Falkland War Files Released

Falklands Invasion 'Surprised' Thatcher -- BBC

The 1982 invasion of the Falkland Islands by Argentina caught Margaret Thatcher by surprise, newly released government papers have shown.

The then-prime minister only saw it was likely after getting "raw intelligence" two days before the Argentines landed.

Papers released under the 30-year rule show Mrs Thatcher was acutely worried about retaking the islands.

One historian said the documents were among the "most powerful material" declassified in the last three decades.

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More News On The Release of The Falkland War Files

Thatcher papers: 'worst moment' of her life -- Bloomberg Businessweek/AP
Falklands telegrams reveal UK response to invasion -- BBC
Thatcher was ready for Falkland Islands deal, National Archives papers show -- The Guardian
Secret UK files lift lid on Thatcher-Reagan Falklands contacts -- Reuters
Britain's approach on the Falklands: neglect and hope for the best -- The Guardian
Documents reveal US-UK split over South Georgia landing -- ITV
Reagan pleaded with Thatcher not to retake Falklands -- Financial Times
Haig Wanted to Tell Argentina U.K.’s Falklands Plans -- Bloomberg Businessweek
How US nearly betrayed us to the enemy: Secretary of State threatened to tell Argentina British troops were landing on South Georgia -- Daily Mail
Maggie's war with treacherous Mitterrand over Exocet missile: Archive files reveal relationship with France was stretched to breaking point -- Daily Mail
Thatcher urged to steal French-made Exocet missiles during Falklands war -- The Guardian
British government considered pulling out of 1982 World Cup as Falklands war broke out, archive files reveal -- Daily Mail

My Comment: When the Falklands War broke out I asked my father and his war buddies (my father and his buddies were World War II vets who fought on the Soviet side) who did they think was going to win. Their answer was immediate and unanimous and their rational was the following .... the British military is a military force that has been fighting wars for centuries, while the Argentinians had zero experience on how to fight against a professional military. They gave the Argentinians two to three months before they would capitulate. They were right .... the war lasted 74 days.

Remebering The Sinking Of The Belgrano

The sinking of the Belgrano was seized upon by anti-war foes of Margaret Thatcher, the prime minister Photo: AP

Thirty Years On, Argentine Survivors Of The Belgrano Sinking Recall The Moment Falklands War Erupted Around Them -- The Telegraph

It may be 30 years since the Argentine cruiser Belgrano was sunk in the first British attack of the Falklands war, but for survivors it might have been yesterday.

It was perhaps the most controversial episode of the Falklands War and brought its single heaviest loss of life.

Thirty years later, the sinking of the General Belgrano cruiser, with the deaths of 323 Argentine crewmen, still arouses deep emotions and fierce debate.

Despite its advancing years, the vessel was the most potent in the junta's navy. After it was sunk on May 2, 1982, by two torpedoes fired by HMS Conqueror, a nuclear-powered Royal Navy submarine, no Argentine vessel left port again during the conflict.

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My Comment: One more reason why Argentina should never invade the Falklands again.

The Plan To Bomb Argentina During The Falklands War Disclosed For The First Time

Midnight runs: The Vulcan bombers were prepared to fly just 300ft over Argentina to destroy runways using bombs with a 1,000lbs payload. Daily Mail

How The RAF Drew Op Plans To Attack Argentina Over The Falklands In 1982 -- The Telegraph

RAF bomber crews trained to attack mainland Argentina to flatten its airfields in retaliation for any attempt to retake the Falkland Islands, it can be disclosed for the first time.

Vulcan bombers, designed for nuclear raids on Russia, trained night and day in Scotland and Canada for a low level attack hundreds of miles deep into Argentine sovereign territory, a new book has shown.

The news is likely to further strain the poor relations between Britain and Argentina that have been at their lowest since in the Falklands War in the lead up to the 30th anniversary of the invasion.

The plans were drawn up by Air Commodore Simon Baldwin, who was the wing commander in charge of the last remaining Vulcan squadron in 1982.

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Update: RAF bomber crews 'trained to attack airfields deep inside Argentina in daring night-raids' to prevent new Falklands attack -- Daily Mail

My Comment: Thank God they did not need to go through with the mission.

A British "Suicide Mission" During The Falklands War

The Secret Falklands 'Suicide Mission' -- The Telegraph

The story of the Falklands soldiers who refused to carry out a dangerous raid on an Argentine fighter base.

Five in the morning, May 21 1982, seven weeks into the Falklands conflict. The Argentine radar operator at Rio Grande airbase, on the island of Tierra del Fuego, is looking forward to his bed. Outside, rain is blowing across the deserted airfield.

The blip appears out of nowhere, 25 miles out to sea, coming in fast and low. Suddenly alert, the operator calls over his duty officer, but the blip has already faded.

Out over the South Atlantic, two C130 Hercules transports of 47 Squadron Royal Air Force battle through the night. Buffeted by strong headwinds, they skim the waves at 50 feet to evade detection. The co-pilots peer through night‑vision goggles, guiding the pilots towards the coast, one lapse enough to cause disaster. Night vision is in its infancy, the devices a secret gift from the Americans. Tension mounts as landfall over Argentina approaches, the conclusion of a 13‑hour flight from Ascension Island involving two mid-air rendezvous with Victor tankers.

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My Comment: This would have been a suicide mission.

U.S. Supports Argentina And Venezuela In OAS Declaration On The Falklands

Another Slap In The Face For Britain: The Obama Administration Sides With Argentina And Venezuela In OAS Declaration On The Falklands -- The Telegraph

President Obama was effusive in his praise for the Special Relationship when he visited London recently, but his administration continues to slap Britain in the face over the highly sensitive Falklands issue. Washington signed on to a “draft declaration on the question of the Malvinas Islands” passed by unanimous consent by the General Assembly of the Organisation of American States (OAS) at its meeting in San Salvador yesterday, an issue which had been heavily pushed by Argentina. In doing so, the United States sided not only with Buenos Aires, but also with a number of anti-American regimes including Hugo Chavez’s Venezuela and Daniel Ortega’s Nicaragua.

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My Comment: With friends like this ... who needs enemies.

How Israel Supplied Weapons To Argentina During The Falklands War

According to the book the junta found that Menachem Begin was willing to strike an agreement Photo: REX

Israel 'Supplied Arms To Argentina During Falklands War' -- The Telegraph

Israel secretly supplied arms and equipment to Argentina during the Falklands War due to Prime Minister Menachem Begin's personal hatred of the British, a new book discloses.

Air to air missiles, missile radar alert systems, fuel tanks for fighter bombers and gas masks were dispatched from Israel apparently destined for Peru but were then transported on to Argentina, it claims.

As the British Task Force sent to reclaim the islands after the 1982 Argentine invasion of the Falklands began to get the upper hand, Argentina's ruling military junta was left with few choices from which to source replacements for equipment lost in war.

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My Comment: The fact that this story is being publicized .... and not denied .... tells me that it is probably true.

A Parent's Love For Their Son Continues Even After His War Ended 29 Years Ago

Photo: War hero: The parents of Private Craig Jones, the last soldier to die in the Falklands conflict, have bought one of the islands as a memorial

Craig's Island: Parents Of Last Soldier To Die In Falklands Buy Tiny Isle There - And Name It After Their Son -- The Daily Mail

The parents of the last soldier to die in the Falklands conflict have bought one of the disputed islands - and named it after him as a permanent memorial to their hero son.

Craig Jones, 20, was killed on the morning of 13 June 1982 when he was hit by shell fire on Mount Longdon.

He died just a day before the brief war with Argentina for control of the Falkland Islands ended with a ceasefire agreement on 14 June.

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My Comment: What can I say. They will forever love and remember their son.

Is The U.S. Betraying Britain Over The Falklands

Britain lost 255 soldiers in the Falklands war. Argentina lost 649. But it is in Argentina that the human cost of conflict remains a potent political weapon.

‘White House Team Is Betraying Britain By Staying Neutral Over Falklands’ -- Times Online

Twenty-eight years after the outbreak of the Falklands conflict the man who secured US backing for Britain’s recapture of the islands has called the Obama Administration’s foreign policy team “a bunch of amateurs” for failing to support Britain over Argentina once again.

By asserting its neutrality in the latest dispute over oil in the Falklands basin the US has handed Argentina a diplomatic victory, according to Lawrence Eagleburger, who helped to persuade President Reagan to throw American intelligence and logistical support into the war on Britain’s side. He said that Britain’s role alongside the US in Afghanistan since 2001 had only made the situation worse.

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My Comment: In the past .... “An ally is an ally.” In today's world .... that is up to interpretation.

US Refuses To Support UK Claims Over The Falklands

Map of the Falkland Islands and southern Argentina showing oil exploration areas.
(AFP/Graphic)

US Refuses To Endorse British Sovereignty In Falklands Oil Dispute -- Times Online

Washington refused to endorse British claims to sovereignty over the Falkland Islands yesterday as the diplomatic row over oil drilling in the South Atlantic intensified in London, Buenos Aires and at the UN.

Despite Britain’s close alliance with the US, the Obama Administration is determined not to be drawn into the issue. It has also declined to back Britain’s claim that oil exploration near the islands is sanctioned by international law, saying that the dispute is strictly a bilateral issue.

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More News On The Dispute In The Falklands

Et tu, Barack? America betrays Britain in her hour of need -- The Telegraph
US refuses to endorse British sovereignty in Falklands oil dispute -- One India
Navy intercepts Argentinian warship near British waters -- The Telegraph

Argentina asks UN for help on Falklands row -- Financial Times
Argentina asks UN to bring UK into talks on Falklands -- BBC
Argentina appeals to UN over Falklands oil drilling -- The Guardian
Argentina urges UN chief to intervene in Falklands row -- Vancouver Sun
Latin America leaders back Argentina over Falkland Islands stand-off -- Christian Science Monitor

'Black gold' hopes in Falklands may be inflated: analysts -- Yahoo News/AFP
Falklands oil: Britain paves the way for talks with Argentina -- The Telegraph

The Falkland Islanders are as British as people who live in Land's End and it's our duty to defend them -- The Daily Mail
'We didn't lose 255 lives to walk away now': Falklands general issues 'hands off' warning to Argentina -- The Daily Mail
Latin America is driving this game of brinkmanship -- David Usborne, The Independent

Oil Row Revives Falklands Tensions Between The UK And Argentina (News Updates For February 22, 2010)

'War Is Excluded From Horizon,' Says Argentina -- The Independent

But tensions rise as Buenos Ares recruits allies and promises to use all legal means to stop British oil drilling.

War is not an option in resolving Argentina's dispute with Britain
over the potentially oil-rich Falkland Islands, a senior Argentinian minister said yesterday. "War is excluded from our horizon," the Deputy Foreign Minister, Victorio Taccetti, said. But he insisted Buenos Aires would not give up its claims to the islands it calls Las Malvinas.

He denied that Argentina was escalating a row triggered by a British oil drilling project in the Falklands.

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More News On The UK-Argentine Spat Over The Falklands

Falkland Islands: British oil drillers reopen dispute with Argentina -- Christian Science Monitor
UK Oil Exploration Firm Starts Falklands Drilling -- ABC News
British rig 'to start drilling off the Falklands' -- AFP
Black gold fuels new Falklands dispute -- Calgary Herald

Buenos Aires rallies support in UK oil feud -- Times Online
Argentina presses new diplomatic offensive on Falklands -- AFP
Argentina Seeks Backing in Falklands Dispute -- New York Times
Argentina set to win new backing in Falklands row -- AFP
Caracas enters Falkland oil row -- UPI

RAF Proves Worth in Falklands Crisis -- New Wars
RN Deploys Influence Squadron South -- New Wars
The Falklands in Want of Frigates -- New Wars
UK 'maintaining' forces in Falklands -- Defense Management
It's the bitter truth: We couldn't send a task force to the Falklands today -- Daily Mail
Royal Navy warships on standby over Falklands oil dispute -- The Telegraph

British cruise ship tests Argentine blockade in Falklands -- The Telegraph
Argentinian hackers hoist flag on English language paper website as Falklands stand-off moves to cyberspace -- The Daily Mail
Argentinians invade Falkland Islands website -- The Register
Falkland Islands: Argentina can't scare us, say islanders -- The Telegraph
Veteran in emotional Falkland islands visit -- BBC

Falklands War II? -- Scotsman
Argentina is living in a nationalist dreamland -- Dominic Sandbrook, Times Online
Argentina has chosen a good time to rattle the Falklands -- Times Online editorial

The Proper (And Smart ) Use Of Air Power

The RAF airbase at Mt Pleasant, Falklands Islands. Photo from Wikipedia

From New Wars:

I often insist that because airpower today is so effective, you can do more with less. Nothing is more glaring proof of this fact as a mere 4 Royal Air Force Typhoon fighters are currently guarding the British Overseas Territory of the Falkland Islands. While the Navy would certainly be on call in force should the unthinkable happen, invasion from the Argentine mainland, the Mount Pleasant Airport, constructed soon after the 1982 Conflict would be the key to the island’s defenses.

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My Comment: I closely followed the news when the Falklands War broke out, and at the time there was a considerable amount of commentary in both the UK and US press that if the RAF had positioned a few planes and an airfield coupled with the proper radar detection and early warning stations .... the Argentinians would never have invaded.

30 years later .... that lesson appears to have been learned (to a certain degree).

On a side note .... I will always remember asking my father (a man who witnessed more war than anyone that I know) on who did he think was going to be the eventual winner in the Falklands war. At the time the British were just assembling their fleet, and the Argentinians were busily positioning thousands of troops and equipment onto the island to repulse the impending British onslaught.

His answer was blunt .... the British were going to destroy the Argentine military. I must admit that this did not make sense to me, the US/Canadian press were not optimistic that the British were going to be successful, and the Argentinians with their Latin American allies were boasting that the British were going to lose.

Pressing further, I asked him on how sure he was, and why. His answer was simple. The British have been fighting wars for centuries .... they know what war is all about, they know how to fight it, and more importantly .... they know how to defeat the enemy. On the other hand the Argentine military know only one thing .... how to stage a coup d'etat and how to terrorize their own civilian population. The last thing that they know is how to fight a war.

30 years later I am a much older and wiser man .... and (sadly) it is only now that I can appreciate how brilliant my father was when it came to understanding warfare.

Forgotten Lessons From The Falklands War

The Destruction of the HMS Antelope in the Falklands War

From New Wars:

Over time we often forget hard-won lessons from previous conflicts. There are several myths prevailing over the Falklands Conflict which some use to justify long-cherished naval ides which have little to do with actual lessons from war, but more with peacetime economy and building projects too often favored by industry over National Security. The 1982 Falklands Conflict is one such where myths prevail, so I decided to repost this in hopes of setting the record straight, or at least get you to thinking. From 2007 here are 5 Lessons of War from the Falklands Conflict:

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My Comment: New Wars observations are on the money.