Bush grants interview to the Sun

[Whaleboy]

Look at it like this. If the Belgrano wasn't sunk, it could have caused the death of British soldiers. So, the Sun was celebrating the fact that British soldiers would not be killed. Again, the British weren't wrong in this war. Argentina was.

Was sailing away from the Islands, and was initially outside of the exclusion zone and still sailing in the opposite direction. It was not a legitimate target as it was not within that zone (though I believe it was extended... MtG???).

Your argument is like the assertation that people were justified in celebrating after Hiroshima! There are no winners in war, only survivors. The Belgrano was posing no threat at that time, and was not a legitimate target. Understand that I'm not talking about the rights and wrongs of the war itself, as the attacked, Britain had the right to defend itself. However, that does not excuse the issue that war is a tragedy, whether or not, in this case, you are British or Argentine. You are human first.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

You have to remember that the Falklands War only became a "war" after it was finished. At the time, it was presented as a military action to re-occupy sovereign British territory. That meant that we defined the rules of the conflict.

Then we promptly broke our own rules. The next step would presumably have been attacking targets on Argentinian soil.

In any event, the Belgrano wouldn't have lasted 5 minutes if it got within gun range of the islands or the task force. 8-inch guns aren't much use at shooting down Sea Harriers.

[David Floyd]

Hiroshima was an attack against civilians - ie, a terror attack. Sinking the Belgrano was an attack on a valid military target. There is no comparison.

As to the exclusion zone, I'm not an expert, but I would rather assume that this exclusion zone applied, like most others, to FOREIGN vessels (ie, non-British, non-Argentine). British naval vessels could of course enter, and Argentine vessels were targets both within and without.

That's just an assumption, though - I don't actually know.

[David Floyd]

In any event, the Belgrano wouldn't have lasted 5 minutes if it got within gun range of the islands or the task force. 8-inch guns aren't much use at shooting down Sea Harriers.

If it got within gun range of a British "carrier", then the 8 inch guns would probably do a bit of damage before the Harriers sunk the Belgrano. Same thing WRT the islands themselves.

[Bereta_Eder]

Wasn't a british ship sunk in the malvidas? By a french rocket or something?

[Whaleboy]

It was a zone within which Britain could attack Argentine military vessels.

My point remains unchanged whether the target is military or civilian. Humans died. The Sun was celebrating this tragedy. I cannot find that acceptable. Yes the war was Argentina's fault. So the Sun was justified in celebrating the deaths of humans? . Has the psyche of the idiot actually changed since the Crusades?

[David Floyd]

OK, fine. Then by that argument, the US wouldn't be justified celebrating the victory at Yorktown, during the Revolution

[Whaleboy]

If it got within gun range of a British "carrier", then the 8 inch guns would probably do a bit of damage before the Harriers sunk the Belgrano. Same thing WRT the islands themselves.

If she ship had entered the exclusion zone, from which it was sailing away, and had been for some time, then it would have been promptly sunk.

Wasn't a british ship sunk in the malvidas? By a french rocket or something?

The HMS Sheffield IIRC, by an Exocet missile fired from an Argentine jet. Stupid RN building their ships out of aluminium .

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

Originally posted by paiktis22
Wasn't a british ship sunk in the malvidas? By a french rocket or something?

6 British ships were sunk, or severely damaged. Exocets took out the "Coventry", the "Sheffield", the "Ardent" and the "Antelope". Iron bombs took out the "Sir Galahad" and "Sir Tristram" in Bluff Cove.

[David Floyd]

Having a zone in which you are allowed to attack military vessels of a nation with which you are at war is stupid. In any case, though, the British breaking their own rules does not matter one bit WRT the Sun celebrating the sinking.

[Bereta_Eder]

So it was a full fledged war, wasn't it?

Why the brits are prortrayed as the slaughters on this war?

[Whaleboy]

OK, fine. Then by that argument, the US wouldn't be justified celebrating the victory at Yorktown, during the Revolution

Correct.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

Originally posted by David Floyd
OK, fine. Then by that argument, the US wouldn't be justified celebrating the victory at Yorktown, during the Revolution

That's up to the Americans. A nation tends to decide on whether its actions are justified according to its own merits, and the "Belgrano" is generally considered rather unsporting.

[Ramo]

Turns out Cheney had repeatedly blown off British ambassador, Meyer, when pressed for planning on post-war Iraq.

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/iraq/story/0,12239,1086438,00.html

[Tripledoc]

Originally posted by David Floyd
I'd have to have more info about this.

The action.May 2, 1982

Belaunde Terry, President of Peru, presents a peace proposal to Argentine President Leopoldo Galtieri, who gives a preliminary acceptance with some proposed modifications. Before the Argentine junta ratifies the acceptance, British submarine HMS Conqueror sinks the Argentine cruiser General Belgrano outside the war zone and while sailing away from the islands. Almost 400 crewmen die. At this point the junta rejects the proposal.

And the response. May 4, 1982 and forwards

Argentine air attacks from Super Etendard fighter planes using Exocet air to surface missiles sink the British destroyer HMS Sheffield with twenty men on board. One British Harrier plane is shot down.

The British HMS Ardent is sunk by an Argentine air attack. Nine Argentine aircraft shot down.

The British HMS Antelope is attacked and sinks after unexploded bomb detonates. Ten Argentine aircraft destroyed.

HMS Coventry is hit by 3 1000 lb air bombs dropped from Argentine Skyhawks; 19 British dead. The MV Atlantic Conveyor is hit by an Exocet missile and sinks 3 days later, 12 more British dead.

An Argentine air attack on British landing craft Sir Galahad and Sir Tristam at Port Pleasant south of Bluff Cove. 50 British die.

The cruiser HMS Glamorgan is hit by an Exocet missile as it was bombarding on shore Argentine positions. 13 British die.

Source

Margaet Thatcher refused peace negotiations, risked military defeat, and this to be re-elected