Argentine Foreign Minister, Hector Timerman, demanded that the United Kingdom “…refrain from this military escalation that they are carrying out in the South Atlantic with the introduction of the latest generation of warships and warplanes, and dispatching a nuclear submarine with the capacity to unload nuclear weapons.”
While some British officials say the sending of Royal Navy ships to the Falklands (Malvinas) Islands is in response to Argentina’s growing demand to return the islands to Argentine control, other British officials say the move to send warships was planned long ago.
In any case the United Nations is asking the two countries to settle the issue peacefully: “The secretary general expressed concern about the increasingly strong exchanges between the governments of Argentina and the United Kingdom on this issue. He expressed the hope that the governments of Argentina and the United Kingdom will avoid an escalation of this dispute and resolve differences peacefully and through dialogue.”
In the 1990s. Argentina’s constitution was changed to make retaking of the Malvinas, from the British, a constitutional requirement.
Disputes over who controls the Falklands goes back to the late 1700s, and involves France, Spain and the United States, as well as Argentina and Britain. This latest dispute is being exacerbated by the fact that oil has been discovered there.
If war were declared, the U.K. would find it a little more difficult to fight, than in the 1982 war, because several major South American countries have indicated they will help Argentina fight the British.
“The recovery of Malvinas Islands on part of Argentina is a fact that joins countries like Peru…It is part of our identity; there is a piece of colonial territory in these islands that still remains in South America.”-Rafael Roncagliolo, Foreign Minister of Peru
“…back Argentine sovereignty over the Malvinas and back the UN resolutions calling on the Argentine and British governments to hold talks on the issue…”-Antonio Patriota, Foreign Minister of Brazil
“I’m speaking only for Venezuela, but if it occurs to the British Empire to attack Argentina, Argentina won’t be alone this time.”-Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela
What does the United States have to say about this? Basically the same thing they said in 1982: “Our position remains the same. This is a problem between two of our partners. We do not want to change our position…”-Roberta Jacobson, Acting U.S. Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs
However, a recent huge oil find might change the stance of U.S. leaders. Because a major U.S. oil company, Anadarko, wants to get involved with the British company that discovered the huge oil field.
Anadarko wants to invest $1.5 billion into the British company Rockhopper: “A deal has been tabled. Anadarko has got approval to do this from the highest levels in the U.S., and they’ve been reassured the British will stand by the islands.”-unnamed British source
Anadarko was involved with British Petroleum and the Gulf of Mexico oil spill in 2010. The British media says Anadarko has connections to the Pentagon because it’s current Board of Directors include Kevin Chilton, a former commander of U.S. Strategic Command, and Preston M “Pete” Geren III, who worked in the U.S. Department of Defense for at least ten years.
I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.