Falkland Islands has damped their enthusiasm for war mongering somewhat.
Nov 16th, 2014 - 09:17 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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