Falklands

[Lamp]

Anyone see the flyby today ? Loads of copters and fighter planes flew over London.

The Argies want the Islands back:
BBC NEWS | World | Americas | Argentina vows Falklands return

 

[uron]

its a matter of principle, much like Gibraltar, they wont get it back in the near future. its in a strategic position, they can ask for it back, but they cant take it back, so they mite as well give up!

 

[Solo]

Would have liked to see the flyby not in London however, any chance to see it again?

 

[Calaen]

I was talking to a Taxi driver in Gibraltar and he reckons that the Spanish dont want them and the British wanted to give it back but the people that live there pretty much said we want to be British. The people there can remember the Spanish trying to pretty much wipe them out just because they were on the other side of the gates.

 

[Shagrat]

go to Iraq, I heard theres flybys twice daily there.

 

[Raven]

saw a bunch of chinooks and apaches flying about near farnborough (was down at the arse end for the weekend) On the way back up north we saw a large plane flanked by fighter jets, wondered wtf was happening

 

[Gahn]

Don't tell me u guys are still bitching over that piece of shit lost in the middle of nowhere lol

 

[Raven]

no we aren't now go away

we have something to thank our armed forces for thanks

 

[Mojo]

I was talking to a Taxi driver in Gibraltar and he reckons that the Spanish dont want them and the British wanted to give it back but the people that live there pretty much said we want to be British. The people there can remember the Spanish trying to pretty much wipe them out just because they were on the other side of the gates.

It isn't upto Britain anymore, a new constitution was agreed upon in 2006 so the Gibs have the power of self-determination. That's as far as it ever went in regards to Britain handing back sovereignty to Spain (we simply put the onus onto the Locals). Spain did want it back and still do they used to drag it up every chance they got.

I would imagine the Falklands would go the same way as Gib if given the chance all, and they will vote on remaining British as they did in Gibraltar. The locals in both places have been punished for Britains decision to retain sovereignty, people won't forget that in a hurry.

 

[Raven]

except most falklanders consider themselves more British than the British

 

[Thadius]

except most falklanders consider themselves more British than the British

Thats true, Britain has become too PC now

Plus the fact that British culture is now being pushed out by all the different Ethnic groups who each have a different culture and the Media is on its knees, catering for every culture except the British(see the BBC)

Look at it this way, when the Falklands were invaded it would be the same as the Argentinians setting foot on the actual UK

 

[Naetha]

I don't understand the massive claim the Argentinians have to the Falklands. They claim that the Falklands are part of their history, heritage and an integral part of Argentinial culture, however the great majority of the people there consider themselves to be British. The Argentines claim that the British supplanted the Argentine population in 1833, but 80% of that population was British mercenaries, and the Argentines had only been there for 7 years.

At the end of the day, if they want to be impartial, and hold the best interests of the islanders at heart, then they need to hold a referendum and decide themselves, and *they* decide if they want either British and/or Argentines to use the islands as a strategic base (which is all its good for really).

I just think the Argentines are being rather childish about it, I could claim that England should return most of the West Midlands and West Country to Wales, as it was originally Welsh, but things move on, times change.

 

[Thadius]

I could claim that England should return most of the West Midlands

Arnt those pesky Welsh planning a referendum to break away from Britain, like those pesky Scots?

 

[Mojo]

Arnt those pesky Welsh planning a referendum to break away from Britain, like those pesky Scots?

lol, Nope. The Scotts haven't broken away either they just have some level of local government same as the Welsh and NI do.

 

[Thadius]

lol, Nope. The Scotts haven't broken away either they just have some level of local government same as the Welsh and NI do.

Yea, but the last election I was watching the Scottish vote and the SNP wated to break up the Union

 

[Mojo]

Yea, but the last election I was watching the Scottish vote and the SNP wated to break up the Union

Ah Maybe, but did the SNP win? I don't think many in Wales would go for such a thing, but ya never know.

I would vote against such a thing myself.

 

[Maeloch]

Yeah, considering it's basically a nation comprising of the decendents of conquistadors who butchered all the locals in the 16th centuary, it's a little rich that minister claiming we're only there due to 'colonial power' and nothing to do with morals and what's right. All that territory was a smash and grab operation.

That said, can understand why it sticks in their craw. Don't think brits would be too happy if say, the isle of wight, was owned by the argies getting rich off the accompaning fishing rights, or a chuck of mainland britain was spanish territory complete with military base with control of shipping.

 

[Naetha]

That said, can understand why it sticks in their craw. Don't think brits would be too happy if say, the isle of wight, was owned by the argies getting rich off the accompaning fishing rights, or a chuck of mainland britain was spanish territory complete with military base with control of shipping.

Not really - its 300miles off the coast and provides nothing really. It was a minor whaling station in the past (at about the time the British occupied it). The only bonus it has is military from what I can see, so it would be more like the Argentinians claiming the Shetland Isles if they were located where Iceland is today, and inhabited with Argentinians

Its not like there are (or even were before 1982) many Argentinians living there - there's more Chileans than Argentinians there, and the South American population of the island is less than 2%.

Gibraltar is a bit different, but then tbh thats a completely different matter entirely That would be like the Spanish occupying the Isle of Wight.

 

[Mojo]

be like the Spanish occupying the Isle of Wight.

Except the Isle of White is an island and bigger and Gib is a penisula, so therefore part of the mainland.

It would be more like them occupying lands end or somesuch.

 

[Thadius]

Except the Isle of White is an island and bigger and Gib is a penisula, so therefore part of the mainland.

It would be more like them occupying lands end or somesuch.

On that note, read in the paper some Cornish folk want to start a terror campaign to "free" Cornwall and make it its own country!