Tuesday, 12 March 2013

The Falklands, What Next?

Today was a resounding victory for the Falkland Islander's. Only 3 out of the 1,517 of the Falkland Islander's who voted want to no longer be a British Overseas Territory. Don't think it's all over though.

Argentina has a national debt of 44.2% of its GDP. This isn't so big compared to our debt mountain but their economy is not so developed and thus they have a harder time paying this back. This is due to Argentina being probably the worst of all the South American economies, apart from the late Hugo Chavez's Venezuela.  It has also been struggling with Austerity for a while as in 2004 its national debt was 139.5% of GDP. Essentially Argentina, maybe as a genetic cast off from its original rulers, is the Spain of Latin America. Mrs Kircher is going to do everything to distract attention from these problems.  

It's likely that she may drag her claim over the 'Malvinas' through the International Court. As far as she sees it these are ex-Spanish now Argentinean property, there could be a property rights case to be heard.  Of course most of this case is nonsense Both French, Spanish and English nations laid claim to the Falklands. Although the British were first to find them the French settled and claimed the islands first, until Britain kicked them off. If anything the French should be asking for them back. The Spanish were the last to claim the Falkland Islands and have never set foot there so history is not  really helpful for an Argentinian claim.

The truth is though there is never going to be an end to this. The real source of Argentina's anger over the Falklands is not because they think it's there's, it's a colonial issue. Essentially the whole of Latin America doesn't like Europe as a general rule. They belong to the elite club of 'oppressed states of empire' which isn't strictly true, especially not by the British in the case of Argentina. It's right to attack the 'imperialists' because they attacked us. Clearly there is a gap in understanding as Britain hasn't had an empire for a while now, any islands left in the British Overseas Territories wants to be British, as was proved again today. Argentina is just racist to Europeans.

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