STANLEY (Reuters) – British Parliament finally issued a declaration of war on Argentina today, reopening the decades old conflict over control of the Falklands Islands. Great Britain had already stationed several army units in the region, including elements of the Rifles Regiment and the Light Dragoons. British Intelligence had indicated a large Argentine sea-borne force forming of the South Coast of Argentina as early as Tuesday. Further reconnaissance confirmed this, and diplomatic talks were broken off late Wednesday night. The United States has surprised many observers by staying out of the conflict. The UN Secretary General, Karl Salo, urged both sides to talk and reach a peaceful conclusion, while peacekeepers were put in place, but the Security Council seemed apathetic to any attempt at peacekeeping. Prime Minister White has not yet spoken in public since Parliament issued the declaration. The mood was optimistic in London, where demonstrations against Argentine territorial ambitions had been staged for several days.
" We've whipped them before, and we'll do it again", said one Eric Goudge.
In Stanley, civilians received the news stoically, and most people on the islands' capital seemed grim. In the first Falklands war, in 1982, 3 civilians were killed in the initial Argentine attack, before a British taskforce repulsed the invaders. Air attacks are expected soon, but British forces are prepared. Observers predict that the Argentines will focus on getting infantry on the ground as soon as possible, as they are overmatched in the air and on the sea. The Argentine Government has been condemned especially vigorously for it's unceasing territorial ambitions. Argentine president, Diego Viola, has been elusive, and seems bent on making his nation more and more isolationist. Argentina only just concluded a truce with Chile after a bloody, 9 month conflict that saw over one million dead between both sides. (CONT A3 WAR).
Editorials
Why War? In the past six years we have seen an unprecedented increase in armed global conflict. After Iran's incursions into Iraq, the Chilean-Argentine war, widespread fighting and rebelling in South East Asia, an even stronger Chechen rebel movement, rampant civil war in parts of Africa, the reopening of hostilities in Bosnia, and an attempt by Haiti to conquer the Dominican Republic. All of this against the constant back drops of fighting in the Middle East. The so-called "Super Powers" can no longer keep world order. The UN is stretched well past the breaking point. But why are theses wars even happening? It may be sheer paranoia, but it seems as if something is driving humanity into a self-destructive cycle with one inevitable conclusion. We need to act now, and to stop the source of the conflicts, whether economical, political, tribal, or worse!
Steven Potvin
Windsor Ont.