Britain to send more troops to the Falklands to counter 'heightened' invasion threat from Argentina

Michael Fallon, the defence secretary, will announce plans to bolster the Falkland Islands garrison amid fears of a renewed threat from Argentina.
The south American nation is feared to be increasing military expenditure. Senior ministers in the country have also made a series of increasingly aggressive statements about the islands in recent years.
Michale Fallon said: "The threat remains. It is a very live threat. We have to respond to it."
He said reports that Russia is working on an agreement to lease 12 long-range bombers to Argentina which could be used to support a renewed attack are unconfirmed.
"We do need to modernise our defences to ensure that we have sufficient troops there and that the islands are properly defended in terms of air defence and maritime defence.
"The threat, of course, to the islands remains but so does our commitment to being absolutely clear that islanders have the right to remain British and the right to proper protection by our forces.
"It is our general view that the threat has not reduced. Argentina still, sadly, maintains its claim to the islands 30 or more years after the original invasion and the war and we have to respond to that."
A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence added: "There is a defence review and an announcement will be made about it. There will be a full statement by Michael Fallon."
Military analysts have previously argued that without an aircraft carrier, Harrier jump jets or the ability to deploy a task force, the islands could be seen as an easy target for Argentina.Read more   HERE 

(RG) I don't think this is any kind of saber rattling on the part of the British government, this is just good housekeeping and sending a message to the Argentinians that like in 1982 will will be prepared to use force to defend the Islands from aggression. We have as much right to send extra troops to the Falklands as we do to send extra troops to Blackpool. The Argentinians can buy or borrow as many jets from China or Russia or anywhere else, but think about it our Forces are battle hardened from fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan and  even if they could invade again which they cannot they would be defeated yet again.

Why Did the British Invade the Falkland Islands?

This question originally appeared on Quora, the best answer to any question. Ask a question, get a great answer. Learn from experts and access insider knowledge. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus.

Answer by Stephen Tempest, qualified amateur historian:

An English ship under Capt. John Strong in 1690 was the first to explore the Falkland Islands in detail, map them, and give them a name. However, that can't be called an invasion, since nobody lived there at the time except for penguins.

In 1765, a naval expedition commanded by Commodore John Byron (grandfather of the famous poet) surveyed a landing site and established a settlement, called Port Egmont. The first British colonists arrived the following year. The primary purpose was to establish a naval base where ships could be repaired and take on supplies in the region. This might possibly count as an invasion, since a group of about 75 French colonists were living on the islands; they'd arrived the previous year. However, the British hadn't known the French were there. The two settlements were 85 miles apart and didn't even find out about each other's existence for several months. There was no fighting between them.

A few years later, Spain pressured France to hand over its settlement on the Falklands to them. France agreed in return for gold as compensation. Spain demanded that Britain also hand over its settlement on the basis that the entire South Atlantic was a Spanish sphere of influence and nobody else was allowed to colonize it. Britain did not accept this.Read More  HERE 


(RG) Not quite the answer our Argentine readers might like.

Falklands among the best 30 Islands in the world

The Falkland Islands has earned eleventh place in a list of the 30 best islands in the world. The list was created by Lee Abbamonte who is the youngest American to visit every country in the world and is recognized as one of the world’s most-travelled people.The 35 year old visited the Falklands last year and promoted the Falklands widely through social media with his penguin pictures which drew a lot of comments especially from people saying he had put the Falklands on their travel
 Read more HERE 

AND ITS 100% BRITISH 

Two soldiers on opposing sides whose pictures show they were really just the same

Lost photographs from the Somme together for the first time as son of German trooper meets grandson of english Tommy and they find the two lads had much in common.They were sworn enemies – two soldiers entrenced on opposite sides of the Western Front. William ­Smallcombe, 24, and Walter Kleinfeldt, just 17, were at times only two miles apart. Each carried a small camera - permitted by the German army but banned by the British - to document the horrors of the First World War . And the pictures, which have emerged for the first time, show eerie ­similarities on both sides of the trenches. Initially, the two young men took shots of smiling comrades. Then in 1916 the Battle of the Somme , the bloodiest in British history, took place. William buried his best friend and photographed his makeshift grave, while Walter took pictures of the dead. As Walter’s son Volkmar Kleinfeldt explains: “The images became more stark, more sombre. He must have been deeply affected by what he experienced. After all, he was only a boy.” This week a TV documentary sees Volkmar meet William’s grandson Michael Smallcombe as they compare the images of war taken almost 100 years ago.Read More HERE

With it being the 100th anniversary of the First World War I will be posting articles relating to this dreadful period of history.

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

ARGENTINE FORCES INTERROGATE A PENGUIN IN THE FALKLANDS

MILITARY SUNSET

A British Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicle at sunset in Canada.

(Credit) Im British and proud  

BRITISH ARMY BE THE BEST

THE BEST OF THE BRITISH MILITARY

Bernard Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein

MONTY

Falkland Islanders Vote To Remain British

David Cameron demands that Argentina respect the referendum, which saw a massive 99.8% back staying under British rule.David Cameron has demanded that Argentina respect the result of a referendum in the Falklands which saw an overwhelming majority back staying under British rule. Just three voted 'No' in the ballot about remaining a British Overseas Territory, with 99.8% supporting the status quo. International observers ratified the poll, in which 92% of eligible voters - or 1,513 people - took part, as "free and fair" The Prime Minister warned that Argentina should take "careful note" of the result, which he said was the clearest possible message. "The Falkland Islands may be thousands of miles away but they are British through and through. That is how they want to stay," he said. "They want to remain British and that view should be respected by everybody, including by Argentina." Nigel Haywood, governor of the Falkland Islands, added: "You don't get a much clearer expression of the people's self-determination than such a large turn out and such a large yes vote." Argentina has yet to officially react to the referendum but had already dismissed the vote as illegal and "pointless". It claims the people have no voice in deciding what is a dispute about sovereignty that should be resolved directly with Britain. But delighted residents, who sang Land Of Hope And Glory and Rule Britannia after the result, insisted they must be heard. One woman celebrating in Stanley told Sky News: "It sends such a strong message to the world that we've been here for a long time.Read More HERE

No prizes for guessing the result of this referendum, the Argentinians we know wont respect the result as they don't do democracy. Now let this be the end of it, the people have spoken. Its a shame we cant find out who the three `traitors` are and send them on a one way ticket to Argentina.

GUARDIANS OF THE SOMME

THE SOMME

ULSTER IS BRITISH

Roll up for the British Military Tournament

London's Earls Court is gearing up for the return of the British Military Tournament, which opens tonight. At the final dress rehearsal yesterday there was a palpable buzz, with performers across all three Services taking part. Report by Lorraine McBride
Following last year's successful debut, the Tournament will take place this year from 2 to 4 December, with Her Majesty The Queen attending tonight's show.
It brings together all of the best elements of the world-famous Royal Tournament into a new show fit for the 21st century which involves 1,400 participants, 1,000 tonnes of soil, military vehicles, 88 stables and a British Army Apache helicopter Read More HERE  

UBIQUE

Down Town Helmand Province

SEASONS GREETINGS

THE CARRION CROW

TOMMY ATKINS

A message to Obama (Keep your nose out of Britain’s business)

THE FALKLAND ISLANDS IS AND WILL ALWAYS REMAIN 100% BRITISH




Britain can do 'nothing' to prevent Argentina retaking the Falklands