Defence chiefs prepare new plans to defend Falkland Islands

[WestVirginiaRebel]

UK Telegraph:

Defence chiefs have drawn up new contingency plans designed to prevent hostile action by Argentina towards the Falkland Islands.

A series of military options are being actively considered as the war of words over the islands intensifies.

It is understood that additional troops, another warship and extra RAF Typhoon combat aircraft could be dispatched to the region ahead of the March referendum on the Falkland Islands’ future.

The options being proposed by planners at the Permanent Joint Headquarters in Northwood, north-west London are also said to include a “show of force” such as conducting naval exercises in the South Atlantic.

These could involve the deployment of the Royal Navy’s Response Task Force Group, a flotilla comprising destroyers, a frigate, a submarine and commandos.

Alternatives include deploying elements of the Army’s 16 Air Assault Brigade — the airborne task force which includes members of the Parachute Regiment — which has just completed a series of demanding exercises in Spain preparing for “general war”.

The Government is expecting a 100 per cent “yes” vote when the islanders are asked on March 11: “Do you wish the Falkland Islands to retain their current political status as an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom?”

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Falklands War 2?

[Draggingtree]

Falklands War

Map outlining the British recapture of the islands Date 2 April – 14 June 1982^[1][2] Location Falkland Islands

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

and surrounding sea and airspace Result British victory

• status quo ante bellum in South Georgia and the Falklands
  
• Argentine occupation of Southern Thule ended
  
• Collapse of the military junta in Argentina
  
• Consolidation of the Conservative Party Government, led by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, in the United Kingdom
  

Belligerents Argentina United Kingdom

^[3] Casualties and losses

• 649 killed
  
• 1,657 wounded^[4]
  
• 11,313 taken prisoner
  

• 1 cruiser
  
• 1 submarine
  
• 4 cargo vessels
  
• 2 patrol boats
  
• 1 spy trawler
  

• 25 helicopters
  
• 35 fighters
  
• 2 bombers
  
• 4 transports
  
• 25 COIN aircraft
  
• 9 armed trainers
  

• 258 killed
  
• 775 wounded
  
• 115 taken prisoner
  

• 2 destroyers
  
• 2 frigates
  
• 1 LSL landing ship
  
• 1 LCU amphibious craft
  
• 1 container ship
  

• 24 helicopters
  
• 10 fighters
  

[show]

• v
  
• t
  
• e
  

Falklands War campaign

[Draggingtree]

Falklands War

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

The Falklands War (Spanish: Guerra de las Malvinas or Guerra del Atlántico Sur), also known as the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was a 1982 war between Argentina and the United Kingdom. The conflict resulted from the long-standing dispute over the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, which lie in the South Atlantic, east of Argentina.

The Falklands War began on Friday 2 April 1982, when Argentine forces invaded and occupied the Falkland Islands and South Georgia. The British government dispatched a naval task force to engage the Argentine Navy and Air Force, and retake the islands by amphibious assault. The resulting conflict lasted 74 days and ended with the Argentine surrender on 14 June 1982, which returned the islands to British control. During the conflict, 649 Argentine military personnel, 255 British military personnel and 3 Falkland Islanders died.

The conflict was the result of a protracted historical confrontation regarding the sovereignty of the islands. Argentina has asserted that the Falkland Islands have been Argentinian territory since the 19th century and, as of 2013, shows no sign of relinquishing the claim.[5][6][7] The claim was added to the Argentine constitution after its reformation in 1994. snip

 

[Draggingtree]

Argentina pulls out of Falklands talks

 

 

A diplomatic dispute has erupted over the Falkland Islands after the Argentine foreign minister pulled out of talks with William Hague because the UK Government insisted that islanders should be able to take part.

 

 

By Peter Dominiczak, Political Correspondent

 

8:08AM GMT 01 Feb 2013

 

Hector Timerman has refused to meet representatives of the Falkland Islands government, which Argentina does not recognise as legitimate.

 

The islanders were expected to tell Mr Timerman that Buenos Aires should respect islanders' rights and leave them in peace.

 

Mr Timerman had initially asked for a one-to-one meeting with Mr Hague.

 

In words bound to raise tensions between the UK and Argentina over the issue Mr Timerman said he was sorry that Mr Hague "can't meet without the supervision of the colonists from the Malvinas".

 

He said that the United Nations regards the dispute over the islands which Argentina knows as the Malvinas as a bilateral issue between Buenos Aires and London.

 

"The Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly believes that the result of the forthcoming referendum will demonstrate definitively that we do not. Should the issue of sovereignty be raised at the meeting, it will not be discussed," it said.

 

"Members of the Legislative Assembly made it clear in their letter of 2012 to President Fernandez de Kirchner... that the Falkland Islands Government is willing to meet with the Government of Argentina in order to make our views clear, and to discuss matters of mutual interest including fisheries and communication."

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/falklandislands/9841388/Argentina-pulls-out-of-Falklands-talks.html

[Draggingtree]

Falkland Islanders vote with an eye on Argentina

 

By CORINA GOSS | Associated Press – 1 hr 14 mins ago

 

STANLEY, Falkland Islands (AP) — Britain is hoping this weekend's referendum on the political status of the Falkland Islands will push the United States and other neutral governments off the fence in its territorial dispute with Argentina over the remote South Atlantic archipelago

The local Falkland Islands Government has mobilized a major effort to get as many of its 1,650 registered voters as possible to cast their secret ballots Sunday and Monday, preparing to send off-road vehicles, boats and seaplanes to remote sheep farms across the lightly populated islands.

 

Elections observers from Canada, Mexico, the U.S., Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile and New Zealand also will be watching as islanders answer a simple yes-or-no question: "Do you wish the Falkland Islands to retain their current political status as an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom?"

 

Islanders expect the answer to be overwhelmingly in favor of British governance

 

Britain wants the U.S. in particular to recognize the islanders' rights, but Secretary of State John Kerry refused to budge

[Valin]

Ok I've got a simple question. Why does Argentina have such a hard on about this? I mean they're a couple of pretty barren island with a Lot of sheep and penguins, and its not like the islanders are going to stop the Argentinians from visiting. Heck I bet they'd put up hotels and an amusement park if it would bring people (and their money) there.

This is just one of the many many many things I don't get.

 

PARTY!!!

[Draggingtree]

Falklands Vote To Stay British

Falklanders celebrate 98% “Yes” vote

 

Only three residents vote against maintaining overseas territory status

 

H/T to The Other McCain for this post