Yep sold to the lowest bidder:(
Languishing in Arizona, our once-mighty fleet of Harriers... sold for the price of just ONE of their US-made replacements | Mail Online
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I understand there are 4 Typhoons stationed in the Falklands plus a Destroyer along with a load of hardware.
The first carrier is not due until 2016 and as someone has stated, the Aircraft will be late leading to possible borrowing planes from the US until they are ready.
Cheers
They seem to be well looked after now much better than before the war:)
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/f...l-going-strong
The locals would love the money the military is spending there is it 1200 personel plus families?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Road Stone
I am not so sure the US would want to get involved in any future "adventure" especially that of British daring do!.
Already this current administration appears to be sitting on the fence and the Washington tester will be if they recognize the legitimate will of the people! (Viz a Vie the Falklands) Since to do so openly & recognize the British Sovereignty vote, will fly in the face of many OAS member states openly hostile to US machinations.
It is unfortunate but as we know the US tends not to practice in same case as to what it preaches! Certainly in this case it cannot be seen to be openly supporting a non member of the OAS.
So I expect a "dance of dalliance" from Washington quite frankly!
If any example is needed we only have to look at the recent ALBA meeting.
Ecuadorian Pres Correa holding up the confidential Foreign Office communique threat for all to see of imminent police invasion of their London Embassy.
This I remind you is when a certain Mr Assange had taken refuge in the Ecuadorian Embassy and the subsequent crisis meeting of all the OAS member states. With plenty of condemnation flying about, suddenly US recused itself to an "observer status" with a British diplomat hanging on to the US delegation's apron strings as a fellow observer.:D
Certainly interesting and a delightful read from some recent articles in La Nacion De Argentina.
Cheers Dennis
zedcars
The US had very little involvement in the Falklands War, there main contribution was the sale of sidewinder missiles for the Harriers and Vulcans.
The sale of the Royal Air force Harrier fleet was, down to a matter of what the RAF could or not keep within the Strategic Defence Review, at the end of the day the fast jets won, well kind of they still had to get rid of the Tornado F3's.
It was however a vast waste of the tax payers money, most of the harriers had under gone upgrades to GR9 at millions of pounds per unit. The US Marine corps got a very good deal.
And now the US don't want anything to do with it, even siding with the Argentineans.
The UK wants all the oil thats down there, so thats another reason to keep it British.
And the MOD spends alot of money down there, have you seen the size of the base plus the 4 remote radar tracking stations on the islands. It generates good money for the local people.
Just have a look at the first picture its a huge base
and then the second picture, 16 Typhoon hangers.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...013/03/774.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...013/03/775.jpg
It also once ( and may still ) hold the record for the longest building corridor.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...013/03/776.jpg
The Falkland Islanders consider themselves staunchly British, probably more so than the majority of the people in mainland Britain these days.
My father (and my father-in-law) had a couple of 6 month detachments down there in the early and late '80s, both after all the shouting had finished, and came back with all sorts of stories.
There was some good humoured rivalry between the forces personnel and the local civilian population, the forces guys used to call the locals "Bennies" after a well known character from a UK soap opera (Benny from Crossroads - famous for being the village idiot, and always wearing a woolly hat). However, the powers-that-be decided that should be stopped - under no circumstances should the locals be called Bennies any more. So the forces guys started calling them "Stills" instead. As in "Still Bennies".......:D
Here's an interesting article which appeared in the Guardian.
There are a lot of basic facts surrounding this issue and including the cost of maintaining a defense of the islands is mentioned amongst other things.
This meaningless Falklands referendum will resolve nothing | Richard Norton-Taylor | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk
Enjoy
Dennis
zedcars
Since when have the Yanks recognised "the legitimate will of the people" as far as Central and South American peoples go? Think of Guatamala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Panama, Grenada in fairly recent times when the septics did not like the popular governments and used force to change them.Quote:
Originally Posted by zedcars
Falklands.....were is that?
Now if we talk about the malvinas that it is a different issue but because I am not allowed to talk about politics in AULRO and this is an international politics issue I will refrain to comment on it.
I am a good boy Inc, you been naughty ;) :p
This view of George Galloway's is my pragmatic take on the issue.
I don't always agree with his views but as a Brit I am forced to wholeheartedly agree with what he is saying here.
See:-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IbbbmwFLno
Things are changing fast in the world. For the UK there is a lot of resultant uncertainty.
To name a few:-
The referendum in Scotland on succession next year.
Britain's continued membership of the EU. (US has warned Whitehall not to consider it as Britain would lose its world influence)
Banking crisis after crisis meaning London may not be the future financial centre of the Europe. Wall St has blamed much of financial the crisis on London's light hands activities)
A more cohesive union of Europe, a pan Euro defense force and foreign policy, nullifying British go it alone policies; with possible loss of a seat on the security council to the EU representative in Brussels
Lots to take in, but the future is not a certainty in many respects, and the country I was born and raised in is not what it was. nor will be again.
So, We /I have to get used to it.
Dennis
zedcars