Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

To: SmokingJoe

In 1982, the UK spent 4.5% of gdp on defence, which is more than the 3.9% that the US does now. It sent no troops, and the sum total of its assistance was some missiles and ammunition (which the UK paid for) and access to satalleite intelligence.

The US initially considered stabbing the UK in the back until Caper Weinberger the the Secretary of Defense personally lobbied Reagan to alter his stance of trying to be even handed by pointing out that the UK was a democracy and a much more important ally both strategically and mitsrily that the tinpot military dictatorship that was Argentina. The Royal Navy was also at that time NATOs Premier anti submarine specialidt navy and seeing that fleet decimated would have been hugely damaging for being able to counter Soviet subs going through the GIUK gap and into the Atlantic.

Basically what you have said is bollocks. The US had to be brow eaten into doing the right thing by both Weinberger and Thatcher. It is not something that should have had to be done when the UK was the party that had had its sovereign legal territory attacked.


10 posted on 07/12/2025 10:59:25 PM PDT by sinsofsolarempirefan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies ]


To: sinsofsolarempirefan
Falkands was not an American war. It had nothing to do with America.
Same with Vietnam and Korea and Ukraine.
America needs to stop involvement in stupid foreign wars which have cost US tax payers trillions of dollars.
America has too many problems at home to keep wasting hundreds of billions of US tax payer dollars on countries like Ukraine ruled by dictator Zellenskyy.
12 posted on 07/13/2025 4:46:49 AM PDT by SmokingJoe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson