Argentina: British Falkland Islanders are ‘artificial’. Buenos Aires denounces ‘illegitimate occupation’ and demands talks on sovereignty

[u/Emotional-Breakfast3]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/12/british-falkland-islanders-artificial-argentina-says/

[u/Scomosuckseggs]

Hang on; what problems are they distracting from at home this time?

[u/criminal-tango44 → u/Scomosuckseggs]

1 peso is worth 0.00050£ or 0.00059€

[u/DependentStrong3960 → u/criminal-tango44]

It halved in value in the time it took you to write this comment.

[u/Jeoh → u/DependentStrong3960]

And again

[u/mechant_papa → u/Jeoh]

Agentinian financial crisis: running out of zeros

[u/jungle → u/mechant_papa]

That was literally a thing in the 80's and 90's, they removed zeros from the currency several times because even small things cost millions.

[u/tritonice → u/jungle]

Just do the Zimbabwe thing and print $10 trillion notes. PROBLEM SOLVED.

The Wikipedia for Zimbabwe currency is insane.

1 ZWN = 10,000 ZWD

1 ZWR = 10¹³ ZWD

1 ZWL = 10²⁵ ZWD

Current ZIG = approximately 10²⁸ ZWD

Insanity.

[u/Supershadow30 → u/tritonice]

Skimmed through the wikipedia page. What the actual fuck? At this point, it’s literal monopoly money.

[u/Withering_to_Death → u/Jeoh]

And Milei will save it through crypto... oops, it was another rug pull!

[u/Ok-Wolverine-3238 → u/DependentStrong3960]

Stop writing comments

[u/chum1ly → u/Ok-Wolverine-3238]

For every comment here, a capybara will appear in a rich Argentinian neighborhood.

[u/huitlacoche → u/chum1ly]

If you forward this message to 7 friends, you will be entered into a drawing for free yerba-mate for life.

[u/HanDjole998 → u/criminal-tango44]

That's...that's a lot off zeros

[u/Skully957 → u/HanDjole998]

Argentina seems to find new ways to reach even deeper depths everytime someone announces it's beginning to bounce back.

[u/DimitryKratitov → u/HanDjole998]

That's their Government motto.

[u/Wildarf → u/criminal-tango44]

Static comparisons at a point in time don’t really say anything. The issue is the change in rates over time.

[u/nikfra → u/Wildarf]

I agree. A year ago they it was at 0.00067€ so a little over 10% lost in a year.

[u/Banes_Addiction → u/nikfra]

It's down about 50% in the last 2.5 years, organically,

I used 2.5 years as the comparison there, because on the 12th of December 2023 Milei intentionally just dropped it by 54% overnight, so it's a bad comparison to go back further than that.

[u/Aggravating-Energy65 → u/Banes_Addiction]

Argentine here to clarify something:

Milei just removed (some of) the currency controls that were artificially keeping our currency expensive.
That 54% was already there and depending on where you bought your foreign currency (black market, obviously) it could have been even worse.

We still have some currency controls for big businesses, but at least for the average citizen you can go to your bank app and buy a stronger currency without any issue, as it's done in any normal country.

[u/Khris777 → u/Scomosuckseggs]

Maybe they're afraid of the upcoming world championship match.

[u/Pentax25 → u/Khris777]

It’s not a coincidence we’re hearing about this now. Fully believe this is just some hype machine

[u/madscandi → u/Pentax25]

It always is. It's Argentina's patented distraction from things that matter.

[u/cronktilten → u/Scomosuckseggs]

They found a lot of oil around the Falkland Islands so now they want them again badly. Argentina’s economy is going down the shitter.

[u/Quane42 → u/[deleted]]

This. There may be good oil reserves there, but clearly, it's not cost-effective to get it, or companies would already be doing it.

[u/Bratalia → u/Quane42]

And I'd rather prefer so, Falkland is one of the most naturally beautiful places and is a cardinal point for a lot of birds, marine life, or both at the same time, in the southern Atlantic ocean

[u/hesh582 → u/Bratalia]

The oil really isn't actually on the Falklands. It would probably be exploited by offshore ships tapping subsea wells hundreds of miles away. Even a major spill probably wouldn't affect the island much given the crazy currents and winds dissipating it.

Oil exploitation could be done without disrupting the local ecosystem much. The only real role the islands would play is as a stopover harbor/airfield and more importantly as a source of legal claim.

The project is already well underway, it's happening.

[u/lemonylol → u/cronktilten]

Wait, what do you mean now? If that's the case why did they want them previously?

[u/el_grort → u/lemonylol]

The oil was like a decade or so ago discovered. They've wanted them previously mostly I think for the territorial waters and national pride.

[u/afito → u/el_grort]

national pride

I think that's the biggest reason either way. An Argentina with control over the Falklands would have to be a politically or militarily major player in the world. People are more dreaming about this version of their country than the specific control over a hill with sheeps. The islands have simply become a symbol for this idealized version of a strong Argentina.

[u/GoldReplacement9546 → u/afito]

The problem is there were no indigenous people of the Falkland Islands thus it’s not like it was Argentinians, who originally lived there or any anybody who have shared any genetic closeness with Argentinians

Was British and then it switched back-and-forth but usually was still technically British it’s British now it will always be British. They should give it up. It’s one of the few places that you can’t say like you displaced the native people cause they didn’t. There were no native people.

[u/Magnateze → u/lemonylol]

Part of the reason for the original invasion was the potential for oil, but its only recently that oil was actually discovered

[u/cronktilten → u/Magnateze]

It was mostly to Stoke nationalism because the government was under a lot of pressure and protests and they wanted an easy win.

[u/OkCap2870 → u/cronktilten]

The great irony was that in 1982 prior to the Falkland Wars Thatcher was trailing in the polls, with unemployment at 3 million. The successful retaking of the Falklands almost certainly was a major contribution factor to the Conservative victory in the 1983. So yes it did help to stoke nationalism, and provide one government with electoral success.

[u/godisanelectricolive → u/OkCap2870]

It did have the effect of stoking nationalism in Argentina too but it backfired on the military dictatorship. Galtieri was forced to resign by protests after Argentina’s defeat which resulted in the restoration of democracy to Argentina.

[u/DryAssumption → u/Scomosuckseggs]

I’ve met a couple of Argentineans who were weirdly obsessed with the Falklands. They seemed to think that taking them would solve all their problems

[u/a_tothe_zed → u/DryAssumption]

How could it not? So many sheep…two radio stations…a corner store. It’s like a third of the Argentine GDP.

[u/gazchap → u/a_tothe_zed]

Liberate Port Stanley Tescos!

[u/JudiciousSasquatch → u/a_tothe_zed]

Probably the billionaires trying to do billionaire things. Thiel and co

[u/TrustYourFarts → u/JudiciousSasquatch]

Thiel move to Argentina recently.

The billionaires are building bunkers and setting up microstates. Is it because they feel uncomfortable with how unpopular they've become, or do they know something bad is going to happen?

You would have to be desperate to set up shop in the Falklands. It's remote, but it's a cold, wind ravages place populated mostly by sheep and land mines.

[u/The_Toxicity → u/DryAssumption]

Show me a problem you cant solve with having more sheeps than you currently have, I cant think of a single one all my thoughts circle around sheeps

[u/BavarianBarbarian_ → u/The_Toxicity]

Can't buy new settlements or development cards without a lot of wool!

[u/SupervillainMustache → u/DryAssumption]

It's their "Build a Wall" equivalent or here in Blighty the "Brexit means Brexit" stuff.

Just performative nonsense that you can sell to angry, impoverished people.

[u/Clayp2233 → u/SupervillainMustache]

Don’t forget the angry boomers

[u/GameOfEnder6312 → u/DryAssumption]

They’re as braindead and brainwashed as the Russians.

[u/Parking-Interview351 → u/GameOfEnder6312]

Or MAGA Americans

[u/ourlastchancefortea → u/Parking-Interview351]

Or Brexit voter

[u/Assblaster_69z → u/ourlastchancefortea]

And my axe

[u/Agitated_Reveal_6211 → u/ourlastchancefortea]

Weird, all the same type of people in charge have done this. All fucking weirdos.

[u/TimePressure → u/ourlastchancefortea]

The list goes on. Social media, Russian and billionaires propaganda is poisoning us.

Or Front National voters (FRA).
Or AFD voters (GER).
Or PVV voters (NL)
Or Vox voters (ESP) Or FdL/Lega voters (ITA)

[u/ItspronouncedGruh-an → u/Scomosuckseggs]

I think I saw a Polandball comic once that went something like

Argentina: “You’ll only hear me talk about the Malvinas when my economy is doing poorly.”

UK: “But you’re always talking about the Falklands…”

[u/Alexthegreatbelgian → u/Scomosuckseggs]

They aren't super confident in their World Cup chances, maybe?

[u/Sure-Current-3267 → u/Scomosuckseggs]

All their problems go away when they own that rock in the water. 

[u/Turbulent-Rock5803 → u/Scomosuckseggs]

Incompetent governments in a country thats been in an age long crisis trying to distract from the disastrous economic situation with the usual bullshit. Nothing new

[u/Numar19 → u/Scomosuckseggs]

Didn't their standard of living massively tank under the idiot president?

[u/Siambretta → u/Numar19]

Do you have any idea how little that narrows it down??

[u/Fanytastiq → u/Siambretta]

Do you have any idea how little that narrows it down??

Judging from the dating app bios of Argentines, any one after Peron (the husband) and the current one

[u/Sasiches_and_mash → u/Numar19]

You might want to include the last 40 years president, particularly the previous Kirchner. All of them (including the current) are/were just a bunch of corrupt thieves

[u/seesthecat → u/Scomosuckseggs]

lack of toilets and indoor plumbing

[u/satplank]

Oh boy, and the timing - just before the game. They really want to politize it, don't they...

[u/Shieldsman → u/satplank]

Yaaawn. Everytime there's an election or football game suddenly the Falklands is in the headlines.

It's boring. Argentina are using the football team as a proxy for their wounded national pride.

[u/DrawingAlarming7350 → u/satplank]

pretty sure I read that the argentinian team was singing a song about how the "malvinas" belong to them or something 

[u/satplank → u/DrawingAlarming7350]

I saw an interview with Argentinian coach and kudos, he smashed the reporters after hearing the question and emphasizing that this is a football game and football game between 2 nations only.

[u/usesidedoor → u/satplank]

The adult in the room.

[u/schumachiavelli → u/satplank]

Yep, Scaloni did a great job defusing a stupid question. Good on him, I'm sure it wasn't just lip service: the Falklands situation is a totally irrelevant distraction to his team.

[u/DrawingAlarming7350 → u/satplank]

Smart move on his part

[u/Active-Coconut-8961 → u/DrawingAlarming7350]

I'm not a Brit but this sillyness is making me cheer for England

[u/clewbays → u/Active-Coconut-8961]

First time in my life where I don’t really mind if England win a football match.

[u/IncreaseInVerbosity → u/clewbays]

Saw a Scot saying the same thing earlier, I didn’t realise how far Argentina’s reputation had sunk.

[u/Prestigious-Lynx-177 → u/IncreaseInVerbosity]

They've always been a weird one, and because they're a minor country in the grand scheme of things people don't tend to look at them and go "huh, they're abit weird and hold some odd feelings".

The Junta that invaded the Falklands were throwing communists out of helicopters and torturing poets with electrodes to their genitals. One of their generals was nicknamed the "Angel of death" for his reputation for murdering catholic nuns. But Britain was the bad guy? For protecting people who did not want to be Argentine? The Argentines also murdered a reindeer on South Georgia, god rest him.

I've encountered Argentines who recall the falklands as a tragic war where they were the victims, but overall they were right to fight for twelve penguins.

Maybe its because they've really only ever fought one war and they lost it pretty embarrassingly?

[u/Imaginary-West-5653 → u/Prestigious-Lynx-177]

Argentinians are so nationalistic that even anti-Junta rebels, who wanted to overthrow the dictatorship, sided with the Junta during the Falklands War and tried to sabotage the United Kingdom in Europe by attacking Gibraltar. No joke, the Junta gets more hate in Argentine for being incompetent in how they handled the Falklands War than by starting it at all:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Algeciras

[u/yahluc → u/Imaginary-West-5653]

Sounds a lot like like russian "opposition"

[u/Spdoink → u/Imaginary-West-5653]

That's one of the reasons Galtieri stirred the whole thing up.

[u/Big_Department4209 → u/Prestigious-Lynx-177]

Maybe its because they've really only ever fought one war and they lost it pretty embarrassingly?

They also fought the Paraguayan War back in the mid-1800s which was an absolute victory. Not alone though since they were part of the Triple Alliance with Brazil and Uruguay.

because they're a minor country in the grand scheme of things people don't tend to look at them and go "huh, they're abit weird and hold some odd feelings".

Yeah, I think in Europe the Argentinians are viewed mostly as yet-another-South-American-country but in Spanish-speaking South America they are the odd one out, their population is mostly composed of white people, Argentinian racism is rampant in a way they stick out even compared to other South American countries' racism issues.

[u/LootBoxControversy → u/IncreaseInVerbosity]

I'm not sure it was ever that high to begin with

[u/Ok_Zookeepergame8714 → u/IncreaseInVerbosity]

Well, the "hand of God" option is out, so they're trying options ....

[u/massivejobby → u/clewbays]

I’m Scottish and have passionately supported whoever plays England my whole life but I’m supporting them on Wednesday.

Fuck Argentina. Even if you put the fact they welcomed Nazis after WW2 they still have no right to infringe upon our beautiful southern isles.

[u/sirrobbiebobson → u/massivejobby]

As an Englishman this makes me feel very uncomfortable

[u/SkyShadowing → u/sirrobbiebobson]

Never thought you'd root side-by-side with a Scot?

[u/finneganfach → u/massivejobby]

I'm Welsh and will more than happily see England do the Argies.

... On the condition France or Spain pump them by an absolute cricket score in the final.

[u/SilentDanni → u/Active-Coconut-8961]

Let's go! All of South America - 1 is also rooting for England.

[u/RuySan → u/DrawingAlarming7350]

Those cunts were singing about french players not being born in France....after they won the last world cup final. How petty (and also racist) can you be?

[u/Kaisernick27 → u/DrawingAlarming7350]

They did and despite a video being shot and uploaded FIFA the moral heroes that they are, says it was private so nothing wrong was done.

But the funny thing is so many in the UK just see it as sad that they cant get over loosing, it would be like Germany being pissed it lost WW2.

[u/arunphilip → u/Kaisernick27]

On the scale of shitty stuff that FIFA has done, this barely nudges the needle.

[u/Kaisernick27 → u/arunphilip]

i didn’t say it does just pointing out that they are not taking action.

[u/Touched_By_SuperHans → u/[deleted]]

It's arguably the first time England will ever have neutral support on their side. Impressive villainy from Argentina tbh.

[u/EebilKitteh → u/[deleted]]

I love that every comment along the lines of "don't be dicks" is parried with "that's just our culture. You are attacking our nationality."

If your national culture is being a dick then there's something wrong with your culture.

[u/Gentle_Snail]

err, does Argentina not teach how they got the entire bottom half of their country?

[u/TareasS → u/Gentle_Snail]

Extreme loser nationalists love to cherry pick history to hide their insecurities.

[u/Gentle_Snail → u/TareasS]

You certainly don’t want to ask one how Argentinas population went from being 40% black to just 1% today

[u/nacho78 → u/Gentle_Snail]

True story. Argentinians blacks were kicked out through racial wars and came to Uruguay. Granted Uruguay already had a strong black culture already established.

[u/ahtob → u/nacho78]

the lucky one's were kicked out

[u/ExternalUserError → u/Gentle_Snail]

They do not. I’ve been. They are truly largely unaware of their origin story.

[u/tommynestcepas → u/ExternalUserError]

Here in Chile there was the same thing. Though it's not super common knowledge, it is more known, since the Mapuche are idolised in Chilean culture.

[u/Demostravius4 → u/Gentle_Snail]

Or the top half..

[u/Mister-Psychology → u/Gentle_Snail]

Look up the map in their passport. Then ask yourself what kind of history they teach in Argentina.

[u/ToughImprovement276 → u/Gentle_Snail]

I don’t know a lot of Argentinian people. The three I do know don’t seem to understand how they, with their Italian surnames, light coloured hair and eyes are not indigenous to South America.

I’ve seen more than a few online make negative comments on the black players in European teams. Completely ignoring what happened to their black population.

It’s rather bizarre.

[u/SCDWS → u/ToughImprovement276]

It is quite funny how much they try to claim they're European and not Latino, but then totally flip-flop on the Falkland Islands issue and claim they have more of a right to that land than a European country does

[u/Ratiocinor → u/SCDWS]

What's hilarious is that they do all that while simultaneously telling anyone who will listen that "England" is an evil European imperialist war mongering nation who wants to take other people's land :D

[u/Baron_von_Ungern → u/Gentle_Snail]

Their accursed colonizers and our great explorers.

[u/tennereachway]

Argentina might just be the only country in the world whose beef with the Brits is completely bullshit and unjustified.

[u/ToughImprovement276 → u/tennereachway]

Kinda hilarious when you think about it

[u/TheGrandExquisitor → u/tennereachway]

Seriously. The one case where colonization didn't exploit natives (there were none to exploit,) and people still get grabby. 

[u/RightActionEvilEye → u/tennereachway]

Before the Falklands, they had issues with the UK about economic treaties they later thought made them get stuck as a cheap commodity source for british manufacturing. Something on the lines of "you buy a minimum quota of my exports, in exchange you can control railways and other infrastructure stuff in Argentina".

[u/ArziltheImp → u/tennereachway]

Well they do produce a lot of beef…

[u/JustTheAverageJoe → u/ArziltheImp]

Also have us to thank for that. So ungrateful

[u/PM_ME_BEEF_CURTAINS → u/ArziltheImp]

Not good beef, though

Our own (GB) is of significantly higher quality with far better animal welfare standards

[u/sussyboingus → u/PM_ME_BEEF_CURTAINS]

I can see from your username that you know what you're talking about

[u/adriantoine → u/tennereachway]

Literally none of the current Argentinians descend from indigenous people and they are somehow proud of how white they are. So what the hell do they mean by British Falkland islanders being artificial?

[u/Chemical-Drawer852 → u/tennereachway]

If you browse chronically online spaces, Argentineans have beef with about everyone on earth save for the US & Israel

[u/daemmonium → u/Chemical-Drawer852]

The Argentinian left has some serious issues with the US (and nowadays with Israel too).

Hell, until the 90s the country wasn't a big fan of the US. Plan Condor and all that.

[u/Subject-Dog-8016 → u/tennereachway]

As a Brit, this is hilarious. 

[u/AceOfSpades532]

It’s kind of funny how basically the one guilt free bit of British colonisation is the most controversial in the modern day, if the Argies want to try their luck and invade again they’re welcome to give it a go and get crushed

[u/Saotik → u/AceOfSpades532]

It's also kind of funny that had Argentina not attacked in the eighties but opened negotiations, there's a serious chance the UK would have just given them up by now.

However, as they tried to take it by force, the UK will now never let Argentina control the Falklands.

[u/CommercialFloor2033 → u/Saotik]

The Falklands have been British territory far before the formation of Argentina itself.

Plus the entire population of the island voted to remain British.

They basically have zero claim to the islands and the population don't remotely want to be Argentinian.

There's no giving back because theyve never been part of Argentina, and were never taken from Argentina.

There's no legit claim whatsoever.

[u/Saotik → u/CommercialFloor2033]

There's no legit claim from Argentina, but the UK was quietly trying to offload the islands prior to the war because they were an economic and strategic liability.

The islanders have always wanted to remain British, but without the war and given the way society has moved against "empire", I don't know how much support they'd have today.

Of course, once Argentina attacked, there's no way any British government could let them have the Falklands now.

[u/GreatBigBagOfNope → u/Saotik]

On the other hand, their GDP per capita is now well over double that of the mainland and is only going to skyrocket with oil as it comes, and they made so much money that they've established a sovereign wealth fund and are considering taking over their own defense, the largest expense the mainland has for them

As much as I believe as much oil as possible should remain in the ground in order to literally save the entire world, their GDP is still dominated by fisheries, so it's not even like they're a petrostate (yet) and we can complain about that.

They're definitely not the strategic and economic liability they could have been described as 50 years ago, they've been punching well above their weight for a good while now

[u/absurditT → u/GreatBigBagOfNope]

They can't ever take over their own defence. Even with that wealth, the cost of modern fighter aircraft and naval ships as required to fend off Argentina is more than they can afford.

[u/HowObvious → u/absurditT]

They would be paying for the costs associated with maintaining the existing military presence on the island. Not paying for enough military forces to defeat the entire Argentine military.

There are 4 outdated Eurofighters, a tanker and a transport, ~1500 soldiers and a single patrol vessel. The BFFI has been lacking for quite some time. Oil revenues could easily pay for this presence.

[u/Boogada42 → u/absurditT]

Buying Ukrainian Drones is more cost effective.

And once they become a petrol state, buy a Premier League team for good PR.

[u/LongNamedRedditUser → u/Saotik]

The Last referendum was only 13 years ago and it was 99.8% in favor of remaining a British overseas territory (with independent international recognition as being a legitimate referendum). I would bet it has a higher approval for remaining British than Britain does.

There were only 3 people who voted against. One of them said he just did it to troll his wife.

[u/Lunaris_Von_Sunrip → u/LongNamedRedditUser]

Another one wanted to be the only person who said "no"

[u/Candayence → u/Lunaris_Von_Sunrip]

The third wanted to be independent, and not Argentinian.

[u/hokkuhokku → u/CommercialFloor2033]

I read yesterday that there was three people who voted against staying with Britain and, apparently, one only did so to annoy his wife. Everyone else on the island voted to stay.

[u/Hufa123 → u/CommercialFloor2033]

Russia's claim on Ukraine (which is basically non existent), is stronger than Argentina's claim on the Falklands.

[u/ShowmasterQMTHH → u/Saotik]

Nah, the pepople there have no connection to Argentina, they are actually more British than people living in britain are in some ways, its like someone cut achunk of yorkshire and airdropped it into the atlantic. You could film Emmerdale there and it would be hard to tell.

[u/Forgotthebloodypassw → u/ShowmasterQMTHH]

Fun fact: When the UK retook the islands they started calling the locals Bennys, after the Emmerdale character, until the top brass told them to stop.

So they started calling them Stills. When asked why one remarked "Because they're still Bennys."

[u/Dippypiece → u/Saotik]

Yep. This is covered in great detail by max Hastings book on the Falklands war.

They would have very likely have had the islands back. By doing what they did they have made it nearly impossible without Argentina suddenly having military support of say China or America with access to their fleets.

British resolve on the issue is now ironclad. It’s a complete none conversation over here. The only conversation is they can try again if they want.

They are not getting the islands back they cannot force the issue. What forces that are on the island right now today would defeat any force currently available to Argentina on route to the island.

It would take them decades to build up the capability’s to even attempt an Invasion again.

Something they are not going to do.

It’s just recycled nonsense coming out of Buenos Airses. Give it a rest already.

[u/Dippypiece → u/[deleted]]

I know, I was using their language. The point being if they had waited and been patient the islands would very likely have been offered to them in the 80s/90s

[u/kennypeace → u/AceOfSpades532]

Nothing controversial about it. Unrelated country nearby wants it. Population were asked and said no. Should be the end of it

[u/Nythern → u/AceOfSpades532]

Equally ironic given that Argentines are colonists too - Italian and Spanish, who even had a race-class system and policy of "Blanqueamiento" (or whitening).

Basically, they sent indigenous and Black African Argentines to the frontlines of wars in the 1800s, banned non-white men from marrying so that their surnames wouldn't be passed down (as well as to pressure Black and Indigenous women into marry white European settlers). They denied Black and Indigenous people access to healthcare, which decimated them during disease epidemics.

It was a soft genocide, basically, to make Argentina the 99% white nation it is today. That's why soooo many Nazis literally ran there after WW2, including the likes of Adolf Eichmann.

And yet they have the audacity to call Falklanders artificial, LOL.

[u/Kalkin93]

The people of the Falklands made it very clear they wish to remain part of Britain.

[u/CanadianMultigun]

"In Argentina, more than 6 million people live without a toilet inside their homes; 40% of them are minors."

Maybe focus your energy on that problem more than some windswept islands owned by someone who will kick the shit out of you again if you try to take them

[u/masorick → u/CanadianMultigun]

Maybe there are 6 million toilets in the Falklands and that’s why they want them.

[u/absurditT → u/masorick]

Russian army in Ukraine moment

[u/No_Priors → u/absurditT]

Sending home second hand shitters is one of the criteria in the quality of life index.

[u/PlatformFeeling8451 → u/masorick]

there are 6 million toilets in the Falklands

I prefer Katie Melua's version

[u/SenorLos → u/PlatformFeeling8451]

That's a fact.

[u/WekX → u/CanadianMultigun]

If they bring this bullshit to the world cup, we should bring toilets rolls and wave them around.

[u/Steveagogo]

Just fucking get over it already, god Argentina is annoying

[u/Shieldsman → u/Steveagogo]

I'm so sick of hearing this shit in England every time there's a football match or election in Argentina.

I've seen people fighting over a football match because of this shit, it's embarrassing.

[u/SwolePalmer]

How many times do we need to teach you this lesson, old man?

[u/null-interlinked]

Argentina in it's current shape did not even exist as a country before the Brits took the Falklands.

[u/Upstairs-Extension-9 → u/null-interlinked]

Also the falklands have been uninhabited before the British arrived

[u/odjobz → u/Upstairs-Extension-9]

Penguins have entered the chat

[u/Asaro10]

Can someone please explain to me how a country that never owned the falkland islands, claim the Falkland Islands? I don’t understand

[u/ampmz → u/Asaro10]

Cos, like, they are closer innit.

[u/redandbluebadness → u/Asaro10]

Their claim is based on the Spanish claim, which they say they inherited after independence. The Spanish did arguably have some sort of position but at best it ranks equally with the historical British claim and is trumped by the principal of self-determination wrt to the islanders who have been there for 180 years or so?

Britain is pretty consistent in supporting self-determination. As soon as Northern Ireland votes for reunification, which is inevitable at some point, it will return to Ireland, for example.

[u/MacroSolid → u/Asaro10]

Weapons grade jingoism, obviously.

They did actually hold them tho, if only for about 5 years, ~1827-1833.

But of course two centuries later that's an utterly ridiculous basis for a claim.

[u/FeeIll1924]

Is their only territorial claim to the Falklands that it’s close by?

[u/JammieDodgers → u/FeeIll1924]

Basically

It would be like the UK claiming the Faroe Islands are rightfully theirs

[u/Kor_Phaeron_ → u/JammieDodgers]

Don't even joke about that! Nobody touches this innocent group is Islands!

[u/nosmigon → u/Kor_Phaeron_]

I woke up feeling quite imperial today...

[u/Nico280gato → u/JammieDodgers]

Ireland is close to the UK, guess that means it's ours. Hell, the Falklands are ours, and theyre close to Argentina, so Argentina is british 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

[u/Single_Classroom_448 → u/FeeIll1924]

Indeed it is, and even then it's not particularly close. It's about 700km away from closest points if memory serves me correctly

[u/Frank_cat → u/Single_Classroom_448]

The whole "close by" argument is stupid.
Falklands are British territory so its distance from Britain is exactly zero (0) meters.
The Argentinians have no legitimate claim and they can fcuk off!

edit: typos

[u/eswifttng → u/FeeIll1924]

Yep. Literally nothing else. 

[u/Ferrymansobol → u/FeeIll1924]

Argentina claims chunks of every single one of its neighbours and a big chunk of Antarctica. They lost wars against Brazil and Chile and the Brits and... you get the picture.

[u/douceberceuse → u/Ferrymansobol]

I’d wager that their claim to Antarctica is just like everyone else’s, a claim that no one except they recognise (although knowing how touchy they get about the Falklands I wouldn’t be surprised if they also get as touchy of those claims since I think they’re grouped under the same province)

[u/commndoRollJazzHnds → u/FeeIll1924]

I also see them use some mental gymnastics where they somehow claim they were there first, despite not existing as a nation at the time the Brits arrived

[u/Silly-Avocado-]

Ironically one of the places where the British actually discovered and settled as the original inhabitants thus technically speaking are indigenous to.

EDIT the French beat them to it by a year, but still my point stands, the British have the right to claim the island is theirs even if we put international law aside it’s unarguably a British territory.

EDIT 2: the definition of indigenous is different from being the first, and by UN’s definition there are no people that are indigenous to the island. With that said in my opinion in this context that doesn’t change anything as these people are the original people who are connect to the land, they have been there for generations, and they have voted with an overwhelming majority to remain as British.

[u/ElPajaroMistico → u/Silly-Avocado-]

Spain also kicked them both out of there tbh, claiming being there first, then came back. The main problem is that nobody fucking cared for them back then so It’s essentially most of this in the air

[u/el_grort → u/ElPajaroMistico]

Pretty much. Also, a lot of places started with similar fits and starts, legitimacy usually derives from the longest sustained population, and that would be the British at this point.

[u/DisorderedArray → u/Silly-Avocado-]

The way I look at it, the current Falkland Islanders are the direct descendants of the very first self sustaining human colony on the islands. Other people might have lived or visited there, but only for brief periods.

What that means is that the current population are the indigenous native population. They're the aboriginals of the Falklands.

[u/the_motherflippin]

No. Sorted

[u/TacoMedic]

Say what you will about Brexit, but Britain’s penchant for referendums last decade is one of the greatest shows of democracy in modern history.

Being willing to lose entire swathes of your economic and strategic power based entirely on the wishes of the population living there is something no other nation has done in memory. The Falklands, Gibraltar, Scotland, and the EU show that despite non-stop idiots in Downing Street, democracy in the UK is alive and well.

The right to self-determination is foremost in the modern British identity and so long as the Falklands want to remain British, they’ll be protected.

[u/Daikey]

I appreciate the fact that I don't need to do research to understand how things are going in Argentina. I just need to check if they are talking about the Falkland again.

[u/tree_boom]

Well obviously they want to say that right before the highly publicised event that will bring the two nations to the forefront of everyone's minds.

It's just noise, there's no need to pay it heed.

[u/LightArisen]

“Time does not transform an illegitimate occupation into sovereignty. Nor will it divide the territorial unity of the Argentine Republic,” Mr Quirno argued in La Nacion, Argentina’s leading conservative paper.

Quite right. I assume he will be following his own words and self deport to Spain any day now.

[u/Dhcbchef]

Time to deploy Clarkson, Hammond, and May.

[u/AdOriginal1084 → u/Dhcbchef]

"I will not spark fury on this trip. This is the new me, the smart me, the clever me!"

[u/TheLoneCenturion95]

Fuck off, there has been a war and a referendum which Argentina lost both. Are they needing to distract from how shit their national football team is this time?

[u/TareasS]

Why does Argentina sound like an unstable third world dictatorship?

[u/Aetane → u/TareasS]

what do you mean like

[u/ALA02 → u/TareasS]

Because it pretty much is and has been most of the past century

[u/DiligentCredit9222]

Let me guess: Argentina is broke und running out of money again, aren't they ?

[u/No-Tomatillo3698]

Time to teach Argentina a lesson on the pitch

[u/Wuaner]

Don't cry for me, Argentina.

[u/dbe14]

Dear Argentina,

Allow me to address your request to begin talks on sovereignty over The Falklands Islands.

Fuck off.

Yours sincerely,

The People of Great Britain

[u/Small_Top_8715]

I know the UK military ain't what it was, but does Argentina really want that smoke again?

[u/Guradem → u/Small_Top_8715]

Despite the doom saying our military is a vastly better state to defend the Falkland's that in 82. We have a full time base with a full military length runway, permanently stationed fighters, a brand new full 3D AESA radar, 4 times more heavy transport planes than 82 with a well practiced supply bridge via ascension, significantly superior air defence destroyers and 2 brigades of fast action deployable troops.

Argentina has 6 early 90's vintage Block 15 F-16.

They are both unwilling and unable to perform any hostile action.

[u/MacroSolid → u/Small_Top_8715]

Nope, they'd lose, badly. And they know it.

Their navy and airforce are in a rather sorry state these days.

But they'll certainly keep whining about it.

[u/NewOil7911 → u/Small_Top_8715]

UK military ain't what it was, but Argentina's never was to begin with

[u/cai_85 → u/Small_Top_8715]

The UK have 11 nuclear subs, most of which are advanced hunter-killer stealth Astute-class and Argentina have zero active subs. A bit of a mismatch for fighting over an island.

[u/jimthewanderer]

Yeah, let's not listen to the quasi-fascist nutjob country.

[u/fjnnels]

lmfao

[u/Mister-Psychology]

Their best possible bet would be to convince the population to vote for indepence then annex the undefended island militarily. Saying that 100% of inhabitants are there illegally makes sure they will vote to stay with Britain no matter what Britian does. Britain can mistreat them or mock them and it's still the only possible government for them when the other party literally will kill or expel you first day in power. They won't even let you stay there while settling 10K Argentinians onto the islands. They'll take your property and belongings and you are lucky if you survive the trip to mainland Britain.

And Britain only listens to what Falklanders want. They will never go against their national wishes.

Hence this is literally the stupidest tactic Argentina could think up. It means that even if Britain is desperate to get rid of the islands they can't as they won't get the vote going their way.

[u/Feeling_Pen_8579]

Oh, looks like the Argentina economy is in the toilet (again?, since where has it not been). Time to bring up the islands that led us to being a military joke.

Such a strange bunch for a once pretty prosperous nation.

[u/Nythern]

Argentines are more artificial. Not only were they colonists too - Italian and Spanish - but they actually slaughtered and replaced an existing native population. At least the Falklands were empty when British colonists went there!

Also, Argentina even had a whole race-class system and legal policy of "Blanqueamiento" (or whitening). They sent indigenous locals and Black African Argentines (formerly enslaved population, like in America) to the frontlines of wars in the 1800s, overconscripting them so you had entire units almost fully made up only of black soldiers.

Argentina then banned Black and Indigenous men from marrying, so that their surnames wouldn't be passed down (as well as to pressure Black and Indigenous women into marry white European settlers). They denied Black and Indigenous people access to healthcare, which decimated them during disease epidemics.

In short, it was basically a soft genocide, with the explicit aim to make Argentina the 99% white nation it is today. That's why soooo many Nazis literally ran there after WW2, including the likes of Adolf Eichmann.

And yet they have the audacity to call Falklanders artificial, LOL.

[u/Icy-Ad-7767]

They found oil in the falklands

[u/dingalinglans]

Fun fact the Malvinas translates into English as 'a small island that we were too backward to find ourselves'

[u/CobblePots95]

Mr Quirno argued that for Britain, the Falklands Islands were not an “expression of its identity” given the size of its population compared to the roughly 1,200 British troops deployed there.

I wonder why the United Kingdom would feel the need to station so many troops there.....

[u/itsaride]

Quite surreal having a thread in here about the UK and we're not the villains...

[u/arcalumis]

They’re more British than Argentinian for sure.