Falklands

[Max Power]

I see we are now sending a nuclear sub over :shock:

 

[Lowlife]

Good old Gunboat Diplomacy!

 

[Blister]

Does anyone know how much we paid for the Falkland Islands :?:

 

[Digit]

Nothing as far as I'm aware.

Roy.

 

[Lowlife]

I didn't think we bought them either, just helped ourselves like most of our overseas territories, it's not as if anyone was doing anything with them at the time...

 

[Steve Maskery]

If we paid nothing, doesn't that mean they are worthless?
S

 

[cambournepete]

If we paid nothing, doesn't that mean they are worthless?
S

No, just that they were at the time, or we couldn't find anyone to pay

 

[Digit]

We didn't pay for England either Steve! :twisted:

Roy.

 

[Steve Maskery]

No, but we live here!
S

 

[Blister]

I see we are now sending a nuclear sub over :shock:

Maybe its because 880 million barrels of oil have been located recently

 

[Blister]

No, but we live here!

And have done for many generations

 

[Lowlife]

We didn't pay for England either...

Not at first, but we're paying for it now.

When we first came across the Falklands there was only a bunch of penguins living there (not a great deal else there now TBH), and they didn't object to us taking the place. I'm sure we'd have happily paid them something if they'd asked.

 

[Digit]

No, but we live here!

And the Argies don't live on Falkland, the first colonisers were French. One of the main supporters of the Argies in this are the Spaniards, who recently raised the subject of Gib again. The Argies main claim to Falkland is via Spanish colonisation and one of the reasons the Spanish aren't keen on the idea of Britain keeping Falkland is that we use the argument of, 'the wishes of the population.'
The Spaniards daren't agree because of the their problems with the Basques, for which reason they have said that they would veto an independent Scotland joining the EU.

Roy.

 

[Harbo]

We settled it in 1830, the Argies reckoned they had done it before?
Did you see the Neil Oliver programme about William Spiers Bruce?
He discovered South Orkney in Antarctica in the early 1900's. As he was not on an official expedition he was not allowed to claim it for GB.
He got frozen in for 8 months, then when the ice melted sailed to Buenos Aries to buy coal. After which he sailed back to the island with a few Argentinian passengers who unbeknown to him were briefed to claim the island for themselves.
The Argies have been there ever since and it now has a large military/research base there!

Rod

 

[Digit]

Britain's first settlement was 1760 something. To the best of my knowledge the Argentinians have never had a permanent presence on the main islands.

Roy.

 

[mailee]

Mind you that was when the Great in Britain meant something. We owned half the world and most of the seas. (Taken by force mostly) Now we have given most of it back. Just ask the Chinese, Hong Kong the great chinese takeaway. :lol:

 

[woodbloke]

I see we are now sending a nuclear sub over :shock:

Lots of folks here nattering about somewhere a long way from the UK, who've never actually been there. I spent two weeks on the islands a couple of years ago and I can tell you that the population of the Falklands is more British than we are, which is really the crux of the issue...whilst they want to remain tied to the UK, HMG will do what's necessary to see that's the case. The fact that a Trafalgar class hunter-killer sub has been deployed is just upping the game, we actually have no idea how many submarines have been deployed in that area since 1982...I suspect it's many more than just this one. The British base at MPA is also vast with around 2000 or so personnel including a then squadron of Tornados (now Typhoons) I went all over the islands...Goose Green, the British cemetery at Blue Beach, the Argentinian cemetery, Stanley and was taken on a personal guided tour of Mount Harriet, one of the battlefields and taken by 42 Commando.
If you ever get a chance to visit, grab it...it's one of the most fantastic places that I've ever been to. Account here if of interest - Rob

 

[Digit]

Yep! The right to self determination, as with the Scots, Gibraltar, the Basques and so with the people of South America when they drove out the Spaniards and Portuguese, history has short memories.

Roy.

 

[flanajb]

I see we are now sending a nuclear sub over :shock:

Maybe its because 880 million barrels of oil have been located recently

Given we have no resources of our and the Scots are seeking independence, I think your point may have a bearing on it!

 

[Digit]

That wasn't so 30 yrs ago chaps.

Roy.