Smart Power: Obama Slaps British in the Face Again…Gratutiously
Again, and after just visiting there. Nile Gardiner has the story:
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.
The Argentinian claim to the Falklands has always been dubious, but has largely been moot for 150 years – the British re-established sovereignty over the islands in 1833 – until the military junta regime that ruled Argentina invaded the islands in 1982, at which time the British promptly kicked their behinds and sent them packing. The Argentinians have been whining about it ever since but have largely just lived with the reality that the Falklands are British territory.
Now however, the neo-Peronist regime of Christina Kirchner has driven the Argentinian economy into the crapper and a little diplomatic row offers a good opportunity for a distraction. That, and potentially huge oil reserves, which could go a long way in rescuing Argentina’s economy from its parlous state and and cure alot of Brazil envy in Buenos Aires. Brazil is on the rise and is mentioned all across the world as a rising economic power, while Argentina wallows in its Peronist misery.
Just one problem, Argentina stands zero chance of staking their claim militarily. So they do what all weak leftist regimes do, appeal to the UN under some anti-colonial, victimology-driven justification. Such a claim ought to be laughed out of session, but it certainly ought not to be advanced by its target’s long-standing, key ally. This is a remarkably silly position for the Obama administration to take on the merits and a remarkably hostile and treacherous position to take as Britain’s greatest friend and ally.
Plus it’s just dumb, Argentina couldn’t take control non-militarily either as the inhabitants consider themselves British and want no part of the corrupt, despotic and thieving regime in Buenos Aires. The “negotiations” would go nowhere. This is just a stick in the eye, pure and simple. I think Gardiner soft-pedals the seriousness when he says:
It is hugely disappointing that the Obama administration has chosen once again to side not only with the increasingly authoritarian regime in Argentina, but also with an array of despots in Latin America against British interests.
It’s inexcusable, but sadly just one more abomination and disgusting display of Obama’s pet biases taking precedence over the nation’s interests to add to a long, regretable list.
(H/T: Calafia Beach Pundit)
Tags: Barack the Incompetent, foreign policy
