Falkland Islanders to hold referendum over sovereignty

[Sava]

i always like anubis
INDEED DR JACKSON

[Tupac Shakur]

Much as I'd like to continue playing, Drake, it's getting more and more like (mental) midget-stomping. Fun at first, but the novelty wears off quickly.

You've certainly made a strong case that the British touched the Falklands in 1690 and then... umm... something. I sure hope the British Foreign Office is paying attention to this airtight argument.

[Sava]

you guys make me feel so much better about myself

[Tupac Shakur]

I love you, man.

[Sava]

reacharound?

[Tupac Shakur]

Rusty trombone.

[Sava]

shower first

[Dauphin]

you said seaman

http://www.dft.gov.uk/mca/mcga07-home/shipsandcargoes/mcga-shipsregsandguidance/mcga-mnotice.htm?textobjid=618970139B471E7D

Not funny at all.

[MichaeltheGreat]

I notice they were very careful with the wording.

[Alexander's Horse]

see Ben, you can argue and be friends too lol

[Alexander's Horse]

Only disagreement there would be the "another century" part. Given the potential resource value now, and the ability of the islands to be economically self-supporting, why would the Brits ever give it away to the Argies? Especially once oil and gas (probably worth way more than oil) are extracted and all that infrastructure is put in place. The Falklands would likely be a cash cow for much longer than a century.

Galtieri should get the Johnnie Rose Memorial Argentinean Buffoon General award though.

I was tempted to say "forever" but a century really amounts to the same thing in political time. The economic equation has changed totally since the war and the war showed Britain still had some lead in its pencil, those dead sailors, commandos and Welch Guards cement it, so yes the Falklands are now pretty much "forever England".

[MichaeltheGreat]

From what I've read, the offshore gas field is huge. If the Argies were smart, they'd start lobbying for independence and offer guarantees of respecting sovereignty, blah blah blah for trade agreements. It's certainly a lot cheaper to supply and support development from Argie ports than from the UK.

[MrFun]

So basically, I can go walk around a city block, touch a house that I like, and then I can lay legal claim to it?

[MichaeltheGreat]

If you're the first one to actually touch it, which would be rather hard if it's a house. But if it's an island in the ocean that is legally terra nullia, and you have some authority to act on behalf of a sovereign government (as did a captain of a King's ship), then yes. At least under good ol' admiralty law. Nowadays, all the little UN and lawyer type buggers make it a lot less fun.

[Alexander's Horse]

This grab stuff by showing up and not noticing anyone around while you put up your flag could be very lucrative back in the day

Captain Phillip found a bunch of natives in Botany Bay, which was a bit inconvenient, so he went to the next inlet up the coast, Sydney, ostensibly looking for a reliable source of freshwater and put up his flag there

Australia was still declared Terra Nullius.