To think that we should give the Faulklands back to Argentina?

[toptramp]

Ok I don't know much about the Falklands war but from what I can gather we stole them from Argentina. I think we should give them back but of course it's complicated.
Can anyone fill me in on why Britain took them in the first place? Thanks.

I suppose a bit like most countries in the former British Empire felt...

But now that we have done away with the invading and pillaging and downtrodding and such things and made it a far simpler and more cost-effective (and native friendly) matter of towel bagseying, then I throw down my fluffy number on Borneo AND Austria. One for the winter, you see, with the skiing and all. The other for the beaches and the little turtles.

Since Bora Bora got half-inched off me, I am throwing my towel on Uganda, the pearl of Africa (according to Winston Churchill, who also threw his towel on it).

How about Britain keeps Gibraltar but we give Benidorm back to Spain?

Excellent idea Ruby

Can't give it back as it didn't belong to them.

Time share! And we'd both pay a management fee to keep the windows cleaned and replace broken cup and it would go up extortionately every year.

We never took them from Argentina. They have never even owned the islands. Their 'claim' is based primarily on the fact that they inherited them from the Spanish.

It really helps if you want to hold a view on a subject to at least understand the basic facts.

I am pretty sure Argentinian history of the Falklands will vary massively with the British account, so unless you were 'there' at the time (which means you will be very old now) it's just a matter of what you choose to believe.
I recall that the war in 1982 was never declared a 'war' internationally because Thatcher would have had to do some mediating, by international law, and didn't fancy losing the chance of improving her poll ratings.

The last time Argentina had the Falklands they killed a couple of the locals, put up a load of Spanish signs and made them drive on the right-hand side of the road (those people whose vehicles they didn't steal, of course).

Maybe next time they can march them all into the South Atlantic at gunpoint, perhaps?

It's slightly curious that some posters claim that Argentina only rattle sabres when there is a political difficulty in their country. Which is exactly what Thatcher did, with her poll ratings at the lowest point of any serving prime minister.

I'm sure that the British owned part of France in the Middle Ages, including Calais

yes it was The King of England and france on a lot of records back then the King ruled over Normandy and other parts- Calais was the last part after we lost everything else.

Thatcher didn't invade and Argentina though and by invading FI they made thatcher more popular and it won her the next election - so possibly we have a lot to blame Argintina for

"We never took them from Argentina. They have never even owned the islands. Their 'claim' is based primarily on the fact that they inherited them from the Spanish."

And they forget that the Spaniards were a colonial power who had no more right to seize the Falklands than the British. That being so the Spanish had no authority to hand them over to anyone.

Apparently, Richard the Lionheart (King Richard I) of England was a typical Norman King - his first language was French, & he spent more time in Aquitaine or on the Crusades than in England.
The Norman Kings invaded England but still kept possession of Normandy for centuries; originally they were descended from 'Norsemen' & Vikings who gradually invaded & settled in Normandy; then mixed in with the local French people & others to become the 'Normans'...

Right. France - I'm sorry, but you need to give back Normandy. Thanks.
Actually, I would quite like to add Provence, the Dordogne (sp?) & Nice. And the Pyreenees. And Paris... that would be enough for now :)

Or are they Pyrenees? Whatever. They look nice when i've flown over them to Ibiza. (We could give Gibraltar to the Spanish in return for Ibiza.. providing they throw in Formentera too!)

No I'm too old, friends had brothers fighting in the Falklands.

Up to the islanders if they want to remain British so be it.

Argentina can't take back something that was never theirs to begin with, and the Falkland Islanders should have the right to self-determination. They have made it perfectly clear that they do not wish to be anything other than British.

The fact Kirchner is continuing with her idiotic rantings shows quite clearly that she is agenda-biased. While she is spouting her crap, it's a distraction from the problems at home. Not to mention the oil.

I would consider giving the Islands back to the penguins....

With regard to Gibraltar. We had a vote about 15 years ago. The two people that voted for Gib to become Spanish don't live in Gib anymore!

Yes, LP, she 'invited' the armed conflict by being less than emphatic, and withdrawing some 'protective' shipping from the area iirc.

I think we should give some land back to the dinosaurs as well, as they occupied the planet before we did. Maybe Luton?

The Argentinean President is off her rocker. She is using the Falklands to distract people from the woeful economic state the country is in. She waffles on about UN proclamations bring on her side, but ignores the UN article in the right to self determination.

Besides, I can't see she can do much about it. From what I understand the Argentinean military has been cut back so much that they only have enough ammunition to last 24 hours and are still flying the same aircraft they had in 1982.
We could probably send down a few Commando brigades and invade Argentina ourselves!

DH was posted to the Falklands for 7 months a few years ago and said they are fiercely patriotic people, more so than a lot of Brits here.

Pan, my ds would love it if the dinosaurs returned to Luton, as it's just down the road from us. In fact dh took ds to see a dinosaur exhibition in the country park there not long ago - perhaps they weren't really models but live dinosaurs just keeping very very still?

Ha!! You just never know. dd had a severe dinosaur attachment when she was about 5-8. Took a while to accept they don't exist anymore. 'cept in Luton apparently.