Washington refused to endorse British claims to sovereignty over the Falkland Islands yesterday as the diplomatic row over oil drilling in the South Atlantic intensified in London, Buenos Aires and at the UN.
Despite Britain’s close alliance with the US, the Obama Administration is determined not to be drawn into the issue. It has also declined to back Britain’s claim that oil exploration near the islands is sanctioned by international law, saying that the dispute is strictly a bilateral issue. [...}
Sir Mark Lyall Grant, Britain’s Ambassador to the UN, said: “As British ministers have made clear, the UK has no doubt about its sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the Sandwich Islands . . . We are also clear that the Falkland Islands Government is entitled to develop a hydrocarbons industry within its waters, and we support this legitimate business in Falklands’ territory.”
Senior US officials insisted that Washington’s position on the Falklands was one of longstanding neutrality. This is in stark contrast to the public backing and vital intelligence offered by President Reagan to Margaret Thatcher once she had made the decision to recover the islands by force in 1982.
Not only vital intel, the satellite imagery that made a huge difference when Vulcan and Victor force touched down on Ascension Island, but pretty much all aid short of war, as I've mentioned before.The US quietly provided the Brits with the latest in sidewinder missiles to protect it's ships as well as vital refueling support of the Royal Navy's task force that enabled it to reach the Islands.
Of course, that was Ronald Reagan and General Haig. There's a very different creature inhabiting the White House nowadays, and I hope every Brit who salivated at the thought of Barack Hussein Obama taking over is choking on it now.
Obama has been insulting to most of our allies, but he's particularly gone out of his way to insult and demean the UK at every opportunity. After all, one of his first acts as president was to return a bust of Churchill given to George W. Bush by Britain after 9/11, and to treat British PM Gordon Brown like a visiting deputy attache from Paraguay . Did the Brits really figure they had a friend in the White House after that?
You see cousins, Israel isn't the only US ally Obama has a deep hatred for simply because of whom he is.
A number of Obama's Kenyan relatives were very involved with the terrorist Mau-mau insurgency that was defeated by the British and their Kenyan allies. To Obama, Britain is simply another colonialist white oppressor. Is it any wonder that he'd chose not to buck the Argentinians and a third world despot like Hugo Chavez over the Falklands, regardless of how the Islanders themselves might want to remain part of Britain?
And Obama and the US aside, there are some unpleasant realities the British themselves need to face.
At this point, Britain's Labour Party has effectively bankrupted the UK to the point that an armed conflict would likely be unsustainable. And that's assuming Britain still had the fleet to fight it with, which it no longer has...yes, Labour saw to that too.
That's why Britain had to run out on its allies and the British fleet scuttled away from its responsibilities in the Persian Gulf after Iran kidnapped a few sailors.
At this point, Argentina has the backing of most of South America, including Hugo Chavez. So Gordon Brown will likely have to make the best deal he can.
Sorry mate, but that's not all entirely accurate (although you do sound a little vindictive towards us Brit's in your commentary).
ReplyDeleteYes Labour have filleted the UK Armed Forces for simply being too "conservative", however we have plenty in the tank (and more importantly, in the Islands) to send Jonny Goucho running back to mama with his arse on a plate should they decide to go kinetic. We're not quite as useless as some of you would apparently want to believe.
Hello Queen's Man,
ReplyDelete(Like the handle,BTW.)
I appreciate your patriotism, and I think what Obama has done is despicable. I make that clear.But aside from Zero's perfidy, keep in mind that Gordo ain't Baroness Thatcher...not by a long shot.
Even if Afghanistan, your troops are suffering because Gordo and Labour won't provide them with the supplies they need. You know that, if you've been keeping up.
The Brits have about a thousand man garrison currently on the Islands. Can they hold out against Argentina, even if Chavez gets involved? Sure, for awhile. But not forever.
Even your own naval boffins are doubtful about Britain's ability to get a task force to the Islands because of the cuts.
I think Gordo will take the path of least resistance and cut a deal.
Regards,
Rob