What is Britain to do???

[Sisko]

I just came across a news article which was published a week or so ago. But it seems that once again, President Obama, despite his recent visit to the UK in which he praised relations between our two countries.......BUT on the other hand, he's playing footsie with Argentina and beginning to apply pressure over the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands.

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/ni...the-falklands/

As the article states, Obama's Administration also appears willing to side with clearly anti-US regimes in South America over the issue, namely Venezuela et-al.

Its interesting that Obama preaches his bull about respecting the freedoms of people the world over, namely the Afghan people, Egyptian people, Libyan people and how the world MUST respect their choices for democratic reform and their rights to choose who to lead them and do all we can to assist and blah blah blah.......but when the 3000 odd people who live on the Falklands make it clear their wish to REMAIN British.....Obama seems to ignore this, side with Argentina and then try and get the UN to weigh in and apply pressure on the British Government.

It was a couple of days ago, according to another article on the BBC website (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13803111) that David Cameron again stated that "as long as the Falkland Islands want to be sovereign British territory, they should remain sovereign British territory - full stop, end of story." Causing the Argentine President to lash out, no suprise there.

But my point is......America is supposed to be our frickin ally. And I've said it before, we're standing with the US in Afghanistan and Iraq in the past when nobody else would. Our soldiers continue to die on an almost daily basis in Afghanistan. I have a friend going out to Afhganistan in September for his first deployment since becoming an Infantry soldier. We've stood by America through thick and thin......is it not fair, that in a situation regarding the Falklands, the US does the decent thing and just ONCE throws its diplomatic weight behind us rather than against us???

Why does Obama INSIST on trying to pull us to the table on this issue, undermining the rights and decisions made by those who live on the islands who CHOOSE to remain British??? Where is America's grand respect for other's self determination and freedom to choose where the Falklands are concerned??? Its hypocritical of the worst kind and clear insult to the British. We stand with America through everything, and get seemingly NOTHING in return!!!

The alliance between Britain & America goes only one way from what I can see, and if we get stabbed in the back at a later date over this issue, then as the saying goes: "With friends like these, who needs enemies?" We should step back from America, withdraw from Afghanistan completely, and maybe look more towards Europe!!

[removeduser_487563287433]

This is utter nonsense. Clinton has been bad in the State Department RE: The Falklands in the past, it's true, but the idea of an Obama administation conspiracy is typical Telegaph nonsense.

[kentuckybandit]

Yeah, I haven't seen anything about this yet. And honestly if Fox News hasn't sniffed it out by now (they would be all over something like this) it may not be coming out over here, or simply be a theory?

[neoptolemos]

Isn't this thing settled somehow? Why stirring it?

[removeduser_487563287433]

Well if you read the doc all its doing is saying "it's good everything's peaceful" and "we think you should resume negotiations to settle the dispute".

That's a big ask of the UK, and the citizens of the Falkland Islands, but we shouldn't pretend this is some huge Obama betrayal.

[Sisko]

Well if you read the doc all its doing is saying "it's good everything's peaceful" and "we think you should resume negotiations to settle the dispute".

That's a big ask of the UK, and the citizens of the Falkland Islands, but we shouldn't pretend this is some huge Obama betrayal.

But if he starts attempting to get the UN on side to apply diplomatic pressure on the British government.....then is that not a betrayal of a long standing ally? Not to mention blatantly disregarding the wishes of those who live on the islands?

[removeduser_487563287433]

But if he starts attempting to get the UN on side to apply diplomatic pressure on the British government...

And what possible reason have you got from this that that could ever happen?

[mrmouth]

And what possible reason have you got from this that that could ever happen?

Thank You.

This is about negotiations over a small piece of land that has already caused one armed conflict. Sit down together and start talking in the hopes of opening some sane channels should anything ever escalate.

And the comments on the website, my lord. This is irresponsible journalism that does a good bit of harm.

vital British interest

really?

[Caelius]

Well if you read the doc all its doing is saying "it's good everything's peaceful" and "we think you should resume negotiations to settle the dispute".

That's a big ask of the UK, and the citizens of the Falkland Islands, but we shouldn't pretend this is some huge Obama betrayal.

Finally someone with a voice of reason in all this!

Why the hell are there so many British getting all bent out of shape? All the US is saying is that it'd be in everyone's best interest to have this dispute settled sooner rather than later, as opposed to having it linger on and on.

[Elemental]

You pretty much lost your empire after ww2 because of the americans so I dont understand why you act suprised.

[Treize]

You pretty much lost your empire after ww2 because of the americans so I dont understand why you act suprised.

Didn't we all?

The Americans invented the whole self determination stuff to take away the colonies of European countries and open up their markets to the USA, I think they call that neo-colonialism.

[neoptolemos]

Well these "sovereignty" matters are very suspicious given the time.
But i am almost sure nothing will eventually happen.
I just can't see how a reheating of the situation would in anyway benefit a side.

[Imperial]

The declaration calls for Argentina and Great Britain to enter into negotiations over the sovereignty of the Falklands

Oh, no.

The US betrayed Britain because it want two countries that both have claims on a disputed territory to go into negotiations.



Obama really stabbed you guys in the hearts, eh? I mean the nerve of that guy! Wanting countries to settle things peacefully through negotiations! Who does Obama think he is? The president of the most powerful country in the world?

[Trevarian]

Oh, no.

The US betrayed Britain because it want two countries that both have claims on a disputed territory to go into negotiations.



Obama really stabbed you guys in the hearts, eh? I mean the nerve of that guy! Wanting countries to settle things peacefully through negotiations! Who does Obama think he is? The president of the most powerful country in the world?

America may have one of the most powerful militaries in the world but I have no problem saying, as an American, that we lag behind in LITERALLY everything else. Whether it's education, economy, unemployment, literacy, crime, etc. America is a cesspool. This situation highlights one of the main problems with America, we put our noses into everyone else business because of the arrogant idea that "we are the most powerful and best country in the world.

Well I'm here to tell you that this isn't true, and until we realize that and start focusing on ourselves we will never grow and improve as a country. Obama is no different.

[Vanoi]

America may have one of the most powerful militaries in the world but I have no problem saying, as an American, that we lag behind in LITERALLY everything else. Whether it's education, economy, unemployment, literacy, crime, etc. America is a cesspool. This situation highlights one of the main problems with America, we put our noses into everyone else business because of the arrogant idea that "we are the most powerful and best country in the world.

Well I'm here to tell you that this isn't true, and until we realize that and start focusing on ourselves we will never grow and improve as a country. Obama is no different.

First off since when do we lag behind in literacy or economy? We have the largest economy in the world, and the US's literacy rate is 99%. The un-employment is due to the rather bad recession. The reason we put our noses in other people's business is because its apart of the US's interests. Sorry its just sometimes we do have to stick our nose in someone else's business when it could effect our own. Not that we should be interveneing everywhere though. The US is far from a cess pool.

Isolationism never works Trevarian.

[Trevarian]

First off since when do we lag behind in literacy or economy? We have the largest economy in the world, and the US's literacy rate is 99%. The un-employment is due to the rather bad recession. The reason we put our noses in other people's business is because its apart of the US's interests. Sorry its just sometimes we do have to stick our nose in someone else's business when it could effect our own. Not that we should be interveneing everywhere though. The US is far from a cess pool.

Isolationism never works Trevarian.

If you lived where I live you would understand exactly what I am getting at.

For references use google, examples of what I posted are all over the place.

[Vanoi]

If you lived where I live you would understand exactly what I am getting at.

For references use google, examples of what I posted are all over the place.

Nothing i said isn;t true. The US the biggest economy in the world? Thats common knowledge. The US having a 99% literacy rate? Here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of..._literacy_rate The US is ranked at 45 with a literacy rate of 99.0%.

Un-employment rate? Here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...mployment_rate

The US does have a high un-employment rate at 9.1% but again we are in a recession, so no doubt we will have some rather high un-employment.

Again my explaination on why the US sticks its noses in places it doens't belong is because we are either:

1. Looking after our interests in that particular area
2. Trying to gain influence in the particular area

Again however not all the times the US intervenes some where does it mean its right.
Ill say it again, the US is nto a cess pool and is far form it.

The only reaosn i said "Isolationism doesn't work" is because i thought you favored Isolationism. Also again, it really doesn't work.

[Imperial]

America may have one of the most powerful militaries in the world but I have no problem saying, as an American, that we lag behind in LITERALLY everything else. Whether it's education, economy, unemployment, literacy, crime, etc. America is a cesspool. This situation highlights one of the main problems with America, we put our noses into everyone else business because of the arrogant idea that "we are the most powerful and best country in the world.

Well I'm here to tell you that this isn't true, and until we realize that and start focusing on ourselves we will never grow and improve as a country. Obama is no different.

What does this have to do with anything?

Bad education? lmao. Some of the best universities in the world are located in the US.

High unemployment? In comparsion to what? Not as bad as some European countries with higher unemployment.

Bad economy? In comparison to who?

[Vizsla]

Oh, no.

The US betrayed Britain because it want two countries that both have claims on a disputed territory to go into negotiations.



Obama really stabbed you guys in the hearts, eh? I mean the nerve of that guy! Wanting countries to settle things peacefully through negotiations! Who does Obama think he is? The president of the most powerful country in the world?

The problem is that as far as British people are concerned the Argentineans don’t have any basis on which to make any kind of claim over the Falkland Islands.
So asking Britain to negotiate with Argentina about it might sound perfectly reasonable but to us it is completely outrageous.
It’s like insisting that the USA should negotiate with Russia about the legitimacy of holding onto Alaska, or with the French about Louisiana.
Describing the UK as a colonial power holding onto its colonial asset, the Falkands, is beyond ridiculous. The UN Decolonialisation Committee should have nothing to do with this dispute. There is nothing to dispute. There shouldn’t be any dispute. There is no case to be discussed.

[Big War Bird]

I wouldn't get too worked up about this if I were a limey. Some resolutions and declarations are worth slightly less than the paper they are printed on.