Falkland Islanders to hold referendum over sovereignty

[kentonio]

You're much too state-centric in your thinking, and shouldn't write off American support simply because Washington would never officially come out as opposed to the UK. This wouldn't be the first time American support had gone towards the cause of ending British possession of Catholic lands, after all.

This is true, pre-9/11 many Americans had no problems at all with funding terrorists who spent US dollars on the explosives to blow the limbs off children.

[Tupac Shakur]

You're much too state-centric in your thinking, and shouldn't write off American support simply because Washington would never officially come out as opposed to the UK. This wouldn't be the first time American support had gone towards the cause of ending British possession of Catholic lands, after all.

[PLATO]

I wonder if there isn't a clever way to link several Catholic states' territorial grievances against the UK (the Falklands, Northern Ireland, Gibraltar, etc.) in a way that could rally international support for rolling back the last remnants of the British empire.

International support? Are you serious?

Let's see...

Eurozone...nope
U.S. .... nope
Commonwealth....nope

3rd world countries nobody gives a crap about...probably not

small handful of South American countries...MAYBE

International support.

[Tupac Shakur]

I wonder if there isn't a clever way to link several Catholic states' territorial grievances against the UK (the Falklands, Northern Ireland, Gibraltar, etc.) in a way that could rally international support for rolling back the last remnants of the British empire.

[Dinner]

You won't be laughing so hard once the divestment campaign against the UK begins.

HA! Countries like Argentina badly need for investment and they'd lose what little of it they currently get in a retalitory measure against them. There is no good ending for them if they needlessly push this.

[kentonio]

Brits should.

It would be better to have them onside than against.

Argentina have done more than enough to piss off the other Latin American countries for them to suddenly start caring passionately about the Falklands. They might mouth support at various times, but it would take something impressive for it to become a major issue. The only country that cares is Argentina, and only then when it's useful for distracting the people from domestic issues. Even if they do suddenly start kicking up a major fuss, we still care a lot more about the right to self determination of the Falkland Islanders.

[Krill]

I wouldn't be so sure of that. Latin American states are already solidly behind Argentina's claims, and anti-colonial sentiment in the rest of the global south probably predisposes Catholics in Africa and Asia against the UK's position. The pope could probably influence global opinion in favor of the return of the Malvinas to Argentina, if he plays his cards right.

That being said, let's hope he's more concerned with righting the wrongs of his own church than righting the wrongs of British imperialism.

Popes generally have a bad track record when it comes to claiming land that they don't control and trying to give it to other people.

[Tupac Shakur]

Because we clearly give a **** what the Latin American states think about our territorial possessions?

You won't be laughing so hard once the divestment campaign against the UK begins.

[Dauphin]

Brits should.

It would be better to have them onside than against.

[kentonio]

I wouldn't be so sure of that. Latin American states are already solidly behind Argentina's claims, and anti-colonial sentiment in the rest of the global south probably predisposes Catholics in Africa and Asia against the UK's position. The pope could probably influence global opinion in favor of the return of the Malvinas to Argentina, if he plays his cards right.

Because we clearly give a **** what the Latin American states think about our territorial possessions?

[PLATO]

The pope could probably influence global opinion in favor of the return of the Malvinas to Argentina, if he plays his cards right.

Yeah, because the British have historically been so willing to do what Popes say.

The Falklands will be British as long as the islanders want to be. End of story.

[Tupac Shakur]

I wouldn't be so sure of that. Latin American states are already solidly behind Argentina's claims, and anti-colonial sentiment in the rest of the global south probably predisposes Catholics in Africa and Asia against the UK's position. The pope could probably influence global opinion in favor of the return of the Malvinas to Argentina, if he plays his cards right.

That being said, let's hope he's more concerned with righting the wrongs of his own church than righting the wrongs of British imperialism.

[Krill]

It's another way to show just how irrelevant the Catholic church is.

[Tupac Shakur]

Why shouldn't he intervene? The British are clearly in violation of a papal bull.

[Dinner]

That clod Kirchner has already asked the Pope to intervene in the Falklands.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21835363