'The Falklands are Argentinian,' declares Milei

[u/BarbaricOklahoma]

https://news.sky.com/story/falkland-islands-latest-argentinian-president-javier-milei-to-make-national-address-after-trump-suggests-us-wouldnt-back-uk-13580943

[u/Stargost_]

There's a funny pattern here where you can directly correlate the state of our economy with how much the president is talking about those islands. The more they talk about it, the worse we are.

[u/Anaptyso → u/Stargost_]

It's been a consistent pattern for decades now. The Argentinian economy goes to shit, and so they start talking nonsense about the Falklands to distract people.

[u/DenRay4 → u/Anaptyso]

Oh that's a brilliant tactic. I am gonna copy that.

So here is the thing: my personal finances could be better, so in order to distract the bank and the collection guys, i am declaring the Falklands as my personal territory. I repeat: The Falklands are mine!

[u/Libarate → u/DenRay4]

Good news. You are as able to take them as Argentina is. And you have about as much right too them. Look at you go!

[u/ours → u/Libarate]

Asks bank for a loan extension to finance an amphibious assault

[u/Jottor → u/Libarate]

I'm sure the Falklanders would overwhelmingly vote for /u/DenRay4 as their new leader over Milei.

[u/Semichh → u/Stargost_]

Am I right in thinking that that is basically why Argentina even attempted to take them in the first place? Everything was going down the pan and they wanted an “easy” win for the gov, foolishly not expecting the British to try and take it back right?

[u/JoeBagadonut → u/Semichh]

That’s exactly right. They doubted the British willpower and capability to launch a military option to retake an “insignificant” group of islands on the other side of the planet.

Unfortunately for Argentina, they miscalculated and Margaret Thatcher seized upon it as a chance to turn around her flagging polling numbers.

I do think Argentina would have had a much better chance of gaining ownership of the Falklands if they stuck to diplomacy. Instead, their war served to galvanise most Brits and the vast majority of people here now strongly believe in retaining the islands at whatever cost.

[u/Emperor_Biden → u/Stargost_]

Is this because the UK didn't sent their navy to help Trump, right after he insulted them?

[u/X-V-W → u/Emperor_Biden]

That, and the fact that Milei seems to manipulate Trump like a puppet simply by having his head rammed deep into his rear.

[u/MachineGunBanned → u/X-V-W]

Nah Thiel is doing it through Vance

He lives in Argentina now

[u/PiotrekDG → u/MachineGunBanned]

Thiel running off to Argentina? That's... very much in character.

[u/Mental-Feed-1030 → u/MachineGunBanned]

There’s a lot of room on the islands for AI datacentres.

[u/monstercoo → u/Emperor_Biden]

Nah the Trump administration has been colluding with Milei since before the war

[u/Gingerpanda72 → u/Stargost_]

Everyrime in recent history when things are not looking good for the Argentinian leader they drag out the Falklands to try and stir up the people and distract them, tRump actually bombs people, Argentina starts sabre rattling over the Falklands. The one time they did attack they sent the lowest quality of soldier (keeping the best ones back to protect themselves at home) to sacrifice on the alter of their ego. How Argentinan people fall for this each time is shocking!

[u/Moeen_Ali → u/Stargost_]

I feel for the average citizen over there. I'm not getting into a debate about ownership as we will likely never agree but I suspect the average person in Argentina is thinking about a million other things before the Falkland Islands on a day-to-day basis.

Not sure if Milei feels emboldened to talk like this at all because of Trump but he is shortly to be a lame duck president and is also famously unreliable.

[u/kaaz54 → u/Moeen_Ali]

You don't need to feel bad for the Argentines, they're the ones who allow this distraction to work in the first place. Every time their incompetent leaders say stupid shit like this, they line up behind them and agree. They still see themselves as victims in a situation where they are the aggressors, rather than demand that their governments let useless distractions like this go.

It's actually impressive: not only have they have managed to find a situation where the British are in the right, they still feel the need to pretend to be the victims of colonialism, while their nation is built on aggressive genocide, carried out decades after even they claim to have had the Falklands.

[u/70stang → u/Moeen_Ali]

I feel for the average citizen over there. I'm not getting into a debate about ownership as we will likely never agree

The only issue with this is that the last time this was adjudicated in a political sense, basically the entirety of the Falklands chose to be British. This was in 2013, with 92% of registered voters voting, where of those 92% of voters the "pro UK" side was 99.8% of the population. The "go to Argentina" side was 0.2%, a whopping 3 total votes. Yeah, 3 human beings out of all the Falklands with a 92% voter turnout.

Edit: I have no dog in this fight, I'm just providing factual voting records.
If things have changed so radically in the Falklands in basically a decade, throw another referendum out there. I don't give a fuck. Choose to be Argentinian, it won't impact me for more than about 5 seconds of reading the headline and going "interesting."

[u/GaptistePlayer → u/70stang]

Yup lol. Basically in several centuries and since the discovery of the islands, Argentinians have never lived there. Not even indigenous ones.

[u/Kandiru → u/GaptistePlayer]

If any colonial wrong is to be righted, most of the Argentinians should go back to Spain/Italy and let the indigenous ones have their country back.

[u/jflb96 → u/70stang]

Also, one of those three did it solely because he thought that otherwise it would be 100% for remaining British

[u/stig1103]

This did not end well for the Argentinians last time.

[u/skrutnizer → u/stig1103]

That was dumb. All they had to do was wait until the UK didn't care anymore.

[u/Whirlpoolcircle56 → u/skrutnizer]

Yeah Britain made large infrastructure investments after the war which doubled their population. They could have wait a while longer and probably got it when almost nobody lived there in a decade or two.

[u/catdogman5 → u/Whirlpoolcircle56]

Why would no one live there in a decade? 

[u/Inside-Associate-729 → u/catdogman5]

Its population has been steadily declining. Not a lot of opportunities for young people. Most go to the UK or elsewhere for university and few ever come back.

[u/code_archeologist → u/Inside-Associate-729]

Then they discovered oil under the islands...

[u/Medallicat → u/code_archeologist]

”what, I said uh what now? Oil you say?” Uncle Sam.

[u/ampsuu → u/Medallicat]

They are called American Islands now.

[u/nehibu → u/ampsuu]

You are joking, but Trump already made hints that he thinks he should control the Falklands

[u/DapperPainter2371 → u/nehibu]

At this point I’m sincerely wondering if “think” is the correct verb

[u/MintyMarlfox → u/nehibu]

Luckily the UK doesn’t need to listen to him

[u/ReplacementFeisty397 → u/nehibu]

He can't even control his bowels

[u/hraun → u/catdogman5]

Shackleton described life there as “mainly consisting of walks from the cemetery to the abattoir and back”

My brother was stationed there with the Navy a few years ago and said it hasn’t improved much since then.

[u/Standin373 → u/hraun]

My uncle was stationed there said he's never had better peace and quiet on his off days, different strokes for different blokes i guess.

[u/saxonturner → u/Whirlpoolcircle56]

They were in the process of just giving them to the Argentinians before the war, most people knew nothing about them. All the Argentinians had to do was wait.

[u/Fenris_uy → u/skrutnizer]

They are going to start drilling for oil from the seas around the islands this year. So the UK is going to care for the next 30 years at least.

[u/RedditPoster05 → u/Fenris_uy]

They’ve been caring for years. They immediately leased out fishing right after the war.

[u/Forsaken_Locksmith_9 → u/Fenris_uy]

It’s a crown principality I think not a colony

All revenue goes to the Falkland people, not London

[u/escapedfromhel → u/skrutnizer]

The UK wasn't particularly bothered beforehand given that there were discussions about selling, leasing wth with the then Argentine Junta which had the bright idea of invading it while the Iron Lady was unpopular. This should be sorted when the Falklanders buy Argentina using all the oil money they'll be earning. Renaming Argentina to Lesser Falklands, of course.

[u/xX609s-hartXx → u/skrutnizer]

That's one reason why they did it. They thought Britain wouldn't care enough to actually launch a military response.

[u/Mission_Island_6657 → u/xX609s-hartXx]

No. A politician was in trouble and fell back on trying to bury his troubles behind war. It didn't work out.

[u/Rich-Badger-7601 → u/Mission_Island_6657]

Now wait there just a minute....

[u/DunkBird → u/Rich-Badger-7601]

It... just seems so familiar.... man would could it be?

[u/Comfortable_Skill298 → u/Mission_Island_6657]

Yeah but they also thought Britain wouldn't care. They obviously wouldn't have done that if they thought Britain would respond since Britain responding became a bigger crisis for the leader than his other troubles.

[u/RedditPoster05 → u/Comfortable_Skill298]

Well unlucky for him thatcher was also dealing with some small unpopularity and the war really helped her out.

[u/LogicNeedNotApply → u/Mission_Island_6657]

Coincidentally, Thatcher also needed something to boost her popularity, and Galtieri goes and does something stupid like declare war.

[u/tdrules → u/LogicNeedNotApply]

And it worked. Michael Foot’s speech on the Falklands was his finest hour.

[u/RedofPaw → u/tdrules]

It did work. I might not like thatcher, abd indeed many still don't. Burnham for instance.

But I will respect her for defending the people who lived there, and I am sure even Burnham will give her respect for it also.

[u/cruiserman_80 → u/skrutnizer]

A deeply unpopular govt needed a patriotic win right then to distract from domestic issues like out of control inflation and cost of living pressures. Unfortunately for them, the Thatcher govt in the UK was in exactly the same situation and couldn't afford the backlash from losing to Argentina.

It's no different today except it's Iranian and Venezuelan oil and Epstein files.

[u/Psybeam60 → u/cruiserman_80]

It was a bit more than inflation and cost of living.

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

[u/cyanawesome → u/skrutnizer]

They thought they had 😢

[u/count023 → u/cyanawesome]

yea, but they jumped the gun, give it another 6 months and thatcher would have sold the falklands off, same as she was doing to all the other british institutions at the time.

[u/Demostravius4 → u/count023]

Eh. Unclear, the UK gov would still likely have actually asked the islanders.

[u/RaidoFehu9 → u/skrutnizer]

Dictatorships aren’t known for being rational and levelheaded.

[u/Gomnanas → u/stig1103]

The Argentinians thought that America would be against the UK sending their military to defend their territory, because mostly America were very against the old colonial powers doing similar in the post ww2 era. But they very much miscalculated how strong the USA-UK alliance was. The USA did kind of try to stop the UK from taking action at the beginning, but they actually ended up supporting the Brits with intel etc. It was a massive political gambit from Argentina.

This time however, I actually could see the USA backing up Argentina...

[u/Venturis_Ventis → u/Gomnanas]

I think Milei's bet is that his unending sycophancy of Trump will pay out in that matter. My bet is that he'll be sorely disappointed.

[u/barbariccomplexity → u/Venturis_Ventis]

“Congratulations, the US has elected not to interfere in your war with the UK and her other allies!”

[u/sab222 → u/barbariccomplexity]

Trump will absolutely support Argentina. By posting mean things about the UK after its over.

Edit also no matter what happens he will claim he stopped or prevented another war.

[u/Pdx_pops → u/sab222]

Don't forget some AI bullshit with capybaras in hats going up against some kind of boiled cabbages

[u/TinyFugue → u/sab222]

Trump will use support for the UK as a bargaining chip. He'll offer support in exchange for UK supporting a US bid for Greenland.

[u/Neceon → u/Venturis_Ventis]

I am fairly certain that the UK would still curb stomp Argentina in a fight.

[u/Ildskalli → u/Neceon]

You can be entirely certain, Argentina doesn't have a functional navy. Or army.

[u/zaevilbunny38 → u/Neceon]

They would, Argentina hasn't rebuilt it's forces. Plus it has no answer the F-35. They would only know it's around when shit starts to blow up

[u/Imperium_Dragon → u/zaevilbunny38]

Even the Eurofighters they have would be more than enough.

[u/Hail-Hydrate → u/Imperium_Dragon]

The missile armament the UK's Typhoons use, the Meteor, has a longer range than the radar systems the Argentinian airforce employ in their aircraft.

The policy for the islands by the British since the last war has been to maintain a garrison force large enough to be capable of fighting off an invasion by themselves. If the Argentine military were to try launching an attack again, it would be a massacre.

[u/GrandOldCheese → u/Hail-Hydrate]

2 Fast 2 Belgrano

[u/LeafsWinBeforeIDie → u/Imperium_Dragon]

Their 1982 air force would probably still win.

[u/shade-block → u/Venturis_Ventis]

He doesn't know that loyalty is one sided with the guy. He isn't loyal to his underlings and will throw them under the bus if it's convenient.

[u/dandorios → u/Gomnanas]

Verbal support doesnt matter. The US is not going to attack the UK, and Argentina dont have a military capable of taking the Falklands. Its just saber rattling.

[u/got_to_laugh → u/dandorios]

Correct. Argentina was effectively sanctioned in international arms deals by the UK until recently. They only got modern F16 jets a couple years ago and still use the FAL rifle(the SLR the British used before the current SA80 which is about to be replaced).

No way are they mounting an invasion. Their military is very old and outdated at all levels.

[u/Mistral-Fien → u/got_to_laugh]

Didn't one of their submarines sank with all hands lost almost a decade ago? Do they even have any working ones?

[u/lyonellaughingstorm → u/Mistral-Fien]

Buddy they don’t even have a working economy. Working submarines are a fantasy for them

[u/BobsBreadsticks → u/got_to_laugh]

They also only have 6 f16s vs the uks 47 f35bs lol

[u/Impressive-Potato → u/BobsBreadsticks]

The Eurofighter Typhoons ( 4 on the island) would wipe out the F16s.

[u/Fordmister → u/Gomnanas]

It doesn't really matter, the Falklands are so tied up in Britains recent cultural memory that any British government is going to defend them like a rabid wild animal.

It doesn't really matter what Trump does or doesn't do, the royal navy and RAF will respond with full force if the islands are actually threatened. Any British government couldn't afford not to. The domestic political pressure alone would be overwhelming.

[u/TMC_Data → u/Fordmister]

British attitude towards the Falklands before 1982 ==> of no geographical or economical value and too much of a diplomatic liability to be worth the effort of keeping them

British attitude towards the Falklands after 1982 ==> none of that matters anymore, we paid for those islands with the blood of our own soldiers and will never let go of them.

[u/das_masterful → u/TMC_Data]

Exactly this. The UK had quite a few servicemen KIA in the Falklands war. AFAIK they're buried there too. The UK is never going to give them up.

[u/LesserShambler → u/das_masterful]

Add to that footage going out on the evening news of horrifically injured soldiers being carried off burning ships. That’s still a raw memory for that generation.

[u/Hail-Hydrate → u/das_masterful]

Over 200 KIA if memory serves, plus a significant number of wounded.

[u/pingmr → u/Fordmister]

In 50 years time, it's probably more likely that the Falklands is still part of the UK, compared to... Northern Ireland.

[u/LesserShambler → u/pingmr]

Honestly at this point most English people probably care more about keeping the Falklands than keeping NI in the Union.

[u/KinkyPaddling → u/Gomnanas]

King Charles will invite the entire Trump family to a royal dinner honoring Trump, and just like that, Trump will direct American forces to support the UK, just like how Reagan allowed American bases to be used as way stations for the Royal Navy.

[u/DocB630 → u/KinkyPaddling]

The fact that this is beyond plausible and actually probable is horrifying. Play to his vanity and you can play him like a fiddle.

[u/Imperium_Dragon → u/DocB630]

Yeah he favors the most recent person to gift him something or kiss ass, as seen by the meetings he had with Zelensky and Putin a while back.

[u/Heapifying → u/Gomnanas]

In argentina it was seen as a desperate attempt to unite the country against a common external enemy.

The government at the time was a military non-democratic junta that ruled with state terrorism, so they needed something to keep it going

[u/solataraxia → u/Gomnanas]

This time however, I actually could see the USA backing up Argentina...

the US over recent months has already changed its tune on the issue which is likely what prompted this statement.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7454003/2026/07/18/white-house-argentina-falklands-world-cup-free-speech/

[u/Yo-3 → u/stig1103]

They will not do anything. It is just populism as always

[u/nikolaibk → u/stig1103]

I don't understand why this is news. Literally all argentinian presidents declared the same while on duty. Why is this one special?

[u/cjcs → u/nikolaibk]

Because Trump has been making comments about potentially not supporting the UK in a conflict. I don’t think that makes conflict all that likely, but it’s certainly likelier than any time in recent history.

[u/Erdosign → u/stig1103]

I'm of the opinion they should have just offered to buy them and pitched it to Thatcher as "shrinking the welfare rolls."

[u/hbnyc → u/stig1103]

💯 Brits where there way before argentina. Lol

[u/dafinsrock]

"Michael, you can't just say you own the Falklands and expect anything to happen."

"I didn't say it. I declared it."

[u/SomeIdea_UK]

"It's worth remembering Argentina has never had sovereignty over the Falklands. The British claim predates the country of Argentina."

Fuck off Milei. Fuck off Trump.

[u/Intentioned-Help-607]

In the last Falkland referendum, 99.8% of Falklanders voted to remain a British Overseas Territory, with a 92% voter turn out.

That should be the end of it for at least a generation or two.

Fuck Milei and Fuck Trump.

[u/nevershockasystole → u/Intentioned-Help-607]

Wasn’t it literally one vote that said join Argentina and the guy did it on purpose because he felt that if the result was 100 percent people would claim it was fraudulent?

[u/Boring_Ad_8763 → u/nevershockasystole]

It was 3 people, one person who thought 100% yes would be fraud, another person who wanted an independent Falklands and voted Argentina as a protest, and a 3rd person who has never been identified

[u/4_max_4 → u/Boring_Ad_8763]

third person sounds like an undercover penguin to me

[u/Ornery_Gate_6847 → u/4_max_4]

I can believe there's at least one idiot on the island

[u/wild_card2804 → u/Ornery_Gate_6847]

I'd argue two idiots, because how the hell do you expect to become independent as a small island in the south atlantic and maintain any semblance of economic security.

Edit: Geography

[u/Captain_d00m → u/wild_card2804]

Even still, only two idiots? I see two idiots every morning when I look in the mirror (double vision)

[u/twobit211 → u/4_max_4]

“got any fish?”

[u/forseti99 → u/twobit211]

Then he waddled away, waddle waddle, 'til the very next day.

[u/GoodOldSlippinJimmy → u/4_max_4]

That's ridiculous. 3 penguins in a trenchcoat is a much more likely scenario.

[u/mo140 → u/Boring_Ad_8763]

Just to clarify, the vote against UK rule wasn't necessarily a vote for Argentina. The referendum was whether or not to stay under British rule, not whether or not to join Argentina

You are right about the first 2. The third guy ive only heard rumours about, one being that he did it as a joke to wind up his wife, the other being that he misunderstood the question

[u/MilesSebastian → u/mo140]

If my screw up of a vote became a source of international speculation, I'd keep very quiet about it.

[u/sammyslug13 → u/Boring_Ad_8763]

Lol what if the 3rd person just fucked up their ballot and has been to embarrassed to admit it

[u/Everestkid → u/sammyslug13]

There was an invalid ballot where someone both ticked "yes" and crossed "no." The intent was clearly for "yes," but the directions clearly stated to only mark one option.

There was also a blank ballot.

[u/drainconcept → u/sammyslug13]

Or they didn’t know they messed up.

[u/thehighshibe → u/Boring_Ad_8763]

IIRC the third person did it as a joke to wind up his wife

[u/Zestyclose-End-6622 → u/Boring_Ad_8763]

I've heard that the third guy was apparently voting to spite his wife but I cannot find anything to support that claim.

[u/Additional_Meeting_2 → u/Intentioned-Help-607]

Argentina doesn’t even have good historical claim to the islands. They are just close to Argentina 

[u/_MooFreaky_ → u/Additional_Meeting_2]

Their claim is essentially the same as Trump's with Greenland. It's nearby and I want it.

[u/Needs_a_shit → u/_MooFreaky_]

Kinda recall an Austrian man with this mentality…

[u/Overlord3445 → u/Additional_Meeting_2]

Ironically, France has more claims than Argentina

[u/BronzePickerel → u/Intentioned-Help-607]

Messi has retired so they have nothing left. Shame

[u/pwnd32 → u/BronzePickerel]

people can finally stop caring for the Argentina team out of obligation

[u/Kundrew1 → u/Intentioned-Help-607]

Isn't the vast majority of the Falkland population of British descent?

[u/advocatus_diabolii → u/Kundrew1]

There is no native population, it was uninhabited when Europeans arrived. The French and English both settled around the same time (1765 and 1766) without realizing each other was there. Then the Spanish took over from the French and fought with the English for control until the Napoleonic Wars when both withdrew. The English returned in 1833.

[u/DieAnotherDay1985]

While the UK isn't as mighty as they once were I would assume they would still smack Argentina around.

[u/BrotherEstapol → u/[deleted]]

It would be nice to see some Argentines calling out this for what it is; a populist trying to distract the electorate. It's not a viable option to try and take the Falklands, and it would be a disaster if they tried.

[u/msymmetric01 → u/BrotherEstapol]

they are batshit about these islands, man. Absolutely nutty. 

[u/wellwood_allgood → u/BrotherEstapol]

You got as much chance of that happening as getting Russians to criticise Putin. It's not in their nature.

[u/hawkseye17 → u/DieAnotherDay1985]

Does Argentina even have a navy anymore that isn't a bunch of rusty old boats?

[u/statcaffeinebolus → u/hawkseye17]

the Argentinian military is absolutely dismal.

[u/PembyVillageIdiot → u/statcaffeinebolus]

The uk rightfully gets a lot of flack for the state of its general military. But they have some very valuable eggs in a few small baskets still. The Argentina military doesn’t even have baskets to put the eggs they don’t have into anymore

[u/nomad-mr_t → u/hawkseye17]

Milei has licked Trump's boots so thoroughly that he likely expects the US to support his claim before the midterms.

[u/Ovze → u/nomad-mr_t]

Of course Trump has never turn his back against his allies, right? RIGHT?!

Anyone fool enough to trust Trump gonna do something and act accordingly deserves getting their back stabbed

[u/hellranger788 → u/DieAnotherDay1985]

Plus pretty sure the island has gotten alot more teeth added to it.

[u/CHawkeye → u/hellranger788]

In 1982, the Argentinian navy and army was poor but of some size to do the falklands and the British had barely any military presence on the island

Today, the Argentine military is even worse, and the British have a significant advancement in technology, and a military base with permanent eurofighter jet deployment there, a military garrison and a sky sabre air defence network which is publicly known of. (There will be other stuff).

It would not end well for Argentina (again)

[u/stevew14 → u/CHawkeye]

There is also a decent chance that a submarine is in the area.

[u/Beer-Milkshakes → u/stevew14]

There are constantly British Navy in the Caribbean so yeah, good chance.

[u/statcaffeinebolus → u/DieAnotherDay1985]

the British military presence in the Falklands is more significant now than it was then. the only way Argentina is getting the Falklands is if the US provides direct military assistance.

[u/AI_moderated_failure → u/DieAnotherDay1985]

I'm not sure Argentina could even afford the fuel to go there, so, yes.

[u/filipv → u/DieAnotherDay1985]

One could argue the UK, as far as the amount and quality of kit it can bring, is mightier than it was the last time Argentina tried to take the Falklands.

They now have super-modern carriers, AWACSes, fancy subs, the Harriers were replaced by stealthy F-35s, there are long-legged superfast Typhoon interceptors stationed there... I'd argue that today the UK could defeat Argentine much more quickly and painlessly.

Britain doesn't need to recreate the 1982 campaign at all. The permanent Typhoon presence, modern radar, SAMs, naval forces, SSNs, intelligence and long-range airlift mean Argentina would have a much harder time achieving the initial surprise and local air superiority that made the 1982 invasion possible in the first place.

[u/goatman72 → u/DieAnotherDay1985]

They are far more powerful than in 1982. It would be an absolute massacre. Argentina wouldn’t even be able to get anywhere near the islands.

[u/IncoherentMutterer]

Just for that Argentina now belongs to the Falklands.

[u/defroach84 → u/IncoherentMutterer]

You gotta write an executive order for it to be true

[u/lawlesstoast → u/defroach84]

Quick! Pass them a napkin to jot on!

[u/rdmarshman → u/defroach84]

As of today we're renaming the Argentine sea, it's now the Falklands sea. 

[u/SillyDingo4881 → u/IncoherentMutterer]

Argentina... you mean Lesser Falkland Mainland

[u/fistular → u/IncoherentMutterer]

Just rename it West Falklands.

[u/Pablo_is_on_Reddit]

oh not this silliness again

[u/Software_Dependent]

"Milei begins his statement by clearly outlining his view on the Falkland Islands, insisting the territory is Argentinean.

"The Falklands are Argentinean. Historically and legally. There can be no argument. They are part of the Argentine territory," he says. "

"Historically and legally."

No they weren't ever.

"There can be no argument"

There was, and you lost. What is wrong with these idiots?

[u/BungholeBilbo69 → u/Software_Dependent]

Lmao what history could he possible be referring to?? That territory has never, ever been a part of Argentina. That statement is absolutely baffling

[u/xternocleidomastoide → u/Software_Dependent]

It is part of the Argentine government playbook: when domestic policy goes to shit, manufacture nationalist fervor around either (a) their soccer team or (b) resurrect the specter of the Falklands or (c) increase tension with Chile or Brazil.

Argentina’s economy basically collapsed, their currency is practically worthless, and since Plan A didn't go well at this World Cup, Milei is predictably reaching for Plan B and Plan C.

A lot of conditions seem reminiscent of the right wing military dictatorship, the junta exploited the 78 World Cup (which they likely bought) as a nationalist spectacle while the country’s economic and social conditions deteriorated. By 82, things had become so bad that they launched a half assed invasion of the Falklands in an attempt to recover domestic legitimacy.

The present circumstances are obviously not identical, but the political reflex is remarkably similar: when domestic credibility evaporates, distract the public with sports or manufacture unity around an external dispute. Milei's government is also raisin territorial disputes with Chile currently as well.

Honestly, Argentina has been managed so catastrophically for nearly a century that its continued existence as a functioning country almost qualifies as a miracle.

[u/Antique_Eye_3200 → u/Software_Dependent]

Fake it till you make it. It’s worked brilliantly for Trump, so Milei figures he might as well give it a shot.

[u/OozeNAahz → u/Software_Dependent]

I mean we have Trump that demands Greenland because “fuck you that’s why”. Not to mention Canada, and evidently the Straight of Hormuz now? Which the last he wants to rename because he can’t remember the name of it.

[u/wufnu → u/Software_Dependent]

My understanding is that they whip this issue out when they need to drum up support after a bunch of fails.

[u/ludicrous_socks → u/wufnu]

A good barometre for the health of the Argentine economy is how much their leaders are bleating about the Falklands

Lots of "los malvinas son Argentina" = bad news for the peso

[u/colepercy120 → u/Software_Dependent]

Nationalists be nationalists, and theoretically the islands were Argentine for a few months in 1832 and 33, after the british abandoned them, but the modern population is entirely british.

[u/Yuukiko_ → u/colepercy120]

Weren't the Falklands never populated in the first place before the British got there?

[u/colepercy120 → u/Yuukiko_]

Yes, but the british never populated them either, they just dropped a plaque saying it was theres and left. The first people to actually colonize it were the French, who then gave it to the Spanish as part of a treaty, then britian tried to settle it but pulled out due to strain from the american revolution.

Following the war the Spanish Empire collapsed and pulled their people there back to Uruguay and the islands were mainly populated by american whalers, then the newly declared Argentina came in and seized the islands to regulate the Americans, which britian got mad at and then seized the islands.

Really the islands have been passed around so many times that practically every power in the region at one point controlled them and could make a claim to them, britian was just the most recent

[u/bamadeo → u/colepercy120]

Argentina also claims to have inherited them for being the succesor state of the Spanish viceroyalty that owned them with the French treaty.

[u/Everestkid → u/colepercy120]

There are also claims from the Argentines that the British expelled those on the islands. This is a lie; there is written proof that the Brits never did so.

[u/ricky_clarkson → u/Everestkid]

The Brits expelled the Argentine military, but allowed civilians to choose whether to remain.

[u/raven1121]

Soo im guessing the Argentinian economy is especially shit this quarter?

[u/captHij → u/raven1121]

Waving a flag and airing old grievances is the highest form of diversion parasitism patriotism. See also creating imaginary scapegoats.

[u/jgmu17 → u/captHij]

Losing conflicts and imploding the economy is the oldest form of Argentine patriotism 

[u/Betta_Check_Yosef → u/raven1121]

Well, Messi was the best thing they had going, and he just retired. So, yeah, shit is pretty bleak for them right now

[u/DOSFS → u/raven1121]

Pretty much, GDP number isn't great, foreign investment didn't tick up as they hope and inflation went back to average of previous govs (and he already cut many social supports).

[u/SheilaFudge]

Pipe down, sideburns.

[u/Zadiath]

He didn't gave a fuck about the islands before he was elected, said that we lost them in the war and admired Tatcher. This is a political nothing burger.

[u/Dragonfly_pin]

I remember when he said he respected Margaret Thatcher and would never question the British on the Falkland Islands.

And so lots of right-wing British people were loudly fans of his, supported him and thought he was going to be amazing.

From the people who brought you Brexit, another amazing success. 

[u/BungholeBilbo69 → u/Dragonfly_pin]

Funny how shit changes once their economy took a nosedive and he needed to redirect their anger to someone else lol

[u/CharlieW74]

Don't make us tell you again that they aren't

[u/PrestondeTipp → u/CharlieW74]

He could also ask all the people who live there, who, during referendums, overwhelming vote in favour of remaining in the UK

[u/CharlieW74 → u/PrestondeTipp]

He, and the Argentinian people know the answer to this, doesn't matter to them. Time is ripe for him to regurgitate this crap, since the orange prick in the white house is stirring shit up.

Well done maga.

[u/CliffBiffington]

Trump proved you can just say something is yours and google and apple will allow it.

[u/launchedsquid]

How to know when Argentina's economy is terrible, they start talking about the Falklands.

[u/UnsavoryBiscuit]

Wasn't the Falklands a British territory before Argentina was even a country? :/

[u/AlanPartrid → u/UnsavoryBiscuit]

yes the whole thing is absolutely fucking absurd. embarrassing stuff but that's argentina for you

[u/redheadedandbold]

What do you want to bet Trump had a hand somewhere in this decision?

[u/Conscious_Quality803]

There's only three reasons Milei would day this: the Argentinian economy is about to tank hard, Trump has decided the UK is his next target after Canada, or Milei has gone completely insane. Most likely it's all three.

[u/Ok-Currency1593]

Despite Argentinian's not living there?

[u/lyonellaughingstorm → u/Ok-Currency1593]

*Despite Argentinians never having lived there aside from a brief, illegal settlement

[u/m3rcapto]

"Argentina is Spanish" declares Spain.

[u/tecdaz]

The eternal refrain of the failing right-wing government

[u/nonoanddefinitelyno]

"The Cayman Islands are nonoanddefinitelynos,", declares nonoanddefinitelyno.

[u/Ewan_Oozarmy]

Britain laid claim to the Falkland Islands in 1690. Argentina didn’t exist until 1816

[u/-_GIZMO_]

I guess things back home ain't doing so well

[u/spiraldive87]

As an Irish guy I really, really don’t want to be aligning with the Brits on territorial disputes but the Argentinians are forcing me into that predicament.

This shit is so fucking dumb and it’s insane how many otherwise rational Argentinians think this kind of nonsense. When you’re there it’s mad how prevalent this gripe is in their head. Definition of living rent free.

[u/cm974 → u/spiraldive87]

You know it’s a clear cut case when the Irish are agreeing with the British over a territorial dispute…

[u/Semi-Pro-Narcissist → u/spiraldive87]

As a gesture of good will, you can have Rockall 6 months of the year!

[u/Difficult_Survey5063]

Ah yes, I’m sure the minuscule horribly outdated Argentine navy and Air Force stand a chance against the comparatively large, modern, and well equipped Royal Navy and RAF.

I’m sure those Astute class fleet submarines alone would love to engage some nice easy targets in any attempted invasion.

[u/One-Bird-8961]

Didn't win the world cup, start a war. Another stupid world leader.

[u/Hempy2013]

Of all the bullshit colonial shenanigans that went down the last few centuries the Falklands are the least problematic. Before Europeans settled those rocks it was only inhabited by Penguins.

Now if the Penguins start having a problem with the status quo we can talk, until then they seem content doing Penguin shit.

[u/BlunanNation → u/Hempy2013]

The Penguins actually are quite content with the current arrangements they have. The areas of the Falklands they inhabit are conservation areas and they are a protected species.

I can assume they would like things to remain unchanged.

[u/Caltastrophe]

They say this all the time because it rallies the Argentian nationalists to their vote.

Invading the Falklands would be an insane and brain dead move on Argentina's part, and it'd go about as well as it did last time (which is to say: not well at all).

[u/Illustrious-Wave-794]

If Argentina tries to take the falklands again, this time the UK should do an uno reverse and just take Argentina. I’d have a giggle at that.

[u/LFClight → u/Illustrious-Wave-794]

They don't want all that debt

[u/Important-Today4119]

Not even those that live there want to be argentinian lmao

[u/RaiseWide5460]

Ummm . . . I believe if Meili bothers to check he will find that someone said that to the British a few years ago and the British disagreed. Rather energetically.

[u/Monkeyfeng]

Another proof that economy is going to shit, more distractions!

[u/bankybanker]

This is to draw the UK into a war with Argentina over the faulklands so it weakens their ability to defend against an attack from Russia. Trump is doing Russias biding against one of our strongest allies… I’m ashamed and disgusted

[u/KataqNarayan → u/bankybanker]

Don’t worry, the UKs garrison and 4 euro fighter jets stationed on the islands are currently enough to handle anything the argies can send.

[u/AcquaintanceLog]

So... things going bad at home in Argentina then?

[u/mohosa63224]

Didn't the people of the Falklands overwhelmingly vote in a referendum in 2013 to remain a British Overseas Territory?

[u/huseynli]

Why do Argentinians even care about Falklands? They have patagonia, the most beautiful place on earth and they are selling it...