Tough luck UK, you blew your wad on Ukraine and now you don’t have jack to try to fight off Argentina. It’s over for you.
Seriously. Neither side has the military strength they had in 1982, but especially the UK could not put up an expeditionary force to retake the islands again.
Do you seriously believe every dispute can only be settled by war? Argentina had their war with Britain. It was even stupider than most wars. They lost and were humiliated, and it brought down the Junta in power at the time. The new presidente shouts noisily, but carries a small stick. He should better get his own country in order, and stay away from military adventurism with large risks and small possible gains.
“Tough luck UK, you blew your wad on Ukraine and now you don’t have jack to try to fight off Argentina. It’s over for you.”
“In 2021/22, the UK spent £45.9 billion on defence.”
“Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic Budget $2.9 billion (2022)”
The Argentines have more or less disarmed their air force. A year ago their socialist president Alberto Fernandez cancelled their proposed fighter acquisition budget. This leaves Argentina with exactly six 25 year old A-4 Fightinghawk fighters. Two of those are permanently grounded and are being cannibalized for parts.
The Argentine navy has likewise been gutted with only 15 of 42 ships considered seaworthy let alone fit for combat duty.
Last year they lost a submarine that had been poorly maintained. It submerged on an exercise and never surfaced again. 44 men died.
Maybe Milei will rebuild the military? That won’t square with cutting the budget.
Maybe in a few years after Milei gets Argentina’s economy up and running they can consider having a military again.
In the meantime they pose little to no threat to the UK and they know it. It’s just political posturing.
Tough luck UK, you blew your wad on Ukraine and now you don’t have jack to try to fight off Argentina. It’s over for you.
Every Argentine politician promises to "reclaim" the Falklands. None of them have ever actually invaded the Falklands. Shooting one's mouth off about "las Malvinas" is just a requirement to get elected over there. They were talking about "Malvinas Argentinas" when I was there in 2010-2011.