So, is there any way for the Falklands/Malvinas islands to be partitioned between Britain and Argentina, avoiding the Falklands War? Perhaps with Argentina getting the western island while Britain keeps the eastern one and the Sandwich islands?
PC/WI: Partitioned Falklands/Malvinas
- Thread starter GauchoBadger
- Start date
So, is there any way for the Falklands/Malvinas islands to be partitioned between Britain and Argentina, avoiding the Falklands War? Perhaps with Argentina getting the western island while Britain keeps the eastern one and the Sandwich islands?
So, is there any way for the Falklands/Malvinas islands to be partitioned between Britain and Argentina, avoiding the Falklands War? Perhaps with Argentina getting the western island while Britain keeps the eastern one and the Sandwich islands?
Possible. A negotiation like that would be achievable, but both president of Argentina and Margret Thatcher partitioning the islands in half would be anticlimactic for both nations people, as both were bending a knee to another. Unless Argentine policy is to put all troops to secure one half of the island is the goal, it'd be hard. But the British would be going in hard to attack the entire west island being full of soldiers at every corner.
How about Argentina going to war with Chile over the Beagle Canal in 1978, struggling through (but still possibly wins), and getting sufficiently aware of its military's ineptitude to try to take at least part of Las Malvinas through less aggressive means? A purchase of West Falkland, maybe?
That definitely works. Chile is a lengthy country which is a downside for Argentina, but a benefit at the same time in a war. Chile is so thin that if Argentina goes to war with them, they can easily take some cities. But I really like your idea. If they win the war, Argentina could annex some land, but mainly ask for reparations in the war and a lot of money. This way they purchase half from Britan, so Argentina gets to say to its people "HEY we won a war against Chile AND we got back half the islands we were supposed to have!" With leftover reparations, new territory as well, happy population, better economy, Argentina would be on the stage for success.
Although I could see after purchasing half of the Islands, they'd still want both of them, Argentina might wage war when Margret is out of the office to try to take the islands more swiftly.
If Argentina had continued on as they had before they invaded I believe they would have eventually have achieved a negotiated take over of the Falklands.
The British Foreign Office wanted to do this and there were ongoing negotiations about the future of the Islands.
From 1971 until the Falklands war the only air link in and out of the Islands was by LADE which is owned by the Argentinian Government and operated by the Argentinean Air Force. This was a result of the 1971 Communications Agreement between the UK, and Argentinian Governments which established that external communications for the Islands would be provided by the Argentinians.
If the Argentinians had continued a softly approach and over time taken on other costs, and responsibilities of running the Islands the British Government would have been happy to hand over the Islands provided the Islanders were accepting of this. The ones who objected to the idea of the Argentinians taking over were the Islanders who wanted to stay British.
The reason for the departure from the previous policy of the Argentinian Government seems to have been the worsening economic situation in Argentina which resulted in increased anti-Government feelings, so the Falkland Island were invaded in an attempt by the military Government to distract the population from the economic woes at home.
The British Foreign Office wanted to do this and there were ongoing negotiations about the future of the Islands.
From 1971 until the Falklands war the only air link in and out of the Islands was by LADE which is owned by the Argentinian Government and operated by the Argentinean Air Force. This was a result of the 1971 Communications Agreement between the UK, and Argentinian Governments which established that external communications for the Islands would be provided by the Argentinians.
If the Argentinians had continued a softly approach and over time taken on other costs, and responsibilities of running the Islands the British Government would have been happy to hand over the Islands provided the Islanders were accepting of this. The ones who objected to the idea of the Argentinians taking over were the Islanders who wanted to stay British.
The reason for the departure from the previous policy of the Argentinian Government seems to have been the worsening economic situation in Argentina which resulted in increased anti-Government feelings, so the Falkland Island were invaded in an attempt by the military Government to distract the population from the economic woes at home.
General Ripper
Banned
Maybe, if Argentina had regained democratic country in 70s, and promised authonomy for Islands, British Government would be willing to sell them, if the price was right? They did have big economic problems then.
It requires the junta to be less desperate for a short, victorious war to stem the tide of revolution - somehow I am reminded of the satirical superhero The Tick stating "I don't want to stop crime, I just want to fight it." The aim of seizing the Falklands was that it demonstrated Buenos Aires' daring and intrepidity, to strike a blow against a moribund colonial (and nuclear!) power rendered impotent by Argentine national spirit. Just buying the islands, and buying off the islanders, doesn't do that, and doesn't fix the massive unpopularity of a government most famous for trashing the economy and for stealing the newborn children of murdered political opponents.
Of course, a more stable and prosperous Argentina has less popular support for acquiring a postage-stamp-sized barren windswept sheep farm hundreds of miles out into the South Atlantic, particularly if it costs money to do so.
Of course, a more stable and prosperous Argentina has less popular support for acquiring a postage-stamp-sized barren windswept sheep farm hundreds of miles out into the South Atlantic, particularly if it costs money to do so.
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A purchase of the islands?
Does anyone have an idea how much that would cost/how much the UK govt would charge?
Would they pay for it by acre? like buying a plot of land in the UK?
Ramontxo
Donor
They only have to "bribe" the voters. Say "every Man Woman or Child in the Islands will have 500000 dollars payed to him if a referéndum votes yes to reintegration with Argentina". Money deposited before in Switzerland. Of course every (new) Argentinian citizen shall have his rights and propietys (along with the right to a Brirish passport ir the Brirish goverment decides to give them one) guaranteed.
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Completely missing the point that no UK government is going to concede anything if the Falklanders object, it would be out of power so fast its feet would not touch the ground. No way partition was ever a viable solution, UK government might have made noises and the professional mandarins might try finding a solution but it was always for the whole package not part ( British settlement actually started on West Falkland ). Politics stops it dead unless consent is given and by the 1970's that was never going to happen in a month of Sundays.
The Falklanders only want two things :
That is why a Codominium by Britain and Argentina would never work. Neither would a forced sale of land to Argentina or an attempt to seize West Falkland.
- To decide their own future.
- To remain British citizens in their own homeland.
That is why a Codominium by Britain and Argentina would never work. Neither would a forced sale of land to Argentina or an attempt to seize West Falkland.
They have little to expend it in down there. I heard someone asked one of the inhabitants of the islands something about fishing licenses and oil and the answer was something like "There are only so many SUVs I can use".
So they first need an undersea Internet cable so they get decent Internet, quick turnaround time for buying stuff from Amazon/Aliexpress, accessible flights to travel across the world, maybe a casino or two and then we can bribe them.
Given the widespread use of violence by the Junta during the "Dirty War" there was no way the Islanders would have agreed to join Argentina. Not many people say to themselves "Hmm, let's join a Neo-fascist state who aren't averse to arresting its political opponents, torture them then sling them out of the back of a Hercules over the South Atlantic without a parachute. I'll have some of that dystopian repression ta very much."
i agree. Argentina needs to throw its military junta government away (or not have it in the first place) for any purchase of the islands to be possible.