I think a new Falklands war will be only a part of the **** that is going to kick off in the next 20 years. We have already seen uprisings in Egypt and Libya, now there is something going on in Syria. The whole Occupy Wall Street thing has taken off around the world. People are already unhappy with the current state of the world and the direction in which it is going. Past generations goals in life were to get a job, save money, buy a house, have a family, then die. The youth of today want everything, and don't want to work for it. They are all spoon fed by mummy and daddy, given the latest iPhones, laptops, TV's, holidays etc, that when it comes time for them to fend for themselves, they wont want to. The world is now in so much debt, and the ideology of the future generations isn't going to change that. They will spend money they dont have, to keep up with the latest fashion trends that they won't be buying houses or saving for their old age. Things they need to do. The 99% want all this money, yet aren't prepared to work for it. In the UK, a good example is the Poles. They are brought in because they will do the work that the British wont do. There is work out there. But they wont do it. The bad thing about the Poles is that all their money earnt goes offshore back to Poland for their families. In Oz, the government here is left of center, and imo Socialist. Julia loves Unions which are ruining our maritime industry because they only have 10 types of jams (true story). She is looking to give all our taxpayers money to bludgers who want to sit on their ass in a pub collecting the dole because they dont want to work incase they miss a gnarly wave down the beach. I work hard, and each year there is a new tax I have to contend with because they are overspending on ****e. Combine the middle class tax payers who are supporting the nation, coupled with the bludgers who want everything and dont want to work for it... there is going to be something that will kick off. We are getting fed up. Same in the UK. Im sure you are in a similar situation, and although it has been a while since I lived there, when I go back, i see how much it has changed. So yes, while a resource war over the Falklands is a strong possibility, i reckon it's only going to be one of a number of conflicts that will come about in the next 20 years. The world is heading for a revolution, all it's going to take is a spark.
Slightly off-topic but if any of you are board-gamers, or wargamers there is a really excellent solo game called 'Where there is discord' published by a small company UK company that tracks the military (mainly naval and air) and political events of the Falklands war... it wasn't cheap (around £60 I think) but the components are of the highest quality and the game is very cleverly written. http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/35614/where-there-is-discord-war-in-the-south-atlantic
Hugo Chavez has pledged that Venezuelan armed forces would fight alongside Argentina against Britain in any future conflict over the Falkland Islands at a regional meeting this weekend. The eight member countries of the Bolivarian Alliance bloc, or ALBA, met to approve an agreement barring any boats flying Falkland Islands flags from docking in their ports. "The issue of the Malvinas Islands is an issue that concerns us, especially with the strong language that has emerged from the British government, accusing Argentina of being colonialist," Mr Chavez, the Venezuelan president, said, calling it "the world in reverse". Tensions have increased to their highest level since the end of the conflict 30 years ago as the Duke of Cambridge, a Royal Air Force helicopter pilot, began a six week tour of duty in the islands. The Royal Navy also announced last week it was sending its most powerful warship, HMS Dauntless, to the South Pacific. "I'm speaking only for Venezuela, but if it occurs to the British Empire to attack Argentina, Argentina won't be alone this time," Mr Chavez said. At a regional meeting, Ecuadorean president, Rafael Correa, suggested the countries take stronger measures. "We have to talk about sanctions," Mr Correa said. William Hague told the Sky News Murnaghan programme that commemorations would go ahead to mark the 30-year anniversary of the Falklands conflict . He said Britain supported the islanders' self-determination and would seek to prevent Argentina from "raising the diplomatic temperature" on the issue. Mr Hague said: "(The events) are not so much celebrations as commemorations. "I think Argentina will also be holding commemorations of those who died in the conflict. "Since both countries will be doing that I don't think there is anything provocative about that." Deployments of a warship and Prince William to the Falkland Islands are "entirely routine", the Foreign Secretary said. Argentina has received the backing of Latin American countries for its claim of sovereignty over the remote, wind-lashed islands, which were occupied by Britain in 1833. The dispute erupted into warfare April 2, 1981 when Argentine troops seized the islands, only to be routed in a 74-day war that claimed the lives of 649 Argentines and 255 Britons Diplomatic friction between Argentina and Britain has intensified since 2010, when the Government authorised oil exploration in the waters near the islands. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...ould-fight-with-Argentina-over-Falklands.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...ould-fight-with-Argentina-over-Falklands.html Looks like Hugo Chavez is after oil too. EDIT: Doh - posted too late!
alba - thought you were talking about the jocks for a minute there !! alba consists of Antigua and Barbuda, Bolivia, Cuba, Dominica, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Venezuela - so i would be terrified of them joining with argentina to fight us. i served down there and the islanders there are as british as roast beef and yorkshires (although a bit weird at times) and if they want to stay that way - fine with me one sub could knock out their entire surface fleet and without this they couldn't get near the islands. you cant invade an island with air power, which is even more debateable given the raf bases down there and this time theres more than the 50 blokes there last time to defend it. the argies should concentrate on sorting out their own country before starting this bollocks again
Just been looking at a map of the Falklands Islands! I've come to the conclusion that I cant understand why we cant just split it!!!!! ;-)
First of all why should we? Secondly this would make the issue much worse i.e giving Argentina a base in the Falkland Islands. I'm not too clued up on the history, but what exactly is the basis of Argentinas claim over the Falkland Islands?
Geographical, Argentina is the closest country about 300 miles away. Also the islands used to be Argentinian before we ruled half the world.
I was joking!!! Brief history as I understand it........the french had it then buggered off, Great Britain had a presence there but abandoned it to fight a war somwhere else but left a plaque saying that it belonged to them.......then the spanish turned up, left a plaque, then buggered off, then an american sailor working for a newly independent Argentine Buenos Aires shipping company or something laid claim to it in the name of Argentina! Britain turned up again and told the Argentine garrison to bugger off...which they did....in protest! About 150 years later the Argies invaded, we gave them a good smack in the eye, and thats about it!!! Class Dismissed!
Not strictly true!! February 1764 – April 1767 France January 1765 – July 1770 Great Britain April 1767 – February 1811 Spain September 1771 – May 1776 Great Britain February 1811 – August 1829 None August 1829 – December 1831 United Provinces (Argentina) December 1831 – January 1832 United States January 1832 – December 1832 None December 1832 – January 1833 Argentine Confederation January 1833 – August 1833 United Kingdom August 1833 – January 1834 None January 1834 – April 1982 United Kingdom April 1982 – June 1982 Argentina June 1982 – present United Kingdom
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-16939043 Argentina is to make a formal complaint to the United Nations about British "militarisation" around the disputed Falkland Islands. President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner made the announcement at a meeting of MPs, senior officials, and veterans of the 1982 war Argentina fought with Britain over the islands. Tensions between the two countries have been increasing in recent weeks. Last month, the UK said it was sending a destroyer to the region. The status of the islands, known in Argentina as the Malvinas, is still a highly sensitive issue for Buenos Aires. In December, Mercosur, a South American trading bloc, closed its ports to ships flying the Falkland Islands flag. Then, last month, the UK said it was sending one of its newest destroyers, HMS Dauntless, to the South Atlantic, off the Falklands. London described the move as "routine". Prince William, grandson of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and second in line to the throne, was also deployed to the islands in his role as a search and rescue helicopter pilot. Continue reading the main story Analysis Fergal Keane BBC News In taking a complaint to the UN the Argentine side knows that Britain, as a permanent member of the Security Council, can ultimately veto any critical resolution. Before the speech there had been speculation that Ms Fernandez might signal an end to the important air link between Chile and the Falklands which must use Argentine air space - a move that would have created significant practical difficulties for the islanders. That she chose not to, illustrates that Argentine tactics are not about achieving any kind of immediate practical effect, but are focused instead on a longer-term campaign of diplomatic attrition. In her address on Tuesday, Ms Fernandez accused the UK of "militarising the South Atlantic one more time". "We will present a complaint to the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly, as this militarisation poses a grave danger to international security," Ms Fernandez said. "We cannot interpret in any other way the deployment of an ultra-modern destroyer accompanying the heir to the throne, who we would prefer to see in civilian attire." She asked UK Prime Minister David Cameron "to give peace a chance". The UK Foreign Office later issued a statement that said: "The people of the Falkland Islands are British out of choice. They are free to determine their own future and there will be no negotiations with Argentina over sovereignty unless the islanders wish it." The BBC's Fergal Keane says President Fernandez's initiative is consistent with recent Argentine attempts to internationalise the Falklands issue. Her government has gained the political support of nations such as Brazil and Uruguay that have banned ships flying the Falklands flag from visiting their ports. Chile's foreign minister also recently declared his support for Argentine sovereignty over the islands. A crowd waving Argentine flags and shouting "Malvinas" rallied near the government palace where Ms Fernandez was speaking. Britain has held the Falkland Islands since 1833.
