Falklands Islands dispute as Pentagon proposes change to sovereignty stance
London: More than four decades after going to war with Argentina to assert its claim over the remote region, Britain has locked horns with US President Donald Trump over the Pentagon’s plan to change its attitude towards European colonies such as the Falkland Islands.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has asserted British sovereignty over islands in the South Atlantic after a leaked Pentagon memo floated the idea of punishing European countries that he claimed were not doing enough to help the US fight its war with Iran.
The dispute adds another challenge to King Charles during his upcoming state visit to see Trump in Washington, D.C., including meetings on Monday and a banquet at the White House on Tuesday.
The aggressive approach outlined in the Pentagon memo written by senior policy adviser Elbridge Colby also raises the idea of removing Spain from the NATO alliance because it does not support the Iran war.
A significant portion of the memo, obtained by Reuters and released on Friday, states that the United States may reconsider its diplomatic support for “imperial possessions” claimed by major European nations.
Although the leak triggered headlines about the Falklands, the approach laid out in the Pentagon’s proposal could be used against many European countries, given their long-standing ties to former colonies.
The statement calls for a tougher diplomatic stance against NATO allies who have failed to provide the support Trump seeks for the war, particularly their decision to deny US forces authorization to use European bases.
Starmer’s office said the Falkland Islands’ sovereignty was “out of question” despite the US proposal.
The government of the Falkland Islands, which was structured as a British territory with an elected ministry and a governor representing King Charles, also rejected the US proposal.
“The Falkland Islands has full confidence in the UK government’s commitment to support and defend our right to self-determination,” the statement said.
The Falkland Islands lie about 500 kilometers east of Argentina and have been the subject of rival claims by Argentina and Britain for at least two centuries, but the islanders have long favored self-government as a British territory, most recently approved in a 2013 referendum.
When Argentina began occupying the islands in 1982, during the period of military rule in Buenos Aires, the United Kingdom responded by sending a naval force that sank Argentine ships and landed troops on the islands to retake the territory.
Although the Pentagon’s proposal is not official policy and looks at options that could be used against European countries, the proposal regarding the Falkland Islands struck a nerve in the UK and sparked headlines about the backlash against Trump and his administration over the issue.
Colby, the memo’s author, is the War Department’s undersecretary for policy and has made other provocative moves last year, including the decision to initiate a review of the AUKUS treaty with Australia and the United Kingdom.
The Colby review questioned whether AUKUS met the Trump administration’s “America first” policy and required a major diplomatic effort from Britain and Australia to ensure the deal goes ahead. Trump confirmed his support in October, but Colby’s move cast doubt on the massive submarine project for months.
Argentina maintained its claims to the Falkland Islands for decades after the 1982 war, calling them Las Islas Malvinas.
Argentinian Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno evaluated the US proposal to publish a message on social media calling for negotiations for a “peaceful and definitive solution” to the sovereignty dispute with the UK.
One source of concern for the British government is the close friendship between Trump and Argentine President Javier Milei, a philosophical ally of the MAGA movement.
In its official statements, the United States emphasized its neutrality on the sovereignty issue and acknowledged the conflicting claims of Britain and Argentina.
A US State Department spokesman told Agence France-Presse that the US recognizes “de facto UK rule” in the region, without taking sides.
Colby’s memo focuses on America’s doubts about the support it will receive from NATO at a time when European leaders have criticized the war with Iran, refused to send forces to help the United States in the Persian Gulf, and in some cases called the war illegal.
American forces continue to have practical support in Europe. US bombers use the Royal Air Force base at Fairford in the United Kingdom to carry out some of their attacks. Germany hosts a giant logistics center, hospital and airport in Ramstein. France hosted US refuelers at Istres-Le Tube air base near Marseille, while Italy did the same at Aviano, north of Venice.
Starmer, who initially refused to allow the use of UK bases, has approved the use of bases, including Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, for “defensive” operations that could include attacks on Iranian military assets.
However, as the war in Iran dragged on, European criticism increased. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called the war a violation of international law and prevented US forces from using any bases in Spain for attacks against Iran.
Despite the leaked note, Sanchez continued his objection to the Iran war and claimed that Spain fulfilled all its responsibilities in NATO.
David Crowe is the European correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.Connect with: X or email.
