Falklands island dispute

[Harry Smith]

After seeing a referendum was passed confirming that the people of the Falklands island want to remain British it got me thinking. No matter what the Argentinean's will still claim the island as there own. They even claimed the vote was illegal, and that Britain had illegally kept troops there despite it being a British island

So what do you think Should happen to the Falklands islands? I think it should remain British, I mean we won a war, Brit's died defending it so as long as the flag still flies over port stanley

[Apollo.]

I totally agree it should remain a British island. We fought for it and we won as far as I'm concerned that's the end of it, I'm pretty sure if the Argentine's try and take it again we will fight for it again (and win:P).

[Prodigy17]

I would hope no British person would argue with that :)

[Naue]

Considering the referendum was ~2000 to 2 votes to become an Argentinian state, it's fairly safe to say that the UK will be keeping it.

It was a fair vote, how the hell can they argue with that?

[Cygnus]

A good amount of Argentineans think that they are the best, any latin american should know that. Therefore, I want them to remain in England's control so Argentineans realize that they are just like the rest of the world, not superior.

[Guillermo]

The whole conflict is pointless as of now. Obviously, it's a British territory because who are the majority of people that live there? They are of English, Scottish and Welsh descent. The Argentinian government just can't get over past disputes whereas the country should be concentrating on continuing their economic development and not such a frugal 'conflict' as this.

[Atonement]

A good amount of Argentineans think that they are the best, any latin american should know that. Therefore, I want them to remain in England's control so Argentineans realize that they are just like the rest of the world, not superior.

That's not really any legitimate justification for sovereignty...

I'm a fan of self-determination, therefore if the citizens of the island have voted in a fair election to remain under UK control, I support their desires. Even if Argentina had a legitimate claim, the island could essentially vote an act of cessation and put that bitch baby to bed.

[Prodigy17]

The Argentinian government just can't get over past disputes whereas the country should be concentrating on continuing their economic development and not such a frugal 'conflict' as this.

Of course they should. But for an Argentinian politician making a fuss about the Falklands sounds good to the voters and diverts attention from the economy.

Same reason Brtish and American politicians spend so much time talking about social issues (eg gay rights etc) - it diverts voters minds from the bad job they've done of running the economy :)

[Wanderer_]

I'd hope they would fight for it, but I hope they don't have to and put people at risk in their homes - it's not like Iraq or Afghanistan with monsters running around, it's a peaceful place with a united people and unjust nation with a crippled economy looking to exploit and look tough
Typical South American machismo nonsense

[brandon1995]

After seeing a referendum was passed confirming that the people of the Falklands island want to remain British it got me thinking. No matter what the Argentinean's will still claim the island as there own. They even claimed the vote was illegal, and that Britain had illegally kept troops there despite it being a British island

So what do you think Should happen to the Falklands islands? I think it should remain British, I mean we won a war, Brit's died defending it so as long as the flag still flies over port stanley


To deal with your last Q first I don't know what should happen really, but there are some holes in your argument. 1. Many who voted are British colonists not native islanders. 2. the UN long ago declared the population too small to deserve self-determination under decolonialization. 3. Britain never held a referendum for the residents of Hong Kong or many other former British territories.
Obviously a war would be the worst thing but with the British defense cutbacks and the situation in Argentina getting worse it's not impossible. The real dispute is over national pride and natural resources under the sea, rather than right and wrong tho both sides pretend otherwise.

[Abigballofdust]

Whatever the people that live there decide, that should be.
If it's a 2000 to 2 votes to remain British, forcing it in Argentina would mean Argentina oppresses the Falklands. And there's no bigger threat to the sovereignty of a country than having oppressed citizens.

[Stronger]

They should just remain under British control.

[Swagamemmnon]

They should be British. The Argentinean claim is pretty outdated compared to the British one. Also, the citizens should have the right to self-determination.

[ajp1993]

The Falkands have been British longer than Argentina has be Argentina. The British fought for them after the Argentinian government tried to use them as a political tool by invading them. And finally the citizens voted overwhelmingly to remain British. I think the arguement should be settled by now.
It would be like if the Dutch tried to reclaim New York or something. It wouldnt be wanted so why keep going on about it. Well except it helps when you're country is in crapsville and you need something unite (and distract) your citizens.

[Jonathan1998]

As far as I see it, we have the Falklands, it's our territory and the people of the Falklands want to be known as British, and if they oppose it's their choice really, and it's an old issue that is going on, this is a silly idea but i say if Argentina and UK don't stop fighting over Falklands I'd say Falklands should just become independent, it just stops their argument but will eventually cause another.

[Prodigy17]

As far as I see it, we won the Falklands in battle fair and square

We didn't win it in a battle, it was always ours. Outside of computer games you don't win countries in battle :)
Obviously the Argentines know if they try again by force they will meet the same fate.

[Jonathan1998]

Sorry about that mistake I changed it

[Iron Man]

Argentina can have it when they pry it from the Brits' cold, dead hands.

[Ajmichael]

To deal with your last Q first I don't know what should happen really, but there are some holes in your argument. 1. Many who voted are British colonists not native islanders. 2. the UN long ago declared the population too small to deserve self-determination under decolonialization. 3. Britain never held a referendum for the residents of Hong Kong or many other former British territories.
Obviously a war would be the worst thing but with the British defense cutbacks and the situation in Argentina getting worse it's not impossible. The real dispute is over national pride and natural resources under the sea, rather than right and wrong tho both sides pretend otherwise.

There were no native islanders when the British landed on the islands in 1765. Since the islands were claimed by Britain in the same year, the only population to have been expelled was an illegal Spanish garrison in the early 1800s.

I fully support the Falkland Islanders wishes to remain British and would be quite prepared to fight for them should Argentina wish to take them back by force again.

[Human]

if the islanders want to stay british then why would we give it up? it should remain british

[Stronger]

Why does Aregentia want it anyway, because its at their door step?

[Ajmichael]

They want it because:
- National pride
- We gave them a drubbing in 1982 and they're still feeling it.
- Argentine economy
- The Argentine economy can't sustain any reasonable armed force, or even their own country, they are trying to divert attention from their own problems, which is what the Junta tried in 1982, but went as far as invasion.
- Oil and fish
- There are oil reserves and fish stocks within British waters in the region which the Argentineans could really do with given the state of the country.

The Argentine Navy has got to the point where, earlier this year, one of their major surface vessels, the ARA Santisima Trinidad, sunk at its moorings due to lack of maintenance.

[tovaris]

you foudgt to steal them
The falckand alwais were and alwais will be argentinian no mater what the fore aperssing opupiing powers say. This despute could wery simpley be settled by making them an independant country, if the apressors could reach an agremant with the would be liberators, that non of their armies will ever again set foot on the islands. The woolf would be fool and the goat whole.

[Ajmichael]

you foudgt to steal them


We fought to defend them! Have a look at the history of it before you start talking about it! Britain claimed toe islands in 1765, before Argentina was independent from Spain, with no native population, so no expulsion of any populace. The only population to have ever been expelled was an illegal Spanish garrison, about which Spain conceded had no right to be there. If you can point me to a well referenced source that says we 'stole' them then I will gladly concede the point!

[tovaris]

We fought to defend them! Have a look at the history of it before you start talking about it! Britain claimed toe islands in 1765, before Argentina was independent from Spain, with no native population, so no expulsion of any populace. The only population to have ever been expelled was an illegal Spanish garrison, about which Spain conceded had no right to be there. If you can point me to a well referenced source that says we 'stole' them then I will gladly concede the point!

you are the source: british claimed! (they had no right to do so) expels spanish garison! (who gave them the rightto do so)
understand that i am not saing argentina has any mor legal claim than britan but britan should finaly say godby to the empire where the sun never sets

[Ajmichael]

The Falkland Islands are a relic of an Imperial past, and the fact that the islands were British prior to the invasion of the Spanish garrison surely gives us the right to expel the garrison? If there was an invading force in Slovenia (I assume that's where you're from based on your declared location) would you say Slovenia did not have the right to dispel the force? Of course, they are invading your territory and you have every right to expel them. A referendum in the Falkland Islands carried out on the 10th and 11th of March this year on whether or not the Falkland Islanders wanted to maintain their current relationship with the US as a Dependent Territory came out with a 99.8% vote for maintaining the current relationship. It would therefore be wrong for Britain to abandon the islanders in light of this.

you are the source: british claimed!
I do not in any way count myself as a source. I suggest you look at websites and try and gain an understanding of the situation.

[Harry Smith]

you foudgt to steal them
The falckand alwais were and alwais will be argentinian no mater what the fore aperssing opupiing powers say. This despute could wery simpley be settled by making them an independant country, if the apressors could reach an agremant with the would be liberators, that non of their armies will ever again set foot on the islands. The woolf would be fool and the goat whole.

This is really hard to read and seems to be mindless rhetoric, they couldn't become an Independent country even with there oil they still lack so much infrastructure and resources. The Islands has the British flag flying over port Stanley and we fought and died for our Sovereign Territory. The island is British. End of

[Bethany]

I have to say, the islands are British. Even if the Falkland Islanders were at first just British citizens who came over to a country that, at the time, was possibly rightfully Argentina's - today's Falkland Islanders have their own identity, and many of them are from families who've been in the islands for six or seven generations.

When British rule was new to the Falklands, Argentina may have had a reasonable claim, but the islands are British now. They're British. As much as I love Argentina and how awesome the country is, the islands are British now.

[britishboy]

99% of the people on the islands chose to stay british and I think them shoukd be able to decide. I think its terrible that they're trying to claim it and I don't really see the point its only a tiny island they will always be british:)