So there are troops sailing around the Med, seizing, occupying, and counter-invading, according to this AP story. All without a shot being fired (so far).
Maybe I’m a terrible person, but I laughed myself almost out of my chair thinking about this “war”. It’s so cute.
Can anybody shed some more light on the background to this thing?
Apparently when Spain finally left Africa with the other Euros, they kept two cities on the North African Coast and a few islands off of it.
The Morroccans hate this, and hate the Spanish government for it.
Personally, I am for the Morroccans, since I really liked their section of Disney World, and Spain is still broken up over Engand having Gibralter.
Apart from national pride, I really cannot see much point in this.
The island is 450 yards from the Morroccan mainland, but no-one lives there.
Who cares ?
The runway on Gibraltar and the roads that divide it from Spain are probably wider.
Now that, ladies and gentlemen, is an enlightened view. 
How’s this for enlightened: I’m for Morracco, since I hated having to learn Spanish in high school (also I’ve always liked Morracco. Don’t really know a damn thing about them, just something about the place interests me. I’ll probably be disappointed if I did any real research :-))
Well I’m for Spain in this one.
I had some Morroccan food a few weeks ago, and I had the shits for days.
More information on the background of this conflict in this thread.
Briefly: When the Spanish drove out the Moors in the 1400s, they marched on to North Africa – taking some of those lands even before being finished with the Moors in Spain, proper – since the Moor realms had often been bi-coastal in that sense. In the 1800s and early 1900s fought some really bloody wars in North Morocco (Gen. Franco made his name there). 1950s, Spain pulls out of their part of Morocco (which they had shared with France) but kept some other parcels, including two cities that had long become Hispanified and virtually every island, rock or reef off the N shore of Morocco, lest the two towns ever get cut off. Between then and now, Morocco has had a habit of making grabs of “rightfully ours” Spanish-held land whenever the people needed some distraction (most succesful: the entire country of Western Sahara in 1975). Recently Spain has been having trouble with influx of African illegal boat people (many washing up dead) from Moroccan ports. Perejil (Parsley Island) is uninhabited, goatherds from Morocco traditionally allowed to use it as grazing land. But last week Morocco, claiming to be helping police the border, lands a squad of infantry, raises a flag and starts building a camp. Spain is not amused, lands a platoon of Marines complete with naval and air support and puts up two flags, gives the Moroccans lunch and a ride back home. Moroccan Foreign Minister whines about it to anyone who’ll listen.
Suppose the Mexicans claimed a 5-acre rock off the southern California coast. It wouldn’t matter practically, but I’m sure the US would firmly but gently take it back. Just as a matter of principle and precedent.
I’m with the Spanish on this, out of sympathy for their national football team.
Time to be pedantic I think.
‘England’ does not ‘have’ Gib. ‘England’ does not ‘have’ any territory outside England. England is the name of one nation that makes up The United Kingdom. Gib is not ‘English’, it’s British. Please get it right. 
I’m for Morracco. I always thought that those were pretty cool instruments
You folks are SO sensitive! England, Britain, Great Britain, the United Kingdom… this confusion is all YOUR fault. Pick a name and stick to it! I prefer a term one of your fellow (Englishman?, Britisher?, you pick the term), “damp rock.” 
And don’t get me started on the royal family.
AND it’s probably an arguement just like this that got Spain and Morocco all hot and bothered in the first plave.
Well said Welsh_Bloke. I think we all deserve collective identification/blame for Britain. I get it all the time in Ireland - e.g. a cabbie in Dublin said to me during the Six Nations: “I don’t know whether to support the Brits or the Scottish.” yojimboguy, we have got a logical of names. It’s up to us to fill the ignorant in, rather than sensitivity. Imagine if we started implying that Texans were from Oklahoma…
Anyway, back to the OP. It’s a rock, but it’s principle. The Spanish were correct to retake it, though the Moroccans should probably explore diplomatic avenues to get possession, as long as the inhabitants wish to become part of Morocco: I think the sheep should be given a referendum.
N.B. “A logical of names” is not a new collective noun… I meant “a logical set of names”.
Yup, Damp Rock about sums it up. As for the Royals, I say LLTR. I do think it’s all a bit daft having an arguement about a small uninhabited island. Hmmm. Did anyone mention South Georgia? 
Yup, Damp Rock about sums it up. As for the Royals, I say LLTR. I do think it’s all a bit daft having an arguement about a small uninhabited island. Hmmm. Did anyone mention South Georgia?
South Georgia’s always on my-my-my-my-my mind.
Really, I assure you, no one outside of Texas and Oklahoma would care. Many inside Texas and Oklahoma wouldn’t either. Texas does have this noted historical streak of independence, however, being an independent separate country for a brief period in the last century. And I suppose I would feel upset if you were refering to Americans as Texans.
I would NOT, however, begin my objections to the practice with the statement, “Time to be pedantic …”. Texans would not understand.
Touché.
I’ve thought about offering up the word Ukies (pronounced youkies) but I don’t think they’ll go for it.
You know you could probably get a Masters writing a paper about situations like this? Let’s see we also got the Spratley’s in the South China Sea. Those are fought over by 3 nations.
This war is fabulous, the stuff of Ealing Comedies, or possibly carry-on. Kenneth williams could reprise his role as the Khazi, with Sid James leading the Spanish to get out of the clutchees of Hattie Jaques.
Charles Hawtrey could play The UN
On the other hand a European NATO “power” has launched an invasion of muslim terrritory, if the Morrocans re-invade, spain cites Article 5 of the NATO treaty and we all have to go to war with the Tangerines (that’s what people from Tangiers are called).
Could it be the Archduke Franz Ferdinand de nos jours? No probably not.