Falklands: Should we stay or leave?

[Red Mist]

The topic of Malvinas has reared its head again. I previously was strongly against a withdawal but I've now mellowed and can't be arsed with this shit anymore. We should leave. We only fought for these islands to get Thatcher re-elected anyway. Not a good reason for our soldiers to have died.

[Nick Leeson]

Do we have any islands sat off our coastline which some other nation reckon they own?

[Section_31]

It would make more sense for it to be independent of both nations really. But of the options offered I'd say we should stay, because the people living there see themselves as British and what they want should probably be the deciding factor. I don't know much about the politics to be honest but it just seems like a dick waving contest to me, the argies can't possibly need them for anything important - it just looks like a cold, barren place.

[Nick Leeson]

Isn't it a massive oilfield?

[Red Mist]

The COLONISTS on the islands, for that is what they are, should leave and settle in mainland UK. All our previous colonists had to do the same whether they liked it or not, once we handed those countries back to the natives. I don't see why it should be any different for the falkland islanders.

[jacco maccaco]

Beat me to it

 

Falklands' new dawn: islanders plan future around 18bn barrels of oil | UK news | guardian.co.uk

[Section_31]

Isn't it a massive oilfield?

 

There's been talk of some untapped sources there I think, I don't know if drilling has started, but it's not been a traditional 'issue' with Argentina as far as I know, certainly not all the way back in 82.

[Red Mist]

Okay I had no idea that there was oil there. If it means cheaper fuel than I'm all for staying put on the islands. Viva Malvinas, baby!

[Red Phoenix]

If you think we should leave but the rest of the country doesn't agree, then we can just send Mascher down there for the day.

[Nick Leeson]

As far as I know the drilling has started but they haven't, err, struck oil yet. I just always assumed the war was about oil though and have associated the falklands with oil since I was a kid.

 

I also recall for some reason the British government making pledges or promises not to drill where as the argentines wanted to and that was some part of the basis for the troubles and the initial invasion.

[Section_31]

The COLONISTS on the islands, for that is what they are, should leave and settle in mainland UK. All our previous colonists had to do the same whether they liked it or not, once we handed those countries back to the natives. I don't see why it should be any different for the falkland islanders.

 

There aren't any indigenous people there though like with the likes of, say, Hong Kong.

 

They were discovered, charted, and settled by the British to use as a base for the exploration of the Pacific, then became a pissing contest with the Spanish. It's not like 'we' ousted anyone and they now want to come back.

 

It's basically the argies saying they want it because it's not far from them, as far as I can tell.

 

If the Spanish had discovered the Isle of Sheppey, explored it and colonised it, I wouldn't have a problem with it still being a Spanish colony, certainly not just because it was 'by Britain'.

[jamespp]

The COLONISTS on the islands, for that is what they are, should leave and settle in mainland UK. All our previous colonists had to do the same whether they liked it or not, once we handed those countries back to the natives. I don't see why it should be any different for the falkland islanders.

 

So should the Argentinians go back to Spain/Germany or wherever aswell and hand it back to the natives?

[Anubis]

Keep them. If the government want to appease the Argentinians they can give them Manchester.

[Stouffer]

Regardless of any oil the fishing and mineral extraction rights are worth staying for alone.

[Paul]

We should stay as long as the British citizens who live there want to remain British. If they don't then fine, but we can't just jib them off arbitrarily.

[JohnnyH]

God bless the British and there need to keep hold of things that don't belong to them!

 

(although I accept that the issue of "ownership" of the Falklands is a greatly divided one with French, Argentine, Spanish and British all claiming ownership at some point prior to 1833 and the British control and the plantation of British citizens so they could justifably call it their own a number of generations later although I thought forcing everyone to be a British citizen was a bit much, sure it didn't stop Argentina offering full Argentine citizenship themselves though - actually I dont really care)

[WaltonRed]

Give them back.

[Strontium]

God bless the British and there need to keep hold of things that don't belong to them!

 

 

No, God bless the right to self-determination, surely?

 

As Paul says, the people of the Falklands overwhelmingly want to remain British, so Argentina's claim to the land would appear to be tenuous at best.

[Section_31]

No, God bless the right to self-determination, surely?

 

As Paul says, the people of the Falklands overwhelmingly want to remain British, so Argentina's claim to the land would appear to be tenuous at best.

 

But, but, it's quite close to Argentina! Isn't that how these things work? (300 miles actually, twice the width of the Irish sea)

[Strontium]

But, but, it's quite close to Argentina! Isn't that how these things work? (300 miles actually, twice the width of the Irish sea)

 

 

Well, Argentina seems to think that's how these things work!

 

The truth is, the Falklands has never even been part of Argentina. Argentina didn't even exist when Britain took control of the Falklands. The claim to the Falklands comes about because the islands were once under the control of the former Spanish colony of the Provinces of the River Plate, which broke up and became Argentina, Uruguay and Bolivia. If we acknowledge that Argentina has any claim upon the islands, then they presumably share that claim with Uruguay and Bolivia.

 

So people who say "give them back" are somewhat mistaken. They have never been Argentina's to have back.

[Anubis]

Stop whining Johnny. If you're sore over NI you can time share Manchester with the Argentinians.

[Hermes]

As long as the majority of people living there want to be British, it should remain British. The same applies to Northern Ireland. Once the majority don't feel that way in each case we should pull out immediately and leave them to it, saving ourselves £billions in the process.

[Thants]

I DRINK YOUR MILKSHAKE! I DRINK IT UP!

[Section_31]

As long as the majority of people living there want to be British, it should remain British. The same applies to Northern Ireland. Once the majority don't feel that way in each case we should pull out immediately and leave them to it, saving ourselves £billions in the process.

 

Aye, Scotland and Wales too while you're at it. Free prescriptions and university courses on my fucking dime. I'll take that north sea oil though, ta.

[Hermes]

Aye, Scotland and Wales too while you're at it. Free prescriptions and university courses on my fucking dime. I'll take that north sea oil though, ta.

 

The Scots are subsidised by over £2,000 per person per annum. Since when was the North Sea on Scottish soil?