Sean Penn backs Argentina over the Falklands

[Tupac Shakur]

the french never claimed the islands in a serious way.

Your continued lying isn't making you look any better...

France was the first country to establish de facto control in the Falkland Islands, with the foundation of Port Saint Louis in East Falkland, in 1764. The French colony consisted of a small fort and some settlements with a population of around 250. The Islands were named after the Breton port of St. Malo as the Îles Malouines, (which remains the French name for the islands). In 1766, France agreed to leave the islands to Spain, with Spain reimbursing France for the cost of the settlement.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falkland_Islands_sovereignty_dispute

[Tupac Shakur]

British citizens living in Northern Ireland for 500 years (25 generations) really aren't Irish but invaders who should be sent away.

Yes.

[C0ckney]

I have been owned and can't address any of the substantive points, so instead i'll nitpick and try to pretend that french claim is important, while shouting "liar, liar, pants on fire!"

yes, it's a bit crap and transparent isn't it drake. even by your low standards.

[Dinner]

I still can't get over 'discreat'!

Normally some numpty will **** up the difference between 'discrete' and 'discreet', but 'discreat' is a whole new order of FAIL!

Hey, it was early in the morning. What are you like before your coffee?

[molly bloom]

We were rather close to "getting back" the Islands diplomatically in the late 60s early 70s.

As fas as I can recall, there was also a good chance of Argentina forever relinquishing any claim to the Falklands in the 19th Century. Apparently the then government wanted a certain sum of money from the British in return for this consideration, but the Foreign Office wasn't playing.

I'll try to find the exact reference- I think I may have read it in Bicheno's book on the Falklands' War...

[C0ckney]

yeah that's true. the british government refused because they considered themselves the owners already. also IIRC the asking pruice was considerably higher than the value of the islands at the time.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

I like how we've gone five replies without anyone pointing out that Drake's "serious claim" consisted of hanging around for two years then selling the lot to the Spanish.

[Dauphin]

Was there need to draw attention to a terrible point (or dry wit in a different interpretation)?

[C0ckney]

I like how we've gone five replies without anyone pointing out that Drake's "serious claim" consisted of hanging around for two years then selling the lot to the Spanish.

considering his own link said that, did it really need pointing out?

[Tupac Shakur]

I like how we've gone five replies without anyone pointing out that Drake's "serious claim" consisted of hanging around for two years then selling the lot to the Spanish.

Actively settling the islands and exerting de facto control over them is a serious claim; it's not like the French just planted a flag and sailed off (like the Brits in 1690). It's certainly more serious than the plaque the British left to uphold their claim in the period between when they abandoned the Malvinas in 1776 and when they came back to steal them from the Argentines in 1833.

[MikeH]

We wouldn't have abandoned them if it wasn't for some uppity farmers in North America.

We've had a claim on the islands for longer than your young nation has existed. Think that says it all.

[BeBMan]

Should all be given back to Peter Falk. Or now his family....

[pchang]

Apparently self determination should only be allowed to non-whites

[Tupac Shakur]

We've had a claim on the islands for longer than your young nation has existed.

I'm not impressed. Britain's claim to the Malvinas prior to their theft in 1833 was pretty flimsy.

[Dauphin]

I'm glad that Wikipedia has been able to teach you so much about the history of the Falklands.