London says Argentina “lacks the ability” to take the Falklands

An opinion piece published in The Telegraph argues that the decision to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius opened the door for Argentinians to claim territories elsewhere, like the Falklands. The author suggests this signal of weakness emboldened Argentine President Javier Milei to launch his campaign, which he suddenly denied on September 23.

The column also states that Milei is now pursuing oil concessions, similar to how Margaret Thatcher once drew support from the US. It mentions a secret oil drilling deal already in place by an Anglo-Israeli consortium, though production won't commence until 2028. A Trump-Burnham press conference saw The Telegraph highlight the Chagos case, with Trump labeling it a "terrible deal."

The author contrasts this with Ronald Reagan's response to the 1982 conflict, but omits evidence to support several of its claims, like Burnham's assurances to Mauritius or the Royal Navy's unpreparedness for a landing. The cost of the Chagos deal is reported at £3.4 billion, £34.7 billion, and £10 billion, depending on the source.

While the 2013 referendum saw 99.8% of Falkland Islanders vote to stay British, the column notes a Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland leadership meeting in Cardiff, yet omits Burnham's later clarification that a national referendum remains off-limits.