Falklands/Malvinas War
A while ago I got thinking about the Falklands War and the tension from the continuing irredentism in Argentina over 'Las Malvinas'. So I sent the following email to the Penguin News on the islands, naively thinking that people there could recognize a win-win proposition when they saw one:
"Twenty-five years ago more than 900 persons died in the Falklands War and billions of dollars were spent by Britain and Argentina, with the result that the Falklands remained as British as ever. The big reason that the UK fought the war, and the main reason the Brits still garrison the place today, is that the Falklanders want to remain British. If the 2,379 inhabitants asked to become Argentines, Britain would quickly rid itself of this expensive albatross. So why don't the Argies just offer the Falklanders money? Argentina, with a population of 38.2 million, could give every Falklander a million American dollars at a cost of $63 per Argentinian. Not every Falklander would be persuaded by a million dollars, but I am sure an overwhelming majority would vote for unity with Argentina for that price. The obstacle is Argentine arrogance: they would find it too humiliating to buy what they regard as already theirs.
The situation is like the time in Chile when some guys in a bar knocked me down and stole my shoe: instead of getting into a horrible fight, I just bought my shoe back for one dollar. Sometimes you have to think outside the box."
The Penguin News:
"You have no idea what you're talking about. I assume you live in U.K. Would you accept money to have another country (for instance, let's say Russia) rule you?"
My reply:
"I live in Vancouver, Canada, and for $1,000,000 Am I would be happy to salute the Stars and Strips tomorrow, and have the added bonus of being able to live in Hawaii or Florida. A Falklands buyout would include dual Argentine-British citizenship, so suddenly independently wealthy Falklanders could stay home or take their choice between life in the EU or Argentina (both pleasant places if you have a bit of money, in my experience)."
The Penguin News has not replied to this treasonous common sense, clearly preferring bloodshed and patriotism to deal making and prosperity. What they do not seem to realize is that one of these days the UK will be unable or unwilling to defend the Falklands any more, and the Argies will just walk in and take it for nothing.
"Twenty-five years ago more than 900 persons died in the Falklands War and billions of dollars were spent by Britain and Argentina, with the result that the Falklands remained as British as ever. The big reason that the UK fought the war, and the main reason the Brits still garrison the place today, is that the Falklanders want to remain British. If the 2,379 inhabitants asked to become Argentines, Britain would quickly rid itself of this expensive albatross. So why don't the Argies just offer the Falklanders money? Argentina, with a population of 38.2 million, could give every Falklander a million American dollars at a cost of $63 per Argentinian. Not every Falklander would be persuaded by a million dollars, but I am sure an overwhelming majority would vote for unity with Argentina for that price. The obstacle is Argentine arrogance: they would find it too humiliating to buy what they regard as already theirs.
The situation is like the time in Chile when some guys in a bar knocked me down and stole my shoe: instead of getting into a horrible fight, I just bought my shoe back for one dollar. Sometimes you have to think outside the box."
The Penguin News:
"You have no idea what you're talking about. I assume you live in U.K. Would you accept money to have another country (for instance, let's say Russia) rule you?"
My reply:
"I live in Vancouver, Canada, and for $1,000,000 Am I would be happy to salute the Stars and Strips tomorrow, and have the added bonus of being able to live in Hawaii or Florida. A Falklands buyout would include dual Argentine-British citizenship, so suddenly independently wealthy Falklanders could stay home or take their choice between life in the EU or Argentina (both pleasant places if you have a bit of money, in my experience)."
The Penguin News has not replied to this treasonous common sense, clearly preferring bloodshed and patriotism to deal making and prosperity. What they do not seem to realize is that one of these days the UK will be unable or unwilling to defend the Falklands any more, and the Argies will just walk in and take it for nothing.
Labels: Falkland Islands/Las Malvinas
posted by Ken Erickson at 2:12 AM
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