# Why Is Argentina Bringing Up the Falklands Again? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 15, 2012, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-argentina-bringing-up-the-falklands-again/625281 "2012-06-15T21:12:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2012, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-argentina-bringing-up-the-falklands-again/625281/1 "2012-06-15T21:12:07Z")
OK, 30 years ago a corrupt military dictatorship started a war with the UK. Argentina landed a conscript force on the Falklands, and was roundly defeated. Now, the economy is looking shaky (Argentine banks are seeing a big outflow of funds), the government nationalized the Spanish oil company, and the president is making noises about the “Malvinas” …again. What does this mean? Surely, Argentina lacks any real way of taking the islands (the UK has 4 modern jet fighters there, plus a frigate and the area is patrolled by attack subs). My belief is that the extent of the offshore oil reserves is becoming known, and Argentina wants its share-what else could it be? ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2012, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-argentina-bringing-up-the-falklands-again/625281/2 "2012-06-15T21:25:54Z")
Relevant insights here: > **[What's the Deal with the Falkland Islands?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=639682)** > > I have been chatting with an online friend from Argentina and he indicates that there is still a lot of sentiment that the Falkland Islands should be theirs. He seems to feel that the government is still asserting its claim and he suggests that if... ---
**Author:** ![BowlOfDucks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@BowlOfDucks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BowlOfDucks)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-argentina-bringing-up-the-falklands-again/625281/3 "2012-06-16T00:06:45Z")
The same reason they made a big deal over them in 82. The country is in a mess, and politicians need a distraction to distract people away from their failures. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-argentina-bringing-up-the-falklands-again/625281/4 "2012-06-16T02:53:34Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > Now, the economy is looking shaky … This. And an election is coming up. So the government needs something to distract the voters from their handling of the economy. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-argentina-bringing-up-the-falklands-again/625281/5 "2012-06-16T03:10:39Z")
> [@voltaire](#): > > Relevant insights here: > [What's the Deal with the Falkland Islands? - Great Debates - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=639682) And he even participated in that thread, making this one superfluous. Go figure. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-argentina-bringing-up-the-falklands-again/625281/6 "2012-06-16T03:40:00Z")
The squeaky wheel gets the oil. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Niply\_Elder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@The\_Niply\_Elder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Niply_Elder)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-argentina-bringing-up-the-falklands-again/625281/7 "2012-06-16T04:10:11Z")
The only one bringing up the falklands up again is you buddy, you are so transparent, did you think anybody was gonna miss that. You should really rtfm on the falklands before asking these kinds of questions. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-argentina-bringing-up-the-falklands-again/625281/8 "2012-06-16T04:12:34Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > The squeaky wheel gets the oil. And sometimes, if the wheel is \*really \*squeaky, it gets greased. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-argentina-bringing-up-the-falklands-again/625281/9 "2012-06-16T04:14:13Z")
More Falklands bitching? My Word, is it Friday already? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-argentina-bringing-up-the-falklands-again/625281/10 "2012-06-16T04:33:38Z")
That letter from the Argentine President asking for the Falklands back that was printed as an ad in the Guardian earlier in the week made me laugh out loud. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-argentina-bringing-up-the-falklands-again/625281/11 "2012-06-16T04:46:24Z")
> [@voltaire](#): > > And sometimes, if the wheel is \*really \*squeaky, it gets greased. They got greased the last time. ---
**Author:** ![notquitekarpov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@notquitekarpov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notquitekarpov)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2012, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-argentina-bringing-up-the-falklands-again/625281/12 "2012-06-16T14:32:55Z")
The Argentines had a deal with the UK, before any hydrocarbons were discovered, to share 50/50 the oil tax wealth. The tore it up - wanting everything or nothing. In fact it was the ex-husband of their current leader who did the deed. They can go to hell as far as I’m concerned.