# What's the Deal with the Falkland Islands? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 25, 2012, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-falkland-islands/610629 "2012-01-25T19:49:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-falkland-islands/610629/221 "2012-02-16T21:33:08Z")
I see. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-falkland-islands/610629/222 "2012-02-16T21:46:23Z")
carnivorousplant: > [@](#): > > A concrete Christ. Better than an abstract Christ, isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-falkland-islands/610629/223 "2012-02-16T22:09:42Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > carnivorousplant: > > Better than an abstract Christ, isn’t it? I dunno, I gave that up about sixteen years ago. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-falkland-islands/610629/224 "2012-02-25T15:33:44Z")
In case anyone missed it, Sean Penn attempted to explain himself in a piece for The Guardian. In the comments hilarity ensued. > **[Sean Penn: The Malvinas/Falklands – diplomacy interrupted](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/feb/23/sean-penn-falklands-malvinas-diplomacy-interrupted)** > > Sean Penn: Sending Prince William to the Malvinas, or Falkland Islands, gives out a message of intimidation ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-falkland-islands/610629/225 "2012-02-25T15:40:48Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > In case anyone missed it, Sean Penn attempted to explain himself in a piece for The Guardian. In the comments hilarity ensued. > > [The Malvinas/Falklands: diplomacy interrupted | Sean Penn | The Guardian](http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/feb/23/sean-penn-falklands-malvinas-diplomacy-interrupted) It’s pretty rare for an issue to unite pretty much all of the British left and right, doubly so if the issue could involve military action. Sean Penn, however, somehow managed to stumble upon one such issue. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-falkland-islands/610629/226 "2012-02-25T15:58:35Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Four Typhoons could probably shoot down every combat in Argentina’s inventory, given big enough ammunition stockpiles. You’re assuming they can get airborne. They’ve very vulnerable on the ground. If Argentina were to drop off some commandos by submarine or fishing boat, they’d be toast. And then where’s your air cover? And then there’s your big qualifier ‘given enough ammunition stockpiles’: the MOD is renowned for its parsimony. I wonder if a ‘round the world publicity tour’ by a Trident sub would do the trick. How does Faslane to Ascension island to Port Stanley to Hawaii to Diego Garcia to St Helena and back to Faslane sound to you? After all, the Argentines are claiming we’ve already got one down there, so why disappoint them? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-falkland-islands/610629/227 "2012-02-25T16:14:35Z")
> [@tagos](#): > > I’ve yet to see any Argentine democratic justification for transferring citizens against their will into the hands of a foreign government. > > That so trumps any claim based on some portugese guy catching sight of a rock 300 years ago or some imaginary mystical process whereby something belonging to one european empire suddenly become theirs 200 years ago. To me this is the primary factor. There can be various arguments made back and forth about who had a claim centuries ago. But the people who have been and are living on the islands overwhelmingly want to remain British not Argentinian and that, to me, trumps any vague historical claim. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-falkland-islands/610629/228 "2012-02-25T16:28:01Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > I wonder if a ‘round the world publicity tour’ by a Trident sub would do the trick. How does Faslane to Ascension island to Port Stanley to Hawaii to Diego Garcia to St Helena and back to Faslane sound to you? > > After all, the Argentines are claiming we’ve already got one down there, so why disappoint them? There’s zero chance of a Vanguard class doing that. In the super-unlikely event of a nuke being deployed they could hit Argentina from home port. Or did you mean a Trafalgar class? There’s almost certainly a Trafalgar down there, mind. The first in the new Astute class is still in trials. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-falkland-islands/610629/229 "2012-02-25T16:46:04Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > There’s zero chance of a Vanguard class doing that. In the super-unlikely event of a nuke being deployed they could hit Argentina from home port. Or did you mean a Trafalgar class? No, I meant a Trident. The Argentines have been saying that we have a Trident down there. [Telegraph article](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/falklandislands/9075975/Argentina-accuses-Britain-of-sending-nuclear-missiles-to-Falklands.html). [BBC article](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mobile/world-latin-america-16993391). So why disappoint them? 🙂 And it’s far better to have one fire from down there - not that we expect to have to do it - so as to not start WW3. The point would be to send a very blunt message. And by going to Diego Garcia we also remind the Iranians. Hawaii, of course, would be R&R for the sailors. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-falkland-islands/610629/230 "2012-02-25T17:00:01Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > No, I meant a Trident. The Argentines have been saying that we have a Trident down there. [Telegraph article](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/falklandislands/9075975/Argentina-accuses-Britain-of-sending-nuclear-missiles-to-Falklands.html). [BBC article](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mobile/world-latin-america-16993391). So why disappoint them? 🙂 Ah right, see what you’re getting at. The Argentinian Foreign Minister doesn’t seem too bright, does he? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-falkland-islands/610629/231 "2012-02-25T18:55:53Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > In case anyone missed it, Sean Penn attempted to explain himself in a piece for The Guardian. In the comments hilarity ensued. > > [The Malvinas/Falklands: diplomacy interrupted | Sean Penn | The Guardian](http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/feb/23/sean-penn-falklands-malvinas-diplomacy-interrupted) I don’t think I’m stupid, but frankly I have a lot of trouble understanding what Penn is trying to write here. It’s rambling, nearly incoherent, and lacks a clear thesis. Sean Penn was really good in “Fast Times at Ridgemont High.” ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-falkland-islands/610629/232 "2012-02-25T19:10:20Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I don’t think I’m stupid, but frankly I have a lot of trouble understanding what Penn is trying to write here. It’s rambling, nearly incoherent, and lacks a clear thesis. Glad it wasn’t just me. What on earth does this mean? > [@](#): > > This is not a cause of leftist flamboyance nor significantly a centuries-old literary dispute. But rather a modern one, that is perhaps unveiled most legitimately through the raconteurism of Patagonian fishermen. One perhaps more analogous to South Africa than a reparation discussion in South Carolina. As a result, we must look to the mutual recognition of this illusive paradigm by both countries, when in the 1970s, the United Kingdom and Argentina were indeed involved in open-minded diplomatic negotiations for claims on the Malvinas/Falkland Islands. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-falkland-islands/610629/233 "2012-02-25T20:33:58Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Glad it wasn’t just me. What on earth does this mean? I believe chemicals were involved. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-falkland-islands/610629/234 "2012-02-25T21:40:35Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Glad it wasn’t just me. What on earth does this mean? Well I’ve read it again carefully and I think what he is trying to say is > [@](#): > > I’m not just an actor! look at the words!..look at them! they’re big, I used the term “paradigm” that must count for something Plus I think he is pretty much stuck in the eighties, pre-1982 if anything. That would explain his disregard of the Argentinian invasion and his sporting of a Midge Ure “Vienna special” tache. Well Sean, your article certainly means nothing to me. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-falkland-islands/610629/235 "2012-02-25T22:18:58Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I don’t think I’m stupid, but frankly I have a lot of trouble understanding what Penn is trying to write here. It’s rambling, nearly incoherent, and lacks a clear thesis. I think his point is that the United Kingdom should re-open diplomatic talks with Argentina over the islands. He seems to feel the reason why the talks were abandoned was because the United Kingdom doesn’t like left-wing governments (although that seems a little strained considering the war was fought between the Argentinian junta and Margaret Thatcher). And he seems to blame the press for not understanding his position. But based on his linked post, the press has my sympathy on this issue. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-falkland-islands/610629/236 "2012-02-26T18:50:22Z")
I hope this isn’t too much of a hijack, but since we and the UK are best buds, why wouldn’t we, at a minimum, fire off a couple of cruise missiles to stop any Argentine mischief? Why didn’t we help the last time? Is it that pesky Monroe Doctrine? ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-falkland-islands/610629/237 "2012-02-26T22:27:01Z")
> [@jtgain](#): > > I hope this isn’t too much of a hijack, but since we and the UK are best buds, why wouldn’t we, at a minimum, fire off a couple of cruise missiles to stop any Argentine mischief? Why didn’t we help the last time? > > Is it that pesky Monroe Doctrine? My recollection had also been that the U.S. had been sort of neutral (the British are our best buds, but the Reagan Administration had cozy relations with right-wing regimes all over Latin America on account of anti-Communism); however, [this State Department document](http://fpc.state.gov/6172.htm#President_as_Initiator) indicates we were pretty clearly pro-British: > [@](#): > > After Argentina in April 1982 seized and occupied the Falkland Islands, which the United Kingdom claimed as a crown colony, the U.S. executive branch sought to mediate the dispute. When Argentina refused one of the U. S. peace overtures, Secretary of State Alexander Haig announced that the United States would prohibit arms sales to Argentina and provide material support for British operations. Both Houses of Congress passed resolutions supporting the U.S. action siding with the United Kingdom. ---
**Author:** ![DeptfordX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DeptfordX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeptfordX)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-falkland-islands/610629/238 "2012-02-26T22:28:50Z")
> [@jtgain](#): > > Why didn’t we help the last time? There was a certain amount of low key help. From memory America supplyed the latest version of Sidewinder. Satellite pictures, that sort of thing. As to why America didn’t do more, guess. If you said “It was the 80’s and the _mass_-murdering Argentinian Dictatorship was reliably anti-communist” then you win the prize, the prize of sadness. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-falkland-islands/610629/239 "2012-02-26T23:09:44Z")
Did France quit selling those Exocet missiles to Argentina? They accounted for a few British ships. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-falkland-islands/610629/240 "2012-02-26T23:20:41Z")
> [@DeptfordX](#): > > There was a certain amount of low key help. From memory America supplyed the latest version of Sidewinder. Satellite pictures, that sort of thing. > > As to why America didn’t do more, guess. I believe the United States also provided the British with a lot of logistic support. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-falkland-islands/610629.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-the-falkland-islands/610629.md?page=13)