Falkland Islands: Time to disinvite the Argentinians from the London 2012 Olympics?

By
Abhijit Pandya

Last updated at 6:51 PM on 5th February 2012

The respect for territories of other states is fundamental to the security of all nations, and the ability of countries to co-exist in peace. There was nothing wrong with the public protests this week in Argentina regarding the Falkland Islands, people have a general right to protest- albeit it over territory that many Argentinians still regard as being one of disputable ownership.

The protest is timed in the period leading up to the 30th Anniversary of the British-Argentine War over the Islands, a conflict that began when Argentina aggressively and illegally occupied the Falklands in April 1982.

Militant: Protesters hold Argentinian flags and banners with left-wing slogans after Prince William landed in the Falklands yesterday for a six-week mission with the Royal Air Force

Militant: Protesters hold Argentinian flags and banners with left-wing slogans

But what is bizarre, and problematic, is the behaviour and conduct of Argentina’s leading politicians in this run up to the Anniversary. Rather than use this as a period of consolidation of a new relationship or to get over past differences, a renewed and vulgar form of vocal attrition and belligerent threats has been pursued by them.

For example, there are the bizarre comments by the Argentine Vice-President, Amado Boudou this week regarding Prince William’s tour of the Falklands.  Mr. Boudou is convinced that this is a deliberate publicity stunt by UK’s Government to distract from high unemployment and issues about Scottish independence.

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA

Bizarre: Mr. Boudou believes Prince Williams’ tour is a deliberate publicity stunt to distract from domestic issues in the UK

These comments are made shortly after repeated threats by the Argentine President, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner to use her influence amongst other South American states to stop flights to the Falklands.  A British Diplomat has recently said that it is very likely that an Argentine blockade of the Falklands is forthcoming.

Nothing has been said by Argentina so far to deny that it seeks to bring a ban of flights to the Falklands from the neighbouring state of Chile. The Argentine President threatened to do this in a speech to the UN last year unless Britain refused to enter into re-negotiations about the ownership of the Falklands.

Argentinian President Cristina Fernandez Kirchner

It comes amid a diplomatic war of words over renewed Argentinian claims to what it calls Las Malvinas, with David Cameron accusing them of 'colonialism

War of words: Argentina’s president, Cristina Fernandez, has
attacked David Cameron’s ‘colonialism’ statement, saying Britain
didn’t have ‘reasons or arguments’

The Prime Minister’s sending of the Royal Navy’s new Type 45 Destroyer is a prudent move. What would also be worth considering is whether it is worth banning Argentina from the Olympics, staged in London. The spirit that the Olympics embodies is that of human comity and equal respect amongst nations displayed through athletic endeavour.

A nation whose politicians behave in such a prickly, dangerously aggressive way needs to be shown that it is not furthering peace amongst nations in the spirit of the Olympics, but only endangering it.

It is a thought that the Prime Minister may wish to consider if the relationship between our nations in the run up to the Falkland Conflict Anniversary worsens and threats of a blockade persist over the coming months.

Here’s what other readers have said. Why not add your thoughts,
or debate this issue live on our message boards.

The comments below have not been moderated.

I would love it to see the British try uninviting us so the entire planet can have a good laugh on them.
BTW, it will also help promote our cause.
Hernancito

Nearly 800 Argentine volunteers and descendants of Englishmen fought in WWII
The Argentine-British RAF 164 Squadron “flew Firm”
nearly 200 died.
In the Falklands War, many volunteered and were over 60 years, so was born the Phoenix squad, who was playing Leardjet radars flying British, so that the chasing pack of Harriers and could enter the Skyhawk and Mirage. They fought the 2-fold for a cause they considered just.
And answering the “so-called” progress English in Argentina, it is true, but also large landowners invited the aborigines to British barbecues poisoned They had fridges and companies that exploited and repressed workers with Angre and fire strikes.
They are very dear in Argentina

There is simply no comparison between our fighting forces and theirs, they have half of the military strength and outdated equiptment. I think moving Prince William to the island hints at the fact that we will beat them a second time if we have to. The Belgrano is still a political sore spot methinks.
Only an idiot would underestimate the UK military. It is NOT weak, we have one of the largest and most advanced air forces in the world, FAR beyond the likes of Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Paraguay put together. Our military is far more advanced and numerous than theirs. Their planes are decades older than ours, it would be a turkey shoot before they even got onto Falklands soil.
Plus we already have plans laid out to defend the islands (unlike in the 80’s). In fact we weren’t even aware of the islands’ invasion until a day after Argentina took the islands because of poor communications.
Invite them to the Olympics, we’ll beat them without killing anyone. PEACE.

meanwhile the British hockey team is playing in peace in my country now without problems =)

Most average Argentines don’t support the views of their President, though she depends on votes, in a country that has secure walled housing estates with country clubs within.Outside are shanty towns, with little sanitation or services.My father and his brothers volunteered and served in the British Army and RAF, during WW11, like thousands of Argentines of British descent. Argentine schools have taught their children for generations that “Las Malvinas” are Argentine. That is the problem.The railways, the grain export infrastructure, the sanitation, the post offices and the port of Buenos Aires were all built with British investment and have decayed since Peron nationalised them. It’s time that Argentina foccussed on itself and not the the Falklands, where they left a legacy of uncharted minefields and the graves of young men in a pointless exercise of nationalism.Stick to football, again introduced by the British!

Are the Argies trying to Bore us into submission? How can a supposed democracy in the 21st century act as cretinously as this Argentine government? That such a country can brainwash its citizens from school age with a historical inaccuracy to such an extent they all now live their lives believing such crap to be the truth is alarming! The Falklands have never been Argentinian-They’ve been uninhabited and, through Colonialism 200 years or more ago, British, French, Spanish but clearly NEVER Argentinian! There was never an indigenous population that was exterminated or removed from the Islands during the British, French, Spanish occupations (unlike in Argentina!). However in 2012 theres a population born and bred from many generations living on the Falkland Islands. Its their home. Argentina, as Cameron said, are acting like modern day Colonialists, and whilst the fact he said it probably hurt, the truth often does! Grow up and get a grip Argentina!

So we should stoop to Argentinas level? What a stupid idea, would make us seem as petty minded as they are in the eyes of the world

Keep politics out of sport. We sent our team to Moscow in ’80 unlike some, that was the right thing to do imo

We should have built a large military training base, the enviroment is perfect for SAS/SBS training, that would be amazing.
I knew all along we should never have cancelled those destroyers, or mothballed the new air craft carriers, and what a totally stupid situation with them, carrier till 2016..and no planes at all to put on them till 2020..and even then its only 6!!!
If we want to have a voive in the world we need to have a respectable military..then we wouldn’t be getting this complete lack of respect..i dont think we could retake the islands again..

Yes its true, Super powers rise and fall, look at usa falling and China rising, its happening as we speak.

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