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I fully expect that over 95% of Falkland Islanders will vote in favor of remaining a self governing British Overseas Territory. That being said I doubt it will deter Argentina, they have already said that they will not respect the referendum because "the islanders are a colonizing people not indigenous to the islands". IMO the will of the Falkland Islanders is supreme ... if they wish to remain British then the world should respect it and Argentina should buzz off.
It's actually ironic that Argentina keeps accusing the British of "colonialism" when in 1833 Argentina extended little further than the River Plate and the Buenos Aries immediate area ... Argentina did not fully control the modern extent of Argentina until well into the late 1800s and only after brutal conquests of the indigenous peoples in Patagonia (the "Conquest of the Desert" en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conquest_of_the_Desert). Food for thought.
I fully expect that over 95% of Falkland Islanders will vote in favor of remaining a self governing British Overseas Territory. That being said I doubt it will deter Argentina, they have already said that they will not respect the referendum because "the islanders are a colonizing people not indigenous to the islands". IMO the will of the Falkland Islanders is supreme ... if they wish to remain British then the world should respect it and Argentina should buzz off.
It's actually ironic that Argentina keeps accusing the British of "colonialism" when in 1833 Argentina extended little further than the River Plate and the Buenos Aries immediate area ... Argentina did not fully control the modern extent of Argentina until well into the late 1800s and only after brutal conquests of the indigenous peoples in Patagonia (the "Conquest of the Desert" en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conquest_of_the_Desert). Food for thought.
It's not that simple though is it. Why do the majority want to remain British? Because they are!! The native population was ousted (killed) by the occupying country who has populated it since. What a rediculous piece of logic. Do you not even recognize Argentina's claim??
The difference is that Argentina has foundation in its claim on the Falklands - during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1st a treaty designated that the islands would be Spanish territory. She defied this. On independence, Argentina retained its claim on the land and has maintained this ever since. You can't just stick a flag in the ground and then claim the land is yours forever more when it is thousands of miles away from Britain.
It's not simply Argentinian either, but the chest pumping and shallow rhetoric on this thread is pathetic.
It's not that simple though is it. Why do the majority want to remain British? Because they are!! The native population was ousted (killed) by the occupying country who has populated it since. What a rediculous piece of logic. Do you not even recognize Argentina's claim??
There never was a native population pre-colonization population.
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The difference is that Argentina has foundation in its claim on the Falklands - during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1st a treaty designated that the islands would be Spanish territory. She defied this. On independence, Argentina retained its claim on the land and has maintained this ever since. You can't just stick a flag in the ground and then claim the land is yours forever more when it is thousands of miles away from Britain.
Why not? It's had a British government and settlers ever since. It has a stronger claim to be British by that logic, then say Hawaii does for the US.
I would suppose in the 300 years that Britain has controlled Gibraltar they have probably purged the territory of any Iberian or African blood. It's over-all value at one point was that it was a free-port like Ceuta. Today I don't know if that is true or not.
Most the original Spanish inhabitants left after it became British territory. The present inhabitants are descended from other regions of the western Mediterranean and the UK who moved in after it became british. Without having a particular ties to Spain, though most residents speak a form Spanish, and living under British rule for generations, perhaps they see little reason to switch governments.
Most the original Spanish inhabitants left after it became British territory. The present inhabitants are descended from other regions of the western Mediterranean and the UK who moved in after it became british. Without having a particular ties to Spain, though most residents speak a form Spanish, and living under British rule for generations, perhaps they see little reason to switch governments.
So then you are fine with Melilla and Ceuta remaining in Spanish hands? The former became a part of Spain in 1497 and Ceuta has been a part of Spain since 1668. These cities have been in Spanish hands before Gibraltar was ceded to the British in 1713. I mention this because I still hear many people (most of whom do not have a "dog in the race") calling for Spain to return these territories to Morocco becusae it is "colonization" on the part of Spain yet the same people remain mum on the issue of Gibraltar.
So then you are fine with Melilla and Ceuta remaining in Spanish hands? The former became a part of Spain in 1497 and Ceuta has been a part of Spain since 1668. These cities have been in Spanish hands before Gibraltar was ceded to the British in 1713. I mention this because I still hear many people (most of whom do not have a "dog in the race") calling for Spain to return these territories to Morocco becusae it is "colonization" on the part of Spain yet the same people remain mum on the issue of Gibraltar.
Had to look them up, but yes I'm fine with Melilla and Ceuta being in Spanish hands.
Ultimately, the only thing that matters is what the people who live there want.
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