We always wondered why that war happened. And suddenly, we have an inkling. As it always is, the Benjamins were at the root of the equation. Argentina invaded the Falklands in 1982, before Britain seized back control in a short war that cost the lives of 649 Argentine and 255 British service personnel. This week an explanation for the war better than we had ever heard before surfaced.
Desire Petroleum towed an oil rig to the Falkland Islands over the last several weeks. The oil rig was towed over 8,000 miles from Scotland to the Atlantic Ocean's deep waters off the coast of South America. The BBC reports that the Falklands have the equivalent of 60 billion barrels of oil in total. Only a fraction is currently commercially extractable. Argentina says the move violates its sovereignty, but it has already ruled out renewed military action and is trying to pressure Britain into negotiations.
The Falklands Legislative Assembly, which sold the license to explore for oil to Desire Petroleum, asserted that it had "every right" to develop "legitimate business" in off-shore oil.
The United Kingdom's Foreign Secretary said British oil exploration in the area was "completely in accordance with international law".
The Brits damp squib of a Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, also said the British government had "made all the preparations that are necessary to make sure the Falkland Islanders are properly protected."
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