Trouble Brewing in South Atlantic Over Control of Falklands
Ray Walser /
Possession of the Falkland/Malvinas Islands in the South Atlantic is again being disputed. The United Kingdom’s 180-year control over the islands and the will of its English-speaking inhabitants as well as the sacrifice of British blood and treasure that reversed the 1982 Argentine aggression give the UK clear possession of the islands.
Nonetheless, Argentina rejects what it calls “a colonial enclave.” Last year, it laid claim to vast amount of the South American continental shelf.
The current bone of contention involves oil. Exploration begun by British firms this month will assess just how large are deposits locked in waters around the Falklands. Optimists claim figures runs in the tens of billions of barrels, triggering a clash of competing interests in London and Buenos Aires.