Clinton Urges Talks on the Falkland Island

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/02/world/americas/02clinton.html?ref=world

This article deals primarily with the dispute of control over the Falkland Island by Argentina and The United Kingdom, this is particularly important because this issue caused the two nations to go to war during the 1980's, and has been reignited as the U.K has been drilling for oil in the waters near the Falkland Island. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton was in Argentina this past week and met with the president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, who is hoping to receive support from the United States in their claim of the territory against the U.K. Clinton however, has stated that while they encourage both nations to talk out their differences the United States will not become involved in the issue.

If analyzed through realist theory then one could argue that both Argentina and the United Kingdom are interested in having control of the Falkland Island. This is sustainable under the assumption that the world is in a constant state of anarchy thus allowing for a the U.K to want to regain control of these islands. In addition because according to realist theory both of the nations are interested in their expansion because this would lead to an increase in their particular balance of power. On the contrary if the power were to turn away from the conflict it would give the sensation that they are not as powerful, which would in turn harm their reputation and may possibly affect their power relations with other states as they may be perceived as weak for not maintaining their position. Furthermore one ought to consider the possibility of the states not reacting in a way that attempts to have control of the Falkland. This may be attributed to liberal ideology as it states that countries will not be involved in conflict with other countries with which they share similar political ideologies. In this respect the U.K and Argentina are highly unlikely to find themselves at war because both are what may be considered to be democracies. Thus because they share similar political ideologies and according to liberal theory the citizens of these countries would be against this war and which would as a result deter any potential confrontation that could arise between the two. This in my opinion is what is the most likely of the too results as it is highly unconceivable that the U.K would be willing to go to war in an attempt to regain control of this territory.