The students behind the ink

Max Frankel- Staff Writer
2/10/12

It is good to have friends, especially in an international system which, as Dr. Gary Armstrong, chairman of the department of political science, never tires of telling his classes, is anarchic. However, there comes a point in time when our obligations to other countries should be weighed against the shear insanity of their policies.
The United States and the United Kingdom have a unique relationship in world politics. Despite having fought two wars against each other and nearly coming to blows again in the U.S. Civil War, our two nations have managed to create a “special relationship”.
We fought side by side in two world wars, and supported each other during the rise of Communism. In more recent memory, UK troops helped fight wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Clearly, our alliance is strong.
The United Kingdom was one of the world’s foremost colonial powers prior to the break-up of the great empires during the 20th century. The United Kingdom has had territory around the world and has released most of it because its empire collapsed. However, the United Kingdom maintained sovereignty over certain territories that had distinct strategic and economic value with minimal required upkeep. One such territory is a series of islands off the coast of Argentina: the Falklands.
During the 1980s, Argentina and the UK came into conflict over sovereignty claims in the Falklands. The war was used by Argentina to distract its people from its failing economy and was a point of pride for the United Kingdom. The war, which lasted a month and a half, was hugely popular with both the left and right in the United Kingdom.
Recently, the United Kingdom has attempted to reassert its claim to sovereignty by increasing its military presence on the island. Both Argentina and the United Kingdom claim that the Falklands should have the right to determine their allegiance, so what’s the issue?
Recently, there has been some suggestion that the Falklands contain oil reserves, which would be a boon to either the United Kingdom or Argentina. In addition, some analysts believe that Argentina is attempting to distract its populace from domestic problems, much as it did in the 1980s. Strategic control over the Falklands also has an impact on shipping lanes. Argentina wants the United Nations to intervene and has sought assistance from that body since the 1990s.
Former President Ronald Reagan firmly supported U.K. claims to sovereignty over the Falklands. He and former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher were fundamentally in line on many issues, and the support of the United States was invaluable. However, this time it is far from our best interest to support any sort of conflict in the Falklands.
Whether or not the accusations of colonialism, a four-letter word in modern international relations, has any truth to it is far from the issue. In order for the United States to continue to refurbish its credibility and influence in world politics, it and its allies must start playing by the same rules that it expects the rest of the world to follow. If the islands do indeed wish to remain under UK sovereignty, that is for them to decide, possibly through the United Nations. It would be a grave mistake for the United States to endorse any policy that feels even remotely like international bullying.
Though the United Kingdom has been a valuable ally, this struggle seems petty and ultimately pointless. Conservative politicians point to UK sovereignty as a counter balance to Hugo Chavez, president of Venezuela, and the influence he wields over South America. The time of the Monroe Doctrine, U.S. sovereignty over the Western Hemisphere, is over. Instead of maintaining power through force of military or rhetoric, the United States should focus on improving its relations with its neighbors. This is not to say that the United States should remain weak or impassive at all times. Rather, we should focus on diplomacy and obedience to international law.
The United States has to be very careful in the coming months. With potential conflicts in Iran and Syria, the U.S. must do what it can to avoid becoming embroiled in an issue as small as the Falklands’ territorial dispute. While it’s unlikely that war will come as a result of the dispute, it is better for the United States to enhance its international image than to support this policy.