Falklands War- An interestinng, harrowing view from Argentine soldier point of view

[desprateseagull]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-34335103

 

[BigBod]

It's old news, we've known about this since the conflict ended. The Argies really didn't expect the response they got from GB and that is everyone from the top to the bottom.

Now I know a lot of people aren't fans of Maggie, but as far as this conflict is concerned she was spot on.

RIP to the 255 lads still on patrol in the South Atlantic.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Now I know a lot of people aren't fans of Maggie, but as far as this conflict is concerned she was spot on.

Well, history potentially tells us differently. Galtieri's military junta was facing economic crisis, and his popularity crashing with anti-junta demonstrations and calls for revolution back to democracy. The invasion of the Falkland's was the last throw of the dice by a mad dictator who simply thought the British would not react. The question is, whether he would have be deposed by his own people anyway, and the conflict resolved diplomatically. We'll never know that hypothesis, but Galtieri was removed from power and initially sentenced to a firing squad by his own army shortly afterward. He was sentenced to prison in civil court for a war Argentina should never have started. Of course Britain, and Thatcher at the time were also facing their own economic issues, and dissent within her own party. Was the conflict spot on, or something that could and should have been avoided through peaceful means...Did Thatcher herself miss the opportunity to reinforce the defence of the islands with a larger deployment of ships as was the recommendations of the Foreign Office in the years prior to the invasion. It is really not a simple answer about whether Maggie was spot on or not.

RIP to all 907 who lost their lives.

 

[Buzzer]

The question is, whether he would have be deposed by his own people anyway, and the conflict resolved diplomatically.

Not a chance. Most Argentinians regard the Falklands as theirs. They're wrong of course but there's no way they would hand them back once they got hold of them whoever was in power.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Not a chance. Most Argentinians regard the Falklands as theirs. They're wrong of course but there's no way they would hand them back once they got hold of them whoever was in power.

Hard to say. They thought they were propped up with support from the US at the time. If Galtieri was deposed (which he was getting close to anyway), given their economic situation, and enough diplomatic pressure, a few ships down, especially if representative of a larger peace keeping force including other countries, would have likely seen a peaceful withdrawal. The army under democratic command wouldn't have defended the islands under that much pressure. Granted we can't know, but equally it never felt like time was given to allow a peaceful solution to play out.

 

[AmexRuislip]

Not a chance. Most Argentinians regard the Falklands as theirs. They're wrong of course but there's no way they would hand them back once they got hold of them whoever was in power.

Its all down to the rich oil, mineral and fish stocks around the islands, that the Argies really want.
Not a chance they will have the Falklands

 

[WATFORD zero]

Now I know a lot of people aren't fans of Maggie, but as far as this conflict is concerned she was spot on.
.

Operation Journeyman would suggest there may have been another possible approach

 

[BigBod]

I'm not here to argue the toss, I am a Falklands Veteran from 82, I was based down there again in 84 and I went back in 2008. I have lifelong friends down there. You will not meet a more patriotic bunch of British people on this earth anywhere.

I am completely happy how we as a nation responded at the time for what ever the political reason may have been.

I would do it all again in a heartbeat.

 

[El Presidente]

It's the usual case of working class men and women being killed to make up for the inadequacies of politicians.

 

[Buzzer]

It's the usual case of working class men and women being killed to make up for the inadequacies of politicians.

And posh boys too, Colonel H Jones went to Eton. I don't think that class is a factor here.

 

[El Presidente]

And posh boys too, Colonel H Jones went to Eton. Is his sacrifice worth less than someone from a humble background?

Nope. It was all a senseless and unnecessary killing, especially as Jones may have been shot in the back by his own side.

 

[Buzzer]

Nope. It was all a senseless and unnecessary killing, especially as Jones may have been shot in the back by his own side.

I disagree about the deaths being senseless. I understand fully why they happened, those men died defending a British Dependency from foreign invaders. Yes, if Thatcher had sent more gunboats then the deaths may have been preventable but she didn't and so we went to war because it was the right thing to do, not just for the Falklands but to protect all British territories.

As for repeating the urban legend about him getting shot in the back by his own side, hmm...poor show.

 

[alfredmizen]

Nope. It was all a senseless and unnecessary killing, especially as Jones may have been shot in the back by his own side.

Im not sure if you're familiar with the differences between entry and exit wounds caused by bullets ,they're very different, if he had been shot in the back I'm sure it would have come out by now , however we can't be sure , and for this reason I think it's a little tasteless to be speculating, don't you think ?

 

[El Presidente]

Im not sure if you're familiar with the differences between entry and exit wounds caused by bullets ,they're very different, if he had been shot in the back I'm sure it would have come out by now , however we can't be sure , and for this reason I think it's a little tasteless to be speculating, don't you think ?

Fair comment.

I should have said his death was senseless and unnecessary and left it at that.

 

[beorhthelm]

Not a chance. Most Argentinians regard the Falklands as theirs.

here's a thought - do they really and if so is that a recent view? i cant really see that say prior to 1970's the average man would have given it any thought.

Its all down to the rich oil, mineral and fish stocks around the islands, that the Argies really want.

potential resources... it cant escape anyone's notice that despite the promises and exploration, there's not alot of tangible product. its still mainly strategic sheep farming.

 

[Buzzer]

here's a thought - do they really and if so is that a recent view? i cant really see that say prior to 1970's the average man would have given it any thought.

Yes, I rather think they do

And if it wasn't such a popular sentiment, Kirchner would not have been tapping into it as a means of propping up the popularity of her government. She knows it's a widely held belief. Don't just take my word for it. Here's what a BBC reporter found when he asked average Argies about the Falklands and the article clearly leads to the conclusion that it's a long-held belief too http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-21673504

 

[Pavilionaire]

I think that Maggie would have acted the same regardless of whether it was Argentina invading the Falklands, Spain invading Gibraltar or Norway invading the Shetlands.

 

[beorhthelm]

Yes, I rather think they do

i didnt put that well, my query was more on the longer term history rather than post Falklands. it just strikes me that me that if it were a historically popular issue, there have been many opportunities to take the islands.

 

[spence]

i didnt put that well, my query was more on the longer term history rather than post Falklands. it just strikes me that me that if it were a historically popular issue, there have been many opportunities to take the islands.

That wasn't what you meant and you know it. Clearly backtracking