Falklands War veterans Chris Anderson and David Cummins (Image: Jonathan Buckmaster)
Falklands War veterans have suggested that Argentina does not stand a chance of taking the islands by force. A leaked Pentagon email has suggested that the United States could review its support for British sovereignty over the archipelago, it was reported on Friday. Argentina’s President, Javier Milei has said he does not want a repeat of his country’s attempted invasion in 1982, but wants to gain sovereignty over the Falklands diplomatically.
Following the news that the US could withdraw its backing of London, he posted on X: “THE MALVINAS WERE, ARE, AND ALWAYS WILL BE ARGENTINE.” Nevertheless, David Cummins, 68, who is originally from Dublin and served on HMS Antelope and the Valiant submarine during the conflict, is concerned that the Argentines may try to take the territory by force again, as the country has never given up on its claim.
“As the British Empire, as Britain shrinks, they’ll see that opportunity at some point,” he said. The veteran thinks Britain’s aircraft carriers would prove decisive.
“Now we have two formidable aircraft carriers, so I think we’re actually probably in a better position, in many ways.”
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The US is threatening to review its position on the Falklands (Image: Getty)
Chris Anderson, 68, originally from Eastbourne, was on HMS Sheffield when it was hit by a French-manufactured Exocet missile fired by Argentinian forces on May 4, 1982.
Some 20 crew members perished.
Mr Anderson said: “They’re not going to try again while we have two very capable carriers. But if we give up on the carriers, they may try.”
He believes the dispute has “never really been about ownership” of the Falklands, and is rather about access to Antarctica, and the continent’s mineral wealth.
The veteran added that Mount Pleasant Airport, which opened in 1985, can land heavy aircraft, with “great range”.
Military personnel and equipment, therefore, could be transported to the Falklands much quicker.
“We have much more capability,” Mr Anderson said.
“Those two carriers that we’ve got are far and away better in capabilities than Hermes and the Invincible were, and the aircraft they’re carrying, the F-35s, are hugely more capable.
“I don’t think Argentina has got the ability to deal with two carriers, and things like the Type 45 destroyers, which are very much more capable.”
“That would make it very difficult for the Argentines to do something similar,” he added.
Gary Clement MBE, 70, who served as a Royal Marine in the Commando Logistic Regiment during the war, said the four jets stationed on the archipelago are “a force to be reckoned with on their own”
He added: “We don’t have the ground troops, but I’m not so sure that it would get to that stage.
“Argentina has got a lot of strengthening to do before it’s ready to attack here again, that’s for sure, and they’ve got their own problems with Chile and all that sort of thing in South America.”
Professor Vicente Palermo spoke to the Express in Buenos Aires (Image: Jonathan Buckmaster)
The belief that the Falklands are Argentinian is “almost religious” in the South American country, said Professor Vicente Palermo, a senior researcher at the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET).
He wishes that the issue could become a “grey diplomatic” one, with reduced “political density”.
A “sovereignty umbrella” needs to be implemented, the academic suggested – an agreement whereby no act by either side would constitute grounds for neither denying nor affirming their respective positions.
This would “allow them to agree upon a wide range of possibilities for co-operation”, making way for a “rewarding” discussion between Brits, Argentines and the islanders.
Professor Palermo has spoken to Falklanders.
“What the islanders want is for us to forget about them, for us not to bother them anymore,” he said.
Argentina does not have the military might that would be needed to successfully invade the archipelago, Professor Palermo said.
“The truth is, it would be worrying if Argentina started rearming to that level.
“But, the truth is, at the moment, that’s not at all what we see.”
