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AIBU?

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Original poster

To not understand why some Argentinians seem to want the Falkland Islands so much?

210 replies

Jane3212 · 24/09/2026 23:46

I really like Argentinian literature and would like to know more about the country- I don't know much at the moment.

However, I have read up on the Falklands War, especially after Milei's grandstanding and the World Cup, and I'm confused as to why there still seems to be a strong sense it was 'stolen' and 'needs to come back', and disregard for the wishes of the Islanders, among some Argentinians (I know many don't feel this way).
The war was terrible and Argentinian men were conscripted. But that was the fault of Galtieri. Argentinians suffered under the brutal junta: we had to defend the Islanders, or they would have suffered under it too. And aside from that, the Islanders don't want to be ruled by Argentina. Virtually no Argentinians live there, and it's not particularly large or rich in natural resources : why the obsession among some? It also seems odd to frame Argentina as a sole victim of colonisation by Britain when the modern country itself was founded upon colonising the indigenous peoples.

I was disgusted with Trump's behaviour : I'm sure he'd scoff at anyone saying that the US is an illegitimate settler state, but he appears to be leaning to Milei for his own ends.

AIBU?

OP posts:
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CombatBarbie · Yesterday 19:00

montysmaw · 25/09/2026 02:05

Why does Britain want them so much?

The penguins....... 🐧 🐧 🐧

Whatalunatic · Yesterday 19:44

DenizenOfAisleOfShame · Yesterday 08:56

Most of your post may or may not be true. But the last paragraph is obviously wrong.

There’s nothing complex about Argentina’s ambition to take over the Falklands. There’s no basis for their claim at all. It’s just posturing.

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Ok. Well, think whatever you want to think. I lived there for many years and visit regularly. Just reducing it to 'posturing' doesn't cover it. Not by a long shot.

And the rest is absolutely correct.

Arlanymor · Yesterday 19:57

Need to reply when I am home and not on mobile data. It’s not loading all the pages. Like @whatalunaticI also lived there and have many friends from my time there. There is nuance in the situation of course, as there is with anything, but the amount of nonsense on here is nuts.

DenizenOfAisleOfShame · Yesterday 20:09

Whatalunatic · Yesterday 19:44

Ok. Well, think whatever you want to think. I lived there for many years and visit regularly. Just reducing it to 'posturing' doesn't cover it. Not by a long shot.

And the rest is absolutely correct.

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You’ve missed the point. But probably best to leave it at that.

Persephonia1966 · Yesterday 21:08

Whatalunatic · Yesterday 19:44

Ok. Well, think whatever you want to think. I lived there for many years and visit regularly. Just reducing it to 'posturing' doesn't cover it. Not by a long shot.

And the rest is absolutely correct.

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The country was built on European immigration. Far less black people there because black people exist in tbe region due to slavery, mainly seen in Brazil and Colombia

I'm not going to repeat myself but this absolutely is not correct. Argentina like the US of America and many South American countries like Brazil and Columbia, was in its early days very much "built" with the labour, in part, of enslaved Africans.** The fact that black Argentinians left less of a genetic legacy than in other parts of South America does not mean they did not exist.

The rather loaded references to being built by Europeans does echo my earlier point about a narrative that tries to paint Argentina as being morally superior to it's neighbours (implying they didn't do slavery) while also echoing some dodgy ideas also popular with MAGA. It's unusual to do both at the same time.

**And of course other groups as well. White Europeans would indeed form later waves of immigration but that doesn't mean indigenous people and black Africans never existed.

BrezhnevsLuxuriantEyebrows · Yesterday 22:20

My husband managed to distract them by talking about how great Argentina are at football

I know next to nothing about football, but from what I've picked up from the news over the years, Argentina's proudest ever moment in football was when one of their players blatantly cheated to win the big match. Even in the recent World Cup, they were accused of cheating again.

It would be the equivalent of Jamaica glorying for decades in Usain Bolt having smashed the records and repeatedly winning the title for them... but if he'd openly used a motorbike instead of using his actual talent.

PeachOctopus · Yesterday 22:23

dustabsorber · 24/09/2026 23:59

What if the Isle of Wight belonged to Brazil? How would we feel about that? I remember when the Falklands' crisis broke, I looked at a map of the UK, expecting to find the Falklands north of the Shetlands.

Except that the Isle of Wight is 6 miles from the UK and the Falkland Islands are 300 miles from Argentina, we have been there since 1833.

Illegally18 · Yesterday 22:25

dustabsorber · 24/09/2026 23:59

What if the Isle of Wight belonged to Brazil? How would we feel about that? I remember when the Falklands' crisis broke, I looked at a map of the UK, expecting to find the Falklands north of the Shetlands.

Yes, me too!

Illegally18 · Yesterday 22:27

YourGiddyGreyHelper · 25/09/2026 16:43

Well you were pretty ignorant of the world then.

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Who had ever heard of the Falklands until the war broke out, ffs!

Persephonia1966 · Yesterday 22:36

PeachOctopus · Yesterday 22:23

Except that the Isle of Wight is 6 miles from the UK and the Falkland Islands are 300 miles from Argentina, we have been there since 1833.

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Brazilians are cool anyway. If the Isle of Wight was part of Brazil and the people on the Isle of White all happy with that arrangement it would be fine. Super easy and accessible way to experience Carnival for instance

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