British MP Arlene Foster recently traveled to the Malvina Islands as part of the Friends of the British Overseas Territories delegation. The lawmaker, a former Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, met with members of the illegitimate Legislative Assembly of the colonialist occupation government to "discuss key issues," according to an article she wrote and published in the English newspaper The Times.
“The Overseas Territories are not relics; they are key to the UK's security. We can no longer afford to treat these areas as footnotes in our defense strategy, as they provide the infrastructure we need to respond quickly to threats ,” Foster said in his post.
According to her, the territories under British colonial rule "are vital assets that give the United Kingdom an unrivaled global footprint. As the world faces increasing geopolitical tension, their strategic importance has never been more evident," she asserted.
In a clear demonstration of his love for colonialism, Foster said that Gibraltar “is not simply a rock; it is a gateway to the Mediterranean and a critical outpost for naval power and intelligence operations,” adding that “Gibraltar is essential to maintaining regional stability. Similarly, Bermuda remains a key transit and intelligence hub as NATO adapts to emerging threats.” Someone should remind Foster that both territories are a long way from the North Atlantic, but of course, it won’t be the editors of The Times .
“In the South Atlantic, the Malvina Islands are not only a defensive bastion, but also a key asset for securing crucial shipping lanes and Antarctic interests. Nearby, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands give the United Kingdom influence over an increasingly contested polar region ,” the self-serving lawmaker declared brazenly.
Already fully puffed out by his militant colonialism, Foster asserted: “If we do not invest in its defense and development, we run the risk of ceding strategic ground to our adversaries.”
Foster gave a brief overview, not only of the importance of the Malvina Islands, South Georgia, and the South Sandwich Islands. On the contrary, he did not stop there. In addition to highlighting Gibraltar, he also mentioned other territories still under British rule, such as Diego García, Ascension, British Virgin Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, Montserrat and Anguilla, Pitcairn, Saint Helena, and Tristan da Cunha, which he asserted "extend Britain's jurisdiction over vast expanses of the ocean, ensuring maritime safety and environmental stewardship at a time of intensifying global competition for resources." The lawyers would say that a confession of the parties relieves the burden of proof.
Melella's response
The governor of Tierra del Fuego, Gustavo Melella , responded to the statements made by British parliamentarian Arlene Foster , as reported by Escenario Mundial, rejecting the British parliamentarian's statements and stating that such comments reflect a "utilitarian, warlike and colonial" vision of the United Kingdom regarding the Malvinas. The official considered it "shameful" that "we continue to appeal to this type of anachronistic discourse, the product of a desire to return to the darkest times of humanity with clear colonialist ambitions."
He also noted that such statements seek to justify the British military presence in the South Atlantic, calling them "deeply irresponsible." In response, Melella reaffirmed his administration's commitment to the fight to end colonialism and defend Argentina's legitimate rights to the Malvinas Islands, according to Escenario Mundial.
This contradicts the facts of the situation with the fact that the British company LeoLabs allowed the installation of a military-capable radar near the city of Tolhuin . Because, as we have been reporting from Agenda Malvinas, the inconsistent responses by the Tierra del Fuego government to the accusations made by former Defense Minister Jorge Taiana regarding his responsibility for the radar's failure to be dismantled are insufficient to explain all the interventions carried out by Governor Gustavo Melella 's administration since March 4, 2022, prior to the National action. Nor is it sufficient to explain the obvious influence peddling that appointed Representative Mabel Caparrós 's son-in-law as LeoLabs's attorney and manager, and the son of a senior official as its director.
“If the gringo who buys from us is bad, the criollo who sells to us is worse ,” Arturo Jauretche would say.
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