While I’m waiting for Bitter to get up and ready so we can go appreciate some Starbucks, here’s some good history for everyone. I found this in one of Richard Fernandez’s posts where he expresses concern that the British military is falling below the critical point where it’s really capable of carrying out its mission, and probably below the point where they could no longer conceivably retake the Falkland Islands again if they were threatened. Then again, even at the time there was doubt as to whether the Royal Navy and Marines were up to the task, and they succeeded. Either way, he links to a very interesting documentary, from The Falklands Portal, that covers the fate of the H.M.S. Coventry, which was one of two destroyers and two frigates sunk during the Falklands War:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNUnbr_voHs[/youtube]
That’s part one of six. You can find the other six at this link here. I was only eight when this war broke out, but I certainly remember it.
UPDATE: Also see this six part documentary on the lessons learned from the sinking of the H.M.S. Sheffield: part1, part2, part3, part4, part5, and part6.
My dad and I were at Andrews AFB for the annual fly-in that year, and one of the participants was a squadron of RAF Vulcan bombers. They took off, IIRC circled and did one low pass, then continued directly to the Falklands for a combat mission.
OTOH, the Argentines invaded prior to their string of debt defaults; at the time they were arguably a first-world country financially-speaking. They haven’t been for quite some time now. Can Argentina afford to invade? Not that being unable to afford to do so would stop the attempt.
Not that it matters, but the Monroe Doctrine would theoretically put the US on the Argentine’s side. However, the locals wish to stay British; this should put on on *their* side; and consequently supporting the Brits against the Argies.
Argentina has gone down the Socialist toilet and the UK isn’t far behind. Britain could probably still win but it would be close – and probably decided by their high quality Royal Marines and Paratroopers again.
The new Brit Type 45 destroyers are similar to the American Aegis systems. In other words, they are floating death to non-stealthed aircraft. That would probably seal the deal.
I also think Britain maintains a military presence on the Falklands that weren’t there before. There’s also an airstrip that can be used to land military aircraft, so reinforcements and supplies can be sent quickly.