There's a new development in an old rivalry that has been well covered in this article by Doug Bandow on Tucker Carlson's excellent new website, The Daily Caller. Argentina has reasserted its long-held claim to the Falkland Islands, and now both Argentina and Great Britain want the United States to take their side. Great Britain has ruled the islands since the last war (and before) and they're calling in favors for supporting the US in Iraq and Afghanistan. Combine that with the fact that the United States supported them in the previous Falklands Conflict, and they're sure that the United States should support them now. Argentina has been a strong US ally in Latin America, remembers the old Monroe Doctrine, and thinks that should count for something. Both have legitimate arguments, but they're not really strong enough. The United States has no real interest in the Falklands, and stands nothing to with either ally controlling the islands. We should stay completely, 100% neutral. We shouldn't even make a verbal statement that we support one nation over the other. Argentina has never attacked us. Great Britain hasn't for 180 years or so. Both are trading partners. Both have some claim to the islands. It's none of our business.
It's been a while since the United States tried neutrality, so we may not be very good at it. But the Falkland Islands conflict offers us a way to baby-step our way back into it. Who knows, maybe we'll like it. If it works here, maybe we can try it in Korea, Japan, Iran, or maybe even Palestine.
No comments:
Post a Comment