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MercoPress South Atlantic News Agencey Saturday, December 31st 2011
...Margaret Thatcher was warned about the risks in slashing Britain's navy, a year before the 1982 Argentine invasion of the Falkland Islands, secret files released Friday showed.
The files also include a letter from Carrington to Nott, urging him against axing the Antarctic patrol ship HMS Endurance, warning it would send the wrong signal to Buenos Aires at a time of tension over the Falklands.
“Unless and until the dispute is settled, it will be important to maintain our normal presence in the area at the current level,” he wrote.
“Any reduction would be interpreted by both the Islanders and the Argentines as a reduction in our commitment to the Islands and in our willingness to defend them.”
His appeal was, however, rejected and HMS Endurance was less than a month from being withdrawn from service when the first Argentines landed on Britain's South Georgia overseas territory in March 1982...
MOD sources reveal, allegedly, at the highest level they advised HMG to unsecretively send a capable submarine to the South Atlantic prior to the initial Argie probings perhaps saving many lives on both sides.- With hindsight, Lord C and the odd Admiral were correct in their assessments. She of course, wasn't for turning the wallet upside down.
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...Margaret Thatcher was warned about the risks in slashing Britain's navy, a year before the 1982 Argentine invasion of the Falkland Islands, secret files released Friday showed.
The files also include a letter from Carrington to Nott, urging him against axing the Antarctic patrol ship HMS Endurance, warning it would send the wrong signal to Buenos Aires at a time of tension over the Falklands.
“Unless and until the dispute is settled, it will be important to maintain our normal presence in the area at the current level,” he wrote.
“Any reduction would be interpreted by both the Islanders and the Argentines as a reduction in our commitment to the Islands and in our willingness to defend them.”
His appeal was, however, rejected and HMS Endurance was less than a month from being withdrawn from service when the first Argentines landed on Britain's South Georgia overseas territory in March 1982...
MOD sources reveal, allegedly, at the highest level they advised HMG to unsecretively send a capable submarine to the South Atlantic prior to the initial Argie probings perhaps saving many lives on both sides.- With hindsight, Lord C and the odd Admiral were correct in their assessments. She of course, wasn't for turning the wallet upside down.
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