Las Islas Malvinas

It is not difficult to notice references to the war of 27 years ago: there are monuments, maps and references and at the border crossing where we came (back) in after Torres del Paine, there was a bloody great sign proclaiming the providence of the islands. I have been expecting that first discussion on the subject and it occurred last night at the home of one of Jun´s teachers. We were invited for a barbecue, which the weather prevented, but made do with beer, pizza, dancing and karaoke instead. In addition, I spoke more Spanish than I had to this point: the five young men present decided that they wanted to know my opinions on all manner of things and unlike our PM - coincidentally on the same day - I was happy to do what the UN says and discuss the issue.

My basic argument was twofold: though I do not care who has soveregnity over the Falkland Islands, the Argentine claim is not based in history or international law (the French, Brits and Spanish named, renamed and colonised them before Argentina even existed as an independent country) but more importantly, any decision about their "possession" should be decided by the people who live there rather than by a war. I also explained how the war had made Thatcher much more popular and allowed her to wreak the havoc on my country which ensued.
As well as asking whether I knew anyone who had died in the war (the south of the country seems to have sent the most soldiers to their deaths), the youngest of the boys opined that he cared not much for the Malvinas but that he was more concerned about the Argentine claim on Antarctica (the British Antarctic Territory overlaps with Argentine and Chilean claims on the continent).