Apologies for the late response but you raised a few good points I can expand on.
When mentioned oil, yes indeed, there has been a good deal of exploratory drilling going on. A firm called Rockhopper it seems might be in a position to exploit it and I think some other (UK) firms are now in the process of setting up a newco to try and put this into effect. However, the potential for oil being in the area has long been known and Argentina actually turned down a UK offer in the 90’s (I think) to come to a share agreement and partner up to get the oil. So, we go it alone, and its only many years later we hear them bleating now that the potential for oil has turned into a very real prospect.
As for them invading and taking the FI’s again, its really not going to happen if they go unilaterally. Maybe if they drag Brazil and a few of the smaller tin-pots into the mix, we might find ourselves outmatched. At present, we have several hundred personnel around the FI’s, Army, RAF, and RN assets.
Re the RN’s two new jump jet carriers. Well, sad to say but they aren’t operational yet. We’ve ditched our harrier’s ahead of the eventual arrival of the F35B, so our remaining old Invincible class is just a helo-carrier right now.
Being a fan of all things navy though, I thought it a good time to add a nice link to the ongoing construction of the Queen Elizabeth class carriers. Enjoy :)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/qeclasscarriers/
Thanks for the good info. Glad to learn that the Brits are staffed up sufficiently to defend the Falklands. About neighboring countries such as Brazil coming to argentina’s aid, I doubt it. The Falklands is very remote from even its neighbor Brazil and I doubt that Brazil has the logistical wherewithal to project and sustain power that far away. About the UK’s new carrier under construction; glad to see that’s happening for sure as its a changing world and the ability to defend ones assets is now imperative. However, I think the U.S. may have put you in a pickle as I “believe” but not sure that the F-35 has been put on hold due to cost. Hope not, maybe I will come up with thr motivation to research it, but maybe not :)