Falklands Issue - Your Thoughts

[Elomin Sha]

I was wondering what thoughts the forum members had with the on going Falklands issue between Britain and Argentina. This year its the 30th Anniversary.
I'm not sure why but Sean Penn of the Screen Actors Guild, has decided to get involved throwing his support to the country who actually invaded a small island as a political ploy of the ruler Leopoldo Galtieri to overlook troubles caused by his junta at home.
Personally I do think he's a bit of a self absorbed high and mighty arse so I did enjoy his choice sound bite of 'colonialist theology'.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-17025000


Those not in the know: The Falkland Islands are an archipelago off the coast or Argentina with a trouble past of claims and sightings ranging all the way back to the 15th Century.
Most recently you'll know about the Falklands War with the sinking of the Belgrano the use of Exocet missiles and one sided dog fights.

This will in all likelihood blow over after the anniversary and return to its usual simmering.


Addendum:
Britain did own Calais for a while but we haven't gone back demanding for its return. Although we have created a tunnel for troop movements.

[EnglishMQ]

From what I was learned during my History degree, the majority of the people of the Falkland Island are of British decent, use British currency and speak English. They resisted the Argentinians when they invaded and have never shown any interest in becoming Spanish.

I fail to see how they're entitled to an Island they once had over a century ago.

[Keab42]

Because Nations arguing over territory are the only thing that is more entitled than your average internet user.

Storm in a teacup really, Argentina is just looking for a political bump so they're bringing it all up again.

[empath]

...and apparently so's Sean Penn; when was he last in the public eye? Must be working to get attention for that "The Gangster Squad" movie that's currently in post-production.

[Matt]

Screen Actors Guild. Let's not even allude to that particular F word, please.

-m

Edit: I have corrected the OP accordingly.

[rustak]

Because Nations arguing over territory are the only thing that is more entitled than your average internet user.

Storm in a teacup really, Argentina is just looking for a political bump so they're bringing it all up again.

It's more complicated than that -- there have been some significant oil discoveries around the Falklands, and Argentina would certainly like to own them. There was an exploration agreement with the UK which fell apart a few years ago, though I think some work is proceeding with BP in the area.

[Elomin Sha]

Screen Actors Guild. Let's not even allude to that particular F word, please.

-m

Edit: I have corrected the OP accordingly.

It was a silly Team America reference because of the similarity. No harm intended.

[Matt]

Yeah, I know. It's still a homophobic slur. No harm done, but I'd prefer we not employ it.

-m

[Elomin Sha]

Roger.

[Lord Chrusher]

As a few people have said the inhabitants of the Falkland Islands are mostly of British decent and want to remain part of Britain.

The world's boarders have changed quite a bit in the 180 years since the Falklands became British. If the Falklands should be Argentinean than Belgium should still be part of the Netherlands, Washington and Oregon should be part of British North America, Texas should be part of Mexico, Prussia should control most of what is now northern Poland, Austria should rule Hungary, Czechoslovakia and most of former Yugoslavia, Turkey should rule most of the Arab world and so on.

[Psyclone]

So if the Falklands go to Argentina then I get to be British? I'm okay with that.

Seriously though, this is stupid. Argentina's claim is pretty tenuous.

[Ed.]

Their claim is worse than that France and Spain have more claim to the islands than Argentina does.

I quite like this image puts it all in perspective.


Calls for negotiations irritate me especially from the US, unless there is a huge reversal in the views of the islanders there is simply nothing to discus at all ever.

[Elomin Sha]

Nice chart. Your honour we rest our case.

[Lord Hosk]

From what I have read the British have made numerous attempts to settle the matter but Argentina rejects anything other than "no its ours." As was previously stated the vast majority of the population loves the queen. From what I have read from various sources of the roughly 3200 people who call the place home, roughly 50 are Argentinian and FEW on the islands seek independence from Britain and less than 10 have expressed a desire for association with Argentina. How is that an issue.

1. Why actors in general feel we should listen to their political opinions any more than we would listen to our neighbor. I think Matt, Graham and Paul are talented thespians, but I dont care what they think about politics because of two things, first they are Canadian so we dont vote in the same elections and two I dont know them well enough to have a in depth conversation which politics should be.

2. What does Sean Penn have to do with Argentina or Great Britain?

[EnglishMQ]

What does the U.S have to do with it?

Last time I checked, they made a point of remaining neutral from the Falklands conflict. If you decided to remain neutral during a war I don't think you get to have an opinion during peace talks. So yeah, U.S calling for negotiations feels like a very opinionated guy trying to give everyone his words of wisdom when no one asked for it nor was it required.

[Alja-Markir]

For fuck's sake, it's a bunch of rocks, sheep, and seabirds! What the fuck could anyone want with that place? Strategic importance? In case, I dunno, the Antarctic penguins get uppity?

~Alja~

[empath]

From what I have read the British have made numerous attempts to settle the matter but Argentina rejects anything other than "no its ours." As was previously stated the vast majority of the population loves the queen. From what I have read from various sources of the roughly 3200 people who call the place home, roughly 50 are Argentinian and FEW on the islands seek independence from Britain and less than 10 have expressed a desire for association with Argentina. How is that an issue.

1. Why actors in general feel we should listen to their political opinions any more than we would listen to our neighbor. I think Matt, Graham and Paul are talented thespians, but I dont care what they think about politics because of two things, first they are Canadian so we dont vote in the same elections and two I dont know them well enough to have a in depth conversation which politics should be.

2. What does Sean Penn have to do with Argentina or Great Britain?

THIS; so totally this.

1. Yeah, and musicians (Don Henley...Michael Stipe...Bon-FUCKING-o...etc.) too.

2. As near as I can tell, he's just doing a little 'tertiary marketing' for that film he's in that coming out in a while.


As for putting the Crew under #1, for me it's a little different because a) they and I are (just about) the same nationality, and b) we DO broach political topics in the fora here. Even so, it's not that uncommon that I'll disagree with Them (I know, I know, calm down) partially because I'm more than a decade older than Them, but mostly because we're on opposite sides of a not-insubstantial continent, resulting in still rather different cultures.

[Elomin Sha]

For fuck's sake, it's a bunch of rocks, sheep, and seabirds! What the fuck could anyone want with that place? Strategic importance? In case, I dunno, the Antarctic penguins get uppity?

~Alja~

There is a lot of oil nearby. Who ever controls it controls the black gold.

[Geoff_B]

My question is: Why now? They've had 30 years to complain about this.

[Metcarfre]

Brits retired the Harrier, of course.

Would be awesome if this brought them out of mothballs, though.

[Geoff_B]

You mean they waited until we cut back our armed forces so we couldn't possibly mount a defense? That's cunning that is.

[Lord Hosk]

I still put my money on tommy and the limeys. I worked with the red devils and them boys are CRAZY!

[rustak]

My question is: Why now? They've had 30 years to complain about this.

Oil exploration in the area wasn't economically feasible until fairly recently.

[Lord Hosk]

My question is: Why now? They've had 30 years to complain about this.

Oil exploration in the area wasn't economically feasible until fairly recently.

They have been complaining for 30 years, they are just getting loud now because they want to strip mine the ocean floor everywhere within a 100 miles of their coast.

[Geoff_B]

Look, they trounce us in the world cup, what more do they want?