Chris, perhaps Greece and Spain are going for a combination deal -- Greece to revisit WW II reparations from Germany to pay off its debts and Spain to demand what it will call back rent on Gilbralter.

Chris, perhaps Greece and Spain are going for a combination deal -- Greece to revisit WW II reparations from Germany to pay off its debts and Spain to demand what it will call back rent on Gilbralter.

Or Spain is following the example of Argentina in creating a nationalistic diversion to distract from it's own internal woes.

A good question is... Could we retake Gibraltar if it were to be invaded?

Could we defend it in the first place?


Regards,
Martin

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Or agree with Spain regarding self-determination -- not sure what the Basques and Catalans would do as independent countries though.

Chris, it seems the most 'English' places are pretty far from England. I've never been to Gilbralter - but I have been to two very 'English' places -- Victoria, BC and Christchurch, NZ. They both seemed more 'English' than the various places I have been to in the UK. I mean I know London has long been far less than 'English' -- but heck, even places like Oxford, Cambridge, Bath and Canterbury seemed less English than Victoria or Christchurch -- though I will give them (and London) credit for offering excellent cider in pubs (something I really like).

Chris, I don't do warm beer, but I thrive on cold cider.

As to the Empire, if the English locals had known how to cook properly (especially curries) they would never have had to create an empire.

Chris, I'm certainly a fan of Churchill in his time and place. I also agree that the Falklands and Gilbraltar are not decisions up to external parties.

Then again, at the end of WW II much of Europe's government was established 'externally'.

Chris, Franco ruled before WW II, and Mussolini would have as well if he had managed to keep out of WW II. Heck, Churchill *liked* Mussolini until he attacked France in June 1940.

Franco stayed in power (and Salazar in Portugal I believe) because they stayed out of WW II.

DeGaulle got power in France because he left France in 1940 and partnered up with Churchill (though DeGaulle would never admit that). After WW II, that DeGaulle wasn't a communist insured that he'd get UK and US support (even if the US REALLY didn't like him). For all that, DeGaulle was a lot less of a General than a political figure. Now, DeClerc -- he was a French General.

Spain snubs Queen

Doing what the Argies have done, use an external issue to hide their internal woes.....

..as both nations are of Spanish hertiage, think we need a modern Sir Francis Drake to head off the "modern" Spanish armadas.....

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Falklands........
Watched the flick 'Iron Lady' last weekend.

Rather more of a character study than an entertaining flick.

Streep was fabulous, of course.

But the film spent way too much time dwelling on her obvious dementia.

The few good moments in it were when she was dealing with the Falklands issue.

'It is our island, and we want it BACK'

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"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

Chris, well after all, the producer and director might have been playing to the current government. If they presented the full range of Thatcherdom instead of her current mental state, they probably would have had to include some of the less favorable aspects of her policy and behaviour while in power. Instead they were able to gloss those over.