Argentina accuses UK of deploying nuclear weapons near Falkland Islands

[dipsydoodle]

Argentina has accused Britain of deploying nuclear weapons near the Falkland Islands and "militarising" the south Atlantic.

The Argentinian foreign minister, Héctor Timerman, lodged a formal protest at the United Nations on Friday and showed slides of British military bases in the region, saying they represented a threat to all south America.

He said Buenos Aires had intelligence that a Vanguard submarine was operating in the area. "Thus far the UK refuses to say whether it is true or not," he told a press conference in New York. "Are there nuclear weapons or are there not? The information Argentina has is that there are these nuclear weapons." Quoting John Lennon, he added: "Give peace a chance."

Britain's ambassador to the UN, Mark Lyall Grant, said London did not comment on the disposition of nuclear weapons or submarines but that it was "manifestly absurd" to say it was militarising the region. Britain's defence posture remained unchanged, he said.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/feb/10/falkland-islands-argentina-uk-nuclear-weapons

[Angleae]

1. More likely a Trafalgar or Astute class attack sub.

The british aren't going to deploy a Vanguard with it's ballistic missiles just for Argentina.

[Sirveri]

2. could also have been transiting to another location

assuming they actually found something, which is hard to say.

[Posteritatis]

4. Or for anyone else, for that matter

Seeing as it's about as far from any country a western nuclear power would reasonably (okay, okay, I know) expect to have to nuke anyway. Assuming it's a Vanguard and that it's carrying missiles at all, it's pretty obvious that it'd just be en route to somewhere more relevant.

[BadtotheboneBob]

6. Affirmative...

No need for a 'Boomer'. A 'Trafalgar' would keep what there is of the Argentine Navy close to home. They remember well the fate of the 'General Belgrano' (ex-USS Phoenix CL-46). Let's hope that cooler heads prevail and there isn't a repeat of the '82 nastiness. I had the opportunity to meet a RN Flight LT after that war that flew helos off the HMS Antelope before it was sunk in San Carlos Water. His brother was a naturalized American and a Coast Guard Reservist that trained at the CG SAR station in Maine where I was a Coxswain. The LT said the Argentine pilots that flew the gauntlet there were the bravest men he had ever seen.

[EX500rider]

3. Don't have to be close anyway as the Trident II has a 5,000 mile range n/t

[Stella_Artois]

5. the lady doth protest too much

i mean, literally.

If they really wish to progress this issue a long term charm offensive aimed at the islanders themselves would over the space of some years pay dividends. This rediculous bleating is a waste of time.