Thoughts on the Falklands

Recently there have been some minor diplomatic ripples over the Falkland Islands / Malvinas between the Argentinian government and the UK. It seems that British companies have been making a nuisance of themselves drilling for oil in these disputed waters and not everyone thinks that this is cricket.

The British government line is that the Falkland Islanders want to be British and so they shall be. It is simply a coincidence that they are parked on top of the most valuable resource in the world, but as they are that's ours too.

Falklands oil is culturally British and the most patriotic oil you might be able to imagine. So we'll set up our oil rigs where we like.

However, I have a compromise position that is bound to please everyone. The Falkland Islanders want to be British? Well, that's fine, they can stay that way - self determination and all that. Argentina can have the oil - which has no views on what nation should own it and is geographically far closer to them than us. That's fair isn't it?

After all the British government only cares about the rights of the people - every statement they make is on that very subject, and they skirt meticulously round the subject of the black greasy stuff - the only conclusion I can draw is that this is an issue they care nothing about.