Argentina Trying to Screw with Britain in the Falklands Again ('cuz It Worked-Out SO Well Last Time)

Reaganite Republican ^ | February 09, 2012 | Reaganite Republican

[Reaganite Republican]

Back in April '82, a failing right-wing junta in Buenos Aires 

-desperate for some populist appeal/diversion to quell domestic (economic) unrest- attempted to buoy public support through an ill-advised nationalistic military conquest.

And it worked, for a while: not only was the planned invasion and occupation of the Falklands launched prematurely (for political reasons) with lightly-trained troops, the military government

-under the command of General Leopoldo Galtieri- severely underestimated the steely resolve of PM Margret Thatcher in attacking what they refer to as the 'Malivinas', a small group of British-held islands 300 miles off the Argentine coast (then subsequently the inhospitable South Georgia Islands +840 miles further out to sea). 

Indeed the Iron Lady wasted no time in sending a powerful Royal Navy flotilla steaming towards Port Stanley just three days after the invasion. Following a somewhat costly (for both sides) six-week war fought on land, at sea, and in the air, British training and equipment proved far superior: Argentina had their butts handed to them (only the Argentine Air Force offered any real challenge). This brought-about the collapse of the incompetent military regime as well: Britain liberated not just Falkland Islanders, but in-effect the entire Argentine nation.

Today -as we approach the Falkland War's 30-year-anniversary- the far-Left Peronist-nationalist administration of Cristina Fernandez-Kirchner is not long on gratitude to say the least, instead threatening to re-ignite the issue at the UN, perhaps even blockade the island economically, or ...?

Predictably Castro, Chavez (El Bombasto), and other belligerent Bolivarian boneheads are egging her on, speaking enthusiastically in support of resurrecting Argentine claims on islands that have been inhabited by British citizens for over 175 years now.

Regardless of Kirchner's purporting this week that the territorial dispute is 'a South American cause, a global cause', the only relevant fact is that the people of the Falklands -less than 1% of whom are even Argentine- choose to be British, their right to self-determination a principle enshrined in the UN charter... while poll after poll shows they want nothing to do with Argentina in any way, shape, or form.

A pending high-profile, six-month tour of duty on the Falklands by heir-to-the-throne Prince William (helicopter pilot) is also rubbing the gauchos the wrong way, and there are rumors of a British nuclear attack submarine -the kind that sunk the Gen Belgrano last time- being deployed to the South Atlantic... as you may have guessed, they don't much care for that, either.

But the loudest and clearest message is being sent by the most advanced warship in the Royal Navy -'ultra-modern' destroyer HMS Dauntless- which is about to be dispatched to the vicinity of the Falklands, providing Kirchner ample incentive to mind her manners. 

So far -alas- she's not: much like Barack Obama's Teamster/SIEU, ACORN, and 'Occupy' street-muscle, radical Kirchner goons are already threatening to violently attack British business interests in Argentina until the Duke of Cambridge -who Kirchner said the Argentine people would 'prefer to see in civilian clothes'- is withdrawn from the Falklands. 

President Fernandez-Kirchner still claims to be committed to finding 'peaceful solutions'... probably not the worst idea she's ever had, considering Dauntless will arriving with a powerful battery of high-tech missiles that could 'take out all of South America's fighter aircraft... let alone Argentina's' according to one Royal Navy source. Indeed, the 70-mile range of the state-of-the-art Sea Viper 'smart' missiles on-board enable the British to down every single Argentine fighter that dare take to flight... the minute it leaves the ground.

This all has Fernandez-Kirchner in quite a huff, or at least pretending to be: yesterday she denounced the dispatch of Royal Navy warships to the region around the Falkland Islands as an 'unnecessary'militarization of the South Atlantic", but what is truly 'unnecessary' is the way in which she's chosen to demagogue the dispute for domestic political consumption. Given the Argentines' unsettling record in dealing with this ongoing issue, who's to blame Whitehall for taking preventative measures... could save a lot of lives on both sides.

With the United Kingdom's seat on the UN Security Council preventing much happening down there either, it's hard to see just what Cristina Fernandez-Kirchner is hoping to accomplish... now that she's got the kids whipped into a frenzy, there'll be nothing but disappointment to offer them for the foreseeable future.

Just don't try anything funny, crazy lady-

Photos/diagrams/more at Reaganite Republican

________________________________________________________________________

DefPro   GreatMilitaryBattles   The Telegraph (UK)   Wikipedia   Daily Mail (UK)

Vojsko.net   The Guardian   The West Australian   Google Maps   Liverpool Echo

________________________________________________________________________


*Starting a ping list here at FR, pls FReepmail me at 'Reaganite Republican' if interested... TIA

[Jeff Head]

The Brits do not have a carrier capable of carrying fighters any more...they trashed or sold all of their Harriers. They could cross deck US Marine Harriers...but I doubt Obama would approve any such support.

The Daunbtless is good, but carriers only 48 missiles before a reload is necessary. She could be overwhelmed with aircraft and missiles attacking her. The Brits need to dispatch another squardron or two of Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft to the Island to augment the four or five planes they have there now, and they could quickly use the HMS Ocean LHD to reinforce the Island with hundreds of Marines and armor and artillery.

That’s what they could do if the Argentines do not try to pre-empt it. Last time it was the surprise nature of it that allowed the Argentines to get on the island. This time the Brits already have a Offshore Patrol Vessel, the four or five fighters and a detachment of soldiers to keep from being surprised.

If they send the Dauntless, the Ocean and some more fighters, they should be ok.

But, outside of that, the UK is not nearly in as good a position as it used to be naval wise.

If Brazil, Venesuela, Cuba and Argentina all teamed up, the Brits would have a hard go of it.

The issue here is the oil they have found around the islands.

You can bet the Brits already have one or two nuclear attack subs there and that will keep the Argentines from using a naval force to try and invade...it would have to be air assault.

With the Dauntless and the Ocean and her escorts, and a beefed up 2-3 squadrons of Typhoons, I do not think the Argentines and their allies could do it.

[arthurus]

We have our own socialist here who needs a boost. I bet the Iranian Show is scheduled for Summer in good time to re-elect a War President but without sufficient pre-election time for the pro-Sunni Caliphate and anti Israel goals of the war to be yet obvious.

[mosesdapoet]

It’s Bolivar not Bolivia. I believe that’s a reference to Simon Bolivar I’m not sure but Bolivar did not play a significant role when they tossed out the Viceroy of Argentina and by the way it was the US Navy which tossed out the pirates operating out of the Falklands and burnt down the town (Puerto Soledad) not the Brits .

[Mr. Lucky]

An excruciatingly long article for it not to have said anything worth reading.

[fremont_steve]

Uhm - one comment - Bolivia has been land-locked since 1879. They DO have a Navy (much to my surprise) but it is only a river patrol force today. I don’t think they would contribute much to any effort by Argentina. Maybe Cuba or Venezuela might choose to get involved though?

[Rockingham]

Britain’s military decline makes a repeat of her effort and victory and in the Falklands War implausible.

[Forward the Light Brigade]

We should sell the Brits one of our old carriers—maybe a lend lease sort of thing? Newt would not sit back and watch—I know that.

[Jeff Head]

Certainly harder...but not undoable. See my Post 21

[Jeff Head]

The Dauntless will not venture that close to the Argentine shore. They would have to closer than 70 mile sor so to the base launching the aircraft where they would be subject to much, much more danger.

The Dauntless would position itself somewhere between the islands and the mainland on whatever the principle threat axis was.

She is very good, but with a loadout of only 48 missiles, alone she would be subject to a saturation attack if the Argentines were willing to risk it...which they wont.

The UK has four or five Eurofighter Typhoons on the Island at all tims now, but should send in at least one full squadron to reinforce them if there is a crisis so they had upwards of 18.

Amnyhow. here’s a good site about the Type 45 Daring Class Destroyers
http://www.jeffhead.com/aegisvesselsoftheworld/daring.htm

[Rockingham]

Your analysis points to a need for the Brits to have a potent antiaircraft system on the the Falklands, which they seem to have in the form of the Royal Navy surface vessels on station, if nothing else. Yet the Argentines and their regional allies still seem capable of taking the islands if they were willing to sustain the necessary losses, and they might gamble that diplomatic and economic pressures could deter a British counter effort made chancy by cutbacks.

[Stolly]

with airpower based on the islands based on technology a full 40 years in advance of the argentine air force i respectfully submit that the type 45 will not be overly troubled.

[Rockingham]

Technological advantages can be negated, especially when the defending forces are small in number and operate at a great distance from home.

[Stolly]

over the space of a weekend the RAF would become the most capable airforce in the south atlantic, the single way the islands will become Argentine is the islanders wanting it.

[Rockingham]

I hope you are correct.

[Reaganite Republican]

IMHO Kirchner is bluffing, she knows better. It didn’t hurt to see if the Brits would cave and give her some attention, what with all that oil laying under there.

But just read this, it says the Argentines wouldn’t stand a chance...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2077493/It-simply-inconceivable-Argentina-Falklands.html

If they really wanted the islands back they’d have single-mindedly built up a capability to attack them, as China is doing with Taiwan... but they didn’t