Another Falklands war?

[Bubblehead1980]

Looks like another war in the Falklands is brewing, Argentina is showing it's arse again.Some countries never learn.......

Thoughts?

[Blackhawk1006]

It's just because of the British Oil Drilling that will be happening there next week.

I can hardly see another war happening there though, remember that in 1982 Argentina was run by a Militarist Government, unlike today.

[August]

It doesn't take a military government to start a war though.

Hopefully Britain will take it as a sign that she needs to maintain the military strength necessary to defend her possessions if she wishes to keep them.

[ReFaN]

Drop the bomb on them!

[Bubblehead1980]

Blackhawk, LOL @ the Conan, Colbert, Stewart thing, ahh that was good times.

True Argentina is not ran by a military govt anymore BUT they are pushing Britain again.

Agreed that maybe the Brit govt will see it as sign they should not cut defense budget.

[Diopos]

Second war? Don't know...
But at least know we know what the first one was probably all about ...







,

[Highbury]

Originally Posted by August

It doesn't take a military government to start a war though.

Hopefully Britain will take it as a sign that she needs to maintain the military strength necessary to defend her possessions if she wishes to keep them.

Very true, but at the time the Argentine invasion was a gamble by a newly placed regime to divert attention from internal problems, and give a reason for national pride. In '82 even the US Navy said it would be impossible for the UK to take the Falklands back by force and the Argentinians believed it themselves, and bet on it. (The RN had very little sea-based air power at the time) I would say Argentina now knows this in not the case. I would be very surprised if they took military action again.

On your second point, I do agree fully. If I didn't my first point would be useless.

[bookworm_020]

A couple of subs with some tomohawk missles would make it a bad day if they tried to take the islands.

[diver]

Originally Posted by Highbury

In '82 even the US Navy said it would be impossible for the UK to take the Falklands back by force and the Argentinians believed it themselves, and bet on it. (The RN had very little sea-based air power at the time) I would say Argentina now knows this in not the case. I would be very surprised if they took military action again.

I'd argue strongly that they have even less Sea-based Air Power now.

[Highbury]

Originally Posted by diver

I'd argue strongly that they have even less Sea-based Air Power now.

That could be true, I don't know what the RN has now. In '82 they had 34 Harriers.

Unfortunately for the Argentinians, and not considered in the 1982 US Navy report, was the airbase the British set up on Ascension Island two weeks after the invasion, which they used for Vulcans and their tankers. In the modern era such land based planes would be devastating to Argentine technology.

I just don't think they could beat the UK and I think they would be less motivated, and better informed this time around, so won't even try it. Of course as with any speculation on future events, I could be dead wrong.

[Tarrasque]

Originally Posted by Highbury

That could be true, I don't know what the RN has now. In '82 they had 34 Harriers.

Unfortunately and very embarassingly they abolished the Sea Harriers in 2006. All the RN has now is the ground attack version (GR7) which whilst it can carry AA missiles, lacks any form of radar.

Also we no longer have a carrier of the size of the HMS Hermes (28 harrier capacity). All we have are the ships of the Invincible class which are significantly smaller (around 9 harriers) due to budget cuts in the 60s that decided that the UK didn't need aircraft carriers. (The invincible were snuck through the budget as 'through deck cruisers'.)

[Nordmann]

Argentina will pout and posture, but I seriously doubt they will engage in any activity of a military nature. After all, they were sent well and truly packing last time, and if they dare attempt round two, we will gladly oblige them once again.

Some countries never learn, and if they do, it's always the hard way. The Falkland Islanders are British citizens, they do not want Argentinians walking all over them. If they were given the island, where to you think these residents would go? They would be forcibly moved, and to my mind, this is no different from the German antics of WWII.

[Oberon]

We have more forces on the Falklands than we did before the last war, and as the old saying goes "Fool me once..."
Argentina should know that and shouldn't try anything stupid.

[martes86]

War is not nice, at least according to Barbara Bush. Anyways, if there was another war, I'd really hope that Argentina won (I can't really say otherwise, I feel closer to argentinian people in all ways). Some countries also need a "Being humble: How to". If the UK dropped all the colonies it still posseses (or rather say, that the Crown posseses), it would lose a lot of problems. They could start by letting go of colonies within friend's (or so told) territories, like Gibraltar.

Cheers

[Nordmann]

What you mean to say, is that we should be crushed, and told what to do by other nations that have no damned right to. Sorry, but to me, it just sounds like you are sore because Spain has no "colonies" left.