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'The Falkland Islands are British. THAT is non-negotiable': Grant Shapps shoots down new Argentinian president's declaration that 'reclaiming' the territory was 'non-negotiable'
UK Daily Mail ^ | 11/21/2023 | RACHAEL BUNYAN

Posted on 11/21/2023 1:32:03 PM PST by DFG

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps today took a swipe at the Argentina's newly elected president after the former 'tantric sex coach' vowed to 'reclaim' the Falkland Islands and said doing so was 'non-negotiable'.

Shapps hit back and said the Falkland Islands 'are British' and that is 'non-negotiable' after Argentinian president-elect Javier Milei said the territory belongs to Argentina and vowed to 'get it back'.

Milei, who uses a medium to communicate with his dead dog for advice on political matters, pulled off a massive upset by beating Argentina's Economy Minister Sergio Massa in Sunday's polarised presidential runoff.

But during his presidential campaign, Milei insisted that Britain returning the Falkland Islands was 'non-negotiable', adding that the territory, known as the Malvinas in Argentina, is Argentine.

In response, Shapps said today: 'The Falkland Islands are British. That is non-negotiable and undeniable.'

Referring to the results of the island's 2013 referendum, Shapps continued: '99.8% of islanders voted to remain British and we will always defend their right to self-determination and the UK's sovereignty.'

Milei, a right-wing economist known as 'el Loco' - or the Madman - who promised to shake-up Argentina with his win, had said he would 'make every effort' to get the Falkland Islands back - but stopped short of saying he would go to war over them.

He insisted it was 'non-negotiable' for Britain to hand the Falklands over to Argentina, comparing it to the UK returning Hong Kong to China.

The Falklands were the subject of a short but brutal war after Argentina invaded in 1982. Britain drove out the invaders after dispatching a naval armada, but the issue has never been considered settled in Buenos Aires.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; Politics/Elections; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: argentina; falklands; milei; shapps; sidebarabuse
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To: Twotone
I think this is idiotic. Doesn’t Argentina have enough problems right now? Deal with that, Milei. We don’t need more war-talk at the moment.

That's the whole point - the military junta then in charge of Argentina launched the Falklands War precisely because Argentina was an economic and political basketcase at the time and General Galtieri figured he could use a foreign adventure to distract the people. Which worked ok until Argentina lost the war and the government collapsed.

81 posted on 11/21/2023 5:38:25 PM PST by Alter Kaker (Gravitation is a theory, not a fact. It should be approached with an open mind...)
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To: unread

We play chess,
The Chinese are playing Go


82 posted on 11/21/2023 6:10:04 PM PST by tsomer (We are under occupation.)
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To: Olog-hai

“The sun never set on the British Empire”

By what right should it still be so?

What do they really need it for? To protect the British Isles from Penguins?

Why not make an alliance and give it back to them in exchange for right of use?

It is off their coast and should belong to them. Would we allow the Chinese to own Catalina Island under ANY circumstances period?


83 posted on 11/21/2023 6:47:14 PM PST by Openurmind (The ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world it leaves to its children. ~ D. Bonhoeffer)
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To: Fury

From the USMC? Or they finally get a few? Also read they are going to convert one of their carriers to CATOBAR so they can buy standard Navy F-35s.


84 posted on 11/21/2023 7:40:56 PM PST by DesertRhino (Dogs are called man's best friend. Moslems hate dogs. Add it up..)
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To: DFG

That sounds strikingly like a challenge.


85 posted on 11/21/2023 7:44:36 PM PST by logi_cal869 (-cynicus the "concern troll" a/o 10/03/2018 /!i!! &@$%&*(@ -)
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To: Openurmind

Red herrings. Milei broached the issue in an antagonistic manner over islands that were never Argentine at any point in history. Perhaps Milei should extend the olive branch instead of keeping the socialist narrative alive here.


86 posted on 11/21/2023 7:48:11 PM PST by Olog-hai ("No Republican, no matter how liberal, is going to woo a Democratic vote." -- Ronald Reagan, 1960)
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To: DFG

Las Malvinas son Argentinas! Time to bring back the Monroe Doctrine and the Roosevelt Corollary and support our fellow American Republic in driving those horse faces Brits out of the hemisphere. Remember that Al Haig wanted to back the junta back in 1982 (unlike Thatcher the Argentine generals knew how to deal with communists in their borders).


87 posted on 11/21/2023 7:50:53 PM PST by Clemenza
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To: Alter Kaker

Doesn’t matter. The next Argie invasion will not be an 80s style soldier invasion. One gray morning, 2 or 3 civilian cargo ships will beach and disgorge 9 or 10 thousand people in civilian clothes, no weapons. The Brits will get 2 or 3 hours notice of they are on the ball. They will outnumber Falkland Islanders by a factor of 3.
Brits going to shoot at the “migrants”? Nope...
They won’t even stop migrants at the Channel.

It’ll be a maritime version of the Green March and the Brits will do nothing except provide food.

A few Brit fighters circling the islands does exactly nothing. And an F-35 doesn’t have the legs to hit the mainland, except a few beach and lonely south of the pampas locales.


88 posted on 11/21/2023 7:51:59 PM PST by DesertRhino (Dogs are called man's best friend. Moslems hate dogs. Add it up..)
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To: All

It could get messi — but unlike football, Argentina is not a perfect ten in matters military.


89 posted on 11/21/2023 8:27:41 PM PST by Peter ODonnell (Prayers up for Jim Robinson and family ... an island of sanity in a sea of madness. )
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To: throwthebumsout
That has been the situation with our "allies" for way too long. They slack off on defense spending while expecting us to have their backs.

That’s how they’ve been able to fund their lavish welfare states. We’ve been subsidizing this illusion of socialist “success”, only to receive criticism from Leftists for not having the same system. It’s like an irresponsible kid living lavishly off his parents’ credit cards and then criticizing them for not joining the party.

90 posted on 11/22/2023 1:59:25 AM PST by noiseman (The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.)
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To: RitchieAprile

Falkland Islands: Its basically a naval and air fight - ground troops are just icing on the cake.


91 posted on 11/22/2023 4:17:19 AM PST by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now its your turn)
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To: DesertRhino

True ... as long as you do not count the HMS QE and HMS Prince of Wales, while making light of their compliments of F-35s ...


92 posted on 11/22/2023 4:22:14 AM PST by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now its your turn)
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To: DesertRhino
The RAF and Fleet Air Arm has no ability to strike Argentina of to even deploy to the Falklands.

On the contrary, a squadron of Typhoons is kept permanently at the airport (much enlarged since the 1980s) as are several hundred troops in rotation on exercises.

93 posted on 11/22/2023 5:11:20 AM PST by Winniesboy
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To: Openurmind

400 miles is scarcely the backyard.


94 posted on 11/22/2023 5:15:59 AM PST by Winniesboy
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To: Winniesboy

The length of Az North to South is 390 miles. Az qualifies as in our backyard.


95 posted on 11/22/2023 5:38:02 AM PST by Openurmind (The ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world it leaves to its children. ~ D. Bonhoeffer)
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To: Alter Kaker

Daily Mail whipping up hatred for Milei and of course the usual suspects fall for it every time.

How about we give him a chance to govern Argentina first? I doubt taking back the Falklands will be first on his list.

It is just the Daily Mail wanting him to fail like the failure that the UK has become.


96 posted on 11/22/2023 5:47:37 AM PST by dforest
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To: Peter ODonnell

Well they beat Brazil last night. First time Brazil has ever lost a World Cup qualifying match at home. Ever.


97 posted on 11/22/2023 5:49:53 AM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: Peter ODonnell

Violent clashes mar Brazil v Argentina World Cup qualifier

https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/crowd-violence-delays-start-argentina-v-brazil-world-cup-qualifier-2023-11-22/


98 posted on 11/22/2023 5:51:49 AM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: PIF

Argentina could perhaps handle Uruguay. Against Britain? Not so much. Their military is a shell of what it was 40 years ago.

Of all the problems Argentina is facing how stupid does Milei have to be to choose this as his rallying cry?


99 posted on 11/22/2023 5:51:57 AM PST by Miami Rebel
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To: dfwgator

There was a riot before the match in the crowd. Supposedly Brazilians booed the Argentina national anthem and it kicked off from there. Then the police started cracking heads and it got worse. I didn’t think they were going to play but they did.


100 posted on 11/22/2023 5:59:42 AM PST by lodi90
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