Defeating dictators in favour of democracy

HOW magnanimous and how presumptuous of Mr Birch (Yorkshire Post, April 16) to offer to “share the spoils of oil” of the Falkland Islands with Argentina.

I suspect, however, that he would have a hard job convincing the Falklands islanders that Argentina is now a “democracy” and our mutual “friend”. On the contrary, given their bellicose, bullying behaviour towards the islanders, they reveal themselves to be as hostile as the junta.

He claims that 30 years ago “those people (the islanders) were not even a consideration”.

Yes they were, Mr Birch. They were the primary consideration. Why? Because if democracy means anything, then it is “the will of the people”.

In 1982, Margaret Thatcher was counselled by all and sundry (including editorials in the Yorkshire Post) that she should accept the Argentinian invasion of the Falkland Islands as a fait accompli.

She rejected that counsel of despair. She took action because it was “necessary” Mr Birch, because democratic principles, freedom, justice and the right of self-determination did and do matter.

Argentina had and has no legitimate claim to the islands (which were British sovereign territory before Argentina emerged as an independent nation state). And yet the junta ruthlessly invaded and subjugated a peaceful, island community.

Britain has a long and proud history of confronting and defeating dictators, who threaten her peoples with invasion and domination: Philip of Spain, Napoleon, Adolf Hitler and Galtieri. History reveals that appeasement serves not to deter but to encourage the aggressor and, thereby, to precipitate war.

Universal rights are not circumscribed by distance, not quantified by number: the Falklands were far away, their population was “small” (1,800, not 300) but their rights as British subjects were and are inviolable.

Yes, Mr Birch, it is “necessary” to confront and defeat tyranny. It will always be necessary if true democracy is to prevail.