Britain resorts to nuclear bullying against Argentina

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/224831.html

Britain is apparently violating its UN commitment by using nuclear weapons on non-nuclear armed states, after Prime Minister David Cameron has personally authorized the deployment of an advanced nuclear submarine to the Malvinas Islands amid escalating tensions with Argentina.

British media reported that the UK navy was deploying one of its most sophisticated Trafalgar-class submarines to the South Atlantic in order to provide an outer barrier of invisible protection for the islands and prevent any possible counter-move taken by Argentina to reclaim its occupied islands.

Considerably, the heavily-armed sub set to be in the islands' waters by April, as the 30th anniversary of a war between the two countries over the disputed territory approaches.

Analysts regard the deployment of the vessel as the third war signal by the British government to Argentina, as it formerly sent an heir to throne, the Duke of Cambridge, and an advanced warship destroyer HMS Dauntless to the region to secure its last colony in South America.

Britain's third controversial decision would trigger bitter response from Argentina government and the Argentinean nationals, as it would remind the people of the Argentine flagship General Belgrano, that was sunk by a British submarine during the 74-day war with the loss of 323 sailors.

It is now believed that Britain's plan to militarize the dispute over the islands would lead to more deterioration in the already fraught relationships between the two nations.

While burning Union Flags on Friday after Prince William arrived in Malvinas for a six-week deployment, Argentinean protesters promised to target different UK business every week to show that the members of the colonialist country are not welcomed in Latin America.

Analysts wonder if the UK government would again consider the submarine deployment as a "routine operational deployment" just as they claimed about their previous controversial steps.

Ministry of Defense (MoD) refused to give further comments over the move, with an MoD spokeswoman only said, "We do not comment on submarine deployments."

The submarine is predicted to be either HMS Tireless or HMS Turbulent, which was active last year during Libya war and other regions in the Middle East during the crisis. It is reported that the vessel is equipped with 30 Tomahawk cruise missiles and Spearfish torpedoes, with 148 members of crew.

MoD sources also insisted that a team of Spanish-speaking communications technicians will be on the vessel in order to control maritime radio transmissions in the region.

Retired Admiral Richard Heaslip, who was the chief of the Defense Staff's office during the war, admired the deployment of a submarine to “potential flashpoint.”

“The Argentines had a good navy in 1982. But after we got a nuclear submarine down there they went back to port and never dared venture out,” he said.