Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Is The U.S. About To Sell Out Britain Over The Falklands?

Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Photo from Times Online

UK Rejects Hillary Clinton's Help In Falklands Dispute -- BBC

Downing Street has rejected an offer from the US to help the UK and Argentina resolve their latest dispute over the Falkland Islands.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made the offer after renewed tensions were triggered by a UK decision to drill for oil near the islands.

A spokesman for Gordon Brown said he welcomed her comments but did not think her direct involvement was necessary.

Read more ....

More News On The Falklands Dispute

US ignores Argentine call for Falklands mediation -- Yahoo News/AFP
Falklands Row: UK Refuses US Help Offer -- Sky News
Clinton sidesteps mediation role in Falklands dispute -- Yahoo News/AFP
Clinton meeting with Kirchner adds to British unease over Falklands -- Times Online
Hillary Clinton offers to help solve Falklands dispute -- The Telegraph
Clinton Urges Talks on the Falkland Islands -- New York Times
Clinton: US will help resolve Falklands oil row -- The Guardian
US offers to mediate in Falkland oil dispute -- Financial Times
US ignores Argentine call for Falklands mediation -- AFP
Argentina tightens Falklands security grip -- UPI
Hillary Clinton slaps Britain in the face over the Falklands -- The Telegraph

My Comment: The British have made it very clear .... they want no US involvement in what they consider as a purely internal affair.

3 comments:

Mark said...

Personally I think the British have no right to drill there, just because 2000+ people live on that island due to old colonial ambitions --> it's as if you justify the drilling by an old crime as part of their desire for being an empire -- it is clearly not part of the european continent nor part of the UK

Also The British came running to the US asking for backup, and only when the US said it doesn't want to get involved, NOW the UK suddenly doesn't want any involvement...right..

comon now.. this is an old score that needs to be settled between the two countries.. even though the British are clearly superior in military force (being stretched thin or not, they would woop Argentina's ass), if it comes to the United Nations to decide on this issue, I hope Argentinia wins this one.. it would be a nice reward for the 3x higher casualty on Argentina's side during the Falkland battle

WNU Editor said...

Thank you Mark for your comment.

Your argument is the same argument that I heard almost 30 years ago. Plus Ca Change .... plus c'est le meme chose. The more things change, the more that they stay the same.

I can also predict that 30 years from now the situation will remain the same, and the same arguments are going to be used.

What will change the dynamics is dependent on what happens in Argentina. Unfortunately, economic mismanagement on a scale that is unbelievable, political corruption coupled with social problems that feeds upon itself does not give me any hope that Argentina can possibly find its way.

30 years ago the Argentinian Generals ordered the invasion of the Falklands to divert attention away from their economic incompetence and political corruption. Flash forward to today, Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner is in the same situation and is doing the same thing .... minus ordering an invasion.

If Argentina has any hope of one day claiming the Falklands as their own .... they should first start by cleaning up their own act at home. If successful, and if given the proper guarantees on language and culture, I am sure that the citizens of the Falklands would look at Argentina in a positive light.

An example that should be looked upon as a solution is what happened with Canada and its dispute with France over the islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon. Two small islands beside Newfoundland, they still wanted to remain with France. But with huge oil reserves offshore a flash point of contention was possible .... but instead a negotiated understanding and agreement was done between Canada and these residents.

Argentina should also do the same thing .... but I know that their political culture will not permit them to.

Mark said...

Hey, thanks for your reply.. I agree, it is to a part, certainly a diversion from own internal failures. However, I believe that with time the UK will be more and more under pressure to leave this island to Argentina - it's just too far away and of too great importance (now with the oil found) to claim any business there, when it's clear that only ancient colonial motivations 200 years back caused this mess. Colonial times are long over and we all have to clean up the mess these times caused, this will be no different, it just may take another couple of years, but hopefully will come sooner