Top LNG Exporting Countries : Indonesia VS Malaysia

After the nuclear accident of Fukushima in 2011, Japan became the largest liquefied natural gas importer in the world. Japan consumes almost 90 out of the 240 million tons of the world LNG production. See “The great LNG race: who will be the winner?”, October 2015. The top 5 largest LNG exporters are Qatar, Malaysia, Australia, Nigeria and Indonesia. See “Major exporting countries of LNG in 2014”.

Table 1

 http://www.statista.com/statistics/274528/major-exporting-countries-of-lng/

Very soon Australia is expected to become the largest LNG exporter in the world. I must also say that the list of the largest exporters is different than the list with the largest producers, because oil and gas can be also consumed domestically instead of being exported i.e. US.

At the following map you can see that Qatar, Indonesia, Malaysia and Australia are in the same neighborhood, and they compete in the LNG market. South Korea and Taiwan are also major LNG importers, because like Japan they do not have access to natural gas pipelines.

Map of Qatar, Australia, Indonesia and Malaysia

Qatar, Indonesia, Nigeria and Malaysia are all Muslim countries, and they are fighting each other about their exports. That’s why there is so much terrorism in Malaysia, Indonesia and Nigeria. Indonesia is actually the largest Muslim country in the world, with 250 million inhabitants. Moreover Indonesia and Malaysia are neighboring countries and they also have disputes about their borders and their exclusive economic zones (EEZ).

Indonesia and Philippines were the main reason the Japanese attacked the Americans at the Pearl Harbor in December 1941. The Japanese invaded the French Indochina in September 1940, and the relations between Japan and the United States further deteriorated. The French Indochina is today’s Vietnam, Cambodia and LAOS, and at the time was a French colony. But France was invaded by the Nazis in May 1940, and the Japanese grabbed the chance to invade the French Indochina three months later.

Map of French Indochina

 http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/asia/indochina.gif

The United States adopted various actions against Japan, and in August 1941 the Americans banned oil exports to Japan. The United States were the main oil supplier of the Japanese, and the Japanese decided to invade Indonesia, which was one of the richest countries in oil reserves. At the time Indonesia was even more important than she is today, because many of today’s oil fields had not been discovered yet. At the time Indonesia was a Dutch colony, but the Netherlands had also been invaded by the Nazis in May 1940, and could not protect its colony. Before invading Indonesia in March 1942, the Japanese destroyed in December 1941 the American Navy of the Pacific Ocean at Pearl Harbor. The reason was that the Japanese were sure that the Americans would retaliate if Japan invaded Indonesia and the Philippines.

I must also say that the Australians have a great advantage, and that is the very small Muslim population of Australia. That makes it very difficult for the Muslim countries that export natural gas to use Islamist terrorist networks in Australia. Australia is also very tough against illegal immigrants.

Articles

“Major exporting countries of LNG in 2014 (in billion cubic meters)”

http://www.statista.com/statistics/274528/major-exporting-countries-of-lng/

“THE GREAT LNG RACE: WHO WILL BE THE WINNER?”, October 2015

http://www.naturalgaseurope.com/the-great-lng-race-who-will-be-the-winner-25976

Hitler, Netanyahu and the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem

Recently there was too much fuss, when Netanyahu said that the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem was trying to persuade Hitler to kill European Jews instead of deporting them.  The Arab Haj Amin al-Husseini was the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem during the Second World War. The Grand Mufti is the highest religious position that a Sunni Muslim can hold.

What Netanyahu said was true and I am surprised that there was so much fuss about it. And I want to explain why this is so, but unfortunately I need to say very few things about the background of the meeting between Adolf Hitler and the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem in November 1941.

Before World War 1 the Ottomans controlled most of the Middle East, and most specifically the regions which today are Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and a large part of Saudi Arabia too. The Ottomans were allies of Germany, and therefore the British allied with the Arabs against the Ottomans. The British promised the Arabs that if the Ottomans were defeated they would help them establish Arab states in the areas of the Middle East that were controlled by the Ottomans.

In exactly the same way the British asked the Jews for help, with the promise that they would help them establish a Jewish state in Palestine (Israel+Jordan). That was made with a formal declaration of Great Britain i.e. the Balfur Declaration. At the time Palestine (Israel+Jordan) was an underdeveloped region with less than 1 million inhabitants. For Palestine see the following map.

  

Map 1 Palestine

http://www.mythsandfacts.org/replyonlineedition/images/maps/1920-mandate_for_palestine.jpg

However after World War 1, the British established the Arab states of Iraq and Syria, but under Arab pressure they failed to do the same thing for the Jews and Palestine. To make things worse, the British gave the largest part of Palestine (Jordan) to their Arab allies, keeping what remained (Israel) under their control. That was the smallest part of Palestine, and almost all of its southern part was desert.

Map 2 The Partition of Palestine

http://www.mythsandfacts.org/media/user/images/1922-mandate_for_palestine.jpg

As a result the Arabs and the Jews started killing each other, while at the same time they were both attacking the British with terrorist attacks. The word “Palestinian” does not refer to Arabs. It refers to Palestinian Arabs, to Palestinian Jews, to Palestinian Christians etc. Unfortunately with their immense strength in media and politics the Arabs have managed to keep the word “Palestinian” only for them. Unfortunately oil can buy almost anything.

But let me continue with what Netanyahu said about Hitler and the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem. Because of the situation I just described, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem at the time, found in Hitler an ideal ally. What Netanyahu said is absolutely true. In the beginning, during the 1930’s and before the outbreak of World War II, Hitler preferred to deport the Jews of Germany rather than killing them. Hitler was afraid of the international outcry that would follow the mass killings of millions of people. And that is proved by Hitler’s policies. Hitler was stealing their money and then he was deporting the German Jews. He was not killing them.

At the time a Holocaust would be much more convenient for the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and the Arabs of Palestine than for Hitler himself. Many of the Jews that would be deported by Hitler would end up in Palestine fighting the Arabs. And that’s exactly what the Grand Mufti asked from Hitler. He asked Hitler to kill instead of deporting the Jews during their meeting in November 1941.

But of course that does not mean that the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem had the power to carry out the Holocaust if Hitler did not agree with him. But It DOES mean that the Grand Mufti was a more enthusiastic supporter of the Holocaust than Hitler himself. In January 1942 Hitler decided to go ahead with the Final Solution and the extermination of the European Jews. Note that the meeting of the Grand Mufti with Hitler in November 1941 was very close to Hitler’s decision for the Final Solution in January 1942. Hitler was conquering the whole of Europe, and he was finding again and again the Jews that he had been deporting. Moreover Hitler was himself afraid that if he was to keep deporting the Jews they would have no where else to go than Palestine, and Hitler would have to fight them during his war for the oil of the Middle East.

Therefore what Netanyahu says is a fact. The reason that historians have objections is because the Grand Mufti did not have the power to carry out the Holocaust. But Netanyahu did not say that he did. He simply said that the Grand Mufti was asking for the Holocaust before Hitler had taken his final decisions.

As far as Merkel is concerned, what could have she said? She could have not possibly agreed with Netanyahu, because that would cause Germany a great deal of troubles with the Muslims. She already has many problems with the Muslims. I do not think she needs anymore of it. She knows that what Netanyahu says is absolutely true, and she knows that the historical responsibility for the Holocaust belongs to Germany. That is not going to change because the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem was a more enthusiastic supporter of the Holocaust than Hitler himself.

I also want to say one more thing. Most people do not know that there was never an Arab state called Palestine. Palestine was part of various empires. I am saying that because the Islamist and socialist propaganda circulate a fake map of Palestine, which implies that Israel used to be an Arab Palestinian state, which was later stolen by the Jews.

Ma 3 The Fake Map of Palestine

As I said at the time Palestine was an underdeveloped region with less than 1 million people leaving there i.e. in Israel and Jordan. Gradually the Arabs and the Jews started sending people to Palestine in a race to gain control. Moreover Israel’s southern part is mainly a desert which had no inhabitants at all at the time. You can read about the propaganda about the map at the following Economist article, titled “This map is not the territories”, March 2010.

I must also say that after WWII the English did not keep their promises to the Jews, and after giving the largest part of Palestine (Jordan) to their Arab allies, they gave the best part of what remained (Israel) to the Arabs too. Actually it was not only the English who did that. It was the United Nations Partition Plan of 1947. After the partition the Jews started celebrating like crazy for their new state, while the Arabs launched a war against them, during which the Jews gained more territories.

Map 4 The Un Partition Plan of 1947

The truth is that the Arabs do not accept a Jewish state, and that’s why they never recognized Israel. All the rest is Islamist and socialist propaganda in Europe and the United States. The Islamist Arabs are more honest because they admit they want to kill all the Jews. The socialist Arabs are foxier, and even though they have exactly the same plans with the Islamists, they use various pretexts, in order to convince the public opinion in Europe and America. In that respect I consider the Islamist Arabs as less dangerous, because it is easier for European and American citizens to understand what the real problem is.

For the Economist article and the face map of Palestine see

“This map is not the territories”, March 2010

http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2010/03/israel_and_palestine_0

The New Agreement Between Putin and Netanyahu

For the last few years the Israelis had an ace in their sleeve. That was their very good relations with Russia. The two countries face as a common enemy i.e. the Islamists supported by Turkey and Qatar. Moreover Israel has given Gazrpom exclusive rights for a part of Tamar, which is Israel’s second largest gas field.

Map 1 Israeli and Cypriot Gas Fields

Russia was one of the countries that supported the creation of Israel in 1948, together with the United States. The reason Russia did that was because Israel was a socialist country, and also because the Russians believed that the alliance between the British and the Arabs would inevitably bring Israel under Russian influence. At the time the great power of the Middle East was England and not the United States. There was therefore a contradiction in Stalin’s policy. Stalin was pursuing anti-Semitic policies within Russia, but he was helping Israel with his foreign policy.

The first guns that the Israelis were using against the Arabs were bought from Czechoslovakia with Stalin’s approval of course. Moreover, even though citizens of the Soviet bloc were not allowed to travel abroad, Stalin allowed Eastern European Jews to illegally exit through Czechoslovakia, Austria and Italy, in order to go to Israel and fight the Arabs. Therefore Stalin was supplying Israel with both guns and fighters. And that’s what Israel needed.

However when socialist dictators took power in some Arab countries, the Russians became their allies, and the Israelis became French allies, because France was almost at war with the Arabs. Algeria was a French colony till 1962, and there was the France-Algerian war. There was also the issue of Gamal Nasser in Egypt, who threatened the French and the English to close the Suez Canal. The French and the English actually invaded Egypt in 1956 i.e. the Suez Crisis, in order to stop Nasser. During this operation Israel was actively on the side of France and England.

When the French and the English lost their colonies, and the Americans became the dominant power in the Middle East, the French and the English did not have much to gain from Israel. Instead they adopted very pro-Arab policies in order to get better deals in the energy and armaments sectors. In the 1960’s, under Kennedy, the special relationship between the US and Israel developed. This special relationship would only be tested in the 21^st century.

Anyway what is important is that the good relations between the Israelis and the Russians were broken very soon after Israel’s creation, and were only revived in 21^st century under Putin. After the Russians became allies with the socialist dictators of the Arab countries i.e.  Qaddafi in Libya, Nasser in Egypt, Assad’s father in Syria, and Saddam Hussein in Iraq, the short lived Israeli-Russian alliance was ended. Russia became Israel’s worst enemy, because it was the Russians who were arming the Arabs, the Arab Palestinians, and later the Iranians too. The Iranians were armed by China too, because China was always promoting the China-Pakistan-Iran axis.

Russia was also very actively promoting Jewish conspiracy theories. Russia had a great tradition in anti-Semitism, and it was mainly the Jews from the Russian Empire who had fled to Germany in the 19^th and 20^th century that were killed by Hitler. It was in Russia that the most famous anti-Semitic book was published in the beginning of the 20^th century i.e. “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion”.

Map 2

To make a long story short, the Russians were the major opponent the Israelis had to face in the 20th century, because it was the Russians who were arming their enemies. But all that changed in the 21^st century, when the Israelis and the Russians had a common enemy i.e. the Islamists of Turkey and Qatar, and also when Israel gave Russia exclusive rights for a part of its second largest gas field i.e. Tamar. Putin was the first Russian President who did not spread anti-Semitism in Russia, and the first Russian President to visit Israel too.

Of course that does not mean that Russia abandoned her traditional alliances with Iran and the Arabs, but she became a lot less hostile towards Israel, to the point of course that this change of policy did not hurt Russia’s traditional alliances. The Russian help was a great gift for the Israelis. I believe that was one of the reasons the Israelis fought together with the French and the Arabs the agreement for Iran’s nuclear program. The Israelis knew that as long as Iran and the United States were enemies, the Russians would not have to worry about the loyalty of the Syrian dictator Bashar al Assad and of Hezbollah in Lebanon. But as soon as relations between the United States and Iran were restored, Russia would have to antagonize with Iran for influence in Syria and Lebanon, because Iran might not need Gazprom anymore. Once sanctions against Iran are dropped, and the foreign multinationals enter Iran, Iran could decide to reach the Mediterranean Sea without the help of Gazprom. With the huge Russian military presence in Syria, and with Russia’s enhanced alliance with Hezbollah in Lebanon, Russia sealed Syria and Lebanon. Moreover, with her increased military presence in Syria, Russia also showed Turkey and Israel that they better take Russia more seriously.

Map 3

Now Iran cannot reach the Mediterranean Sea without Russia’s approval. But that’s a very big problem for Israel, because Hezbollah will be armed and supported by both Russia and Iran. Russia and Iran might antagonize about who is going to help more Bashar al Assad and Hezbollah. A very good article about the problems posed to Israel by the enhanced Russian presence in Syria is “Why Israel Should Be Worried About Russia's Role in Syria”, October 2015, by the Washington Institute. The Washington Institute is an American think tank which focuses on Middle East. According to Washington Institute, in the past the Israelis have targeted in Syria Iranian arms shipments to Hezbollah.

Map 4 Iranian Arms to Hezbollah

According to the Washington Institute the Russian-Hezbollah alliance will significantly reduce Israel’s ability to target arms supplies to Hezbollah. The Russians will claim that the arms were not intended to be used against Israel, and Israel will not be able to prove that the opposite is true, because to do so Israel would have to reveal its informers. According to Washington Institute, on the 27^th September 2015 the Israelis targeted some Syrian forces very close to their borders, in order to test the Russian reactions. Putin said that he was very worried about Israel’s attacks in Syria, and the article assumes that the Russians will react a lot more if the Israelis attack a convoy with arms deeper in Syria.

Therefore the huge Russian military presence in Syria complicates things for the Israelis. Hezbollah in Southern Lebanon is much stronger than Hamas in Gaza, because Hamas is surrounded by Egypt and Israel, and the two countries do not allow Turkey, Iran and Qatar to send arms to Hamas. To be more accurate the flow of arms is under control when compared with what happens in Lebanon. Hezbollah can receive supplies from everywhere.

However now Netanyahu agreed to make the Russian state owned giant Gazprom a major party in Leviathan, the largest natural gas field of Israel, as you can read at the following article from the Australian, titled “Putin and Netanyahu to strike deal on Leviathan gas field”, October 2015. The Australian is the largest Australian newspaper. I do not know what Russia plans to do with all this natural gas, because Egypt, which would be an ideal buyer, had recently discovered a gas field even larger than Leviathan i.e. the Zohr. Leviathan holds 500+ billion cubic meters of gas and the Zohr holds 800+ bcm. However I am sure that Putin must have offered some kind of protection to Israel at the side of this deal. I do not know what kind of protection but Putin must have offered something.

The Russian presence would be also good for the American company that operates this fields i.e. Noble Energy, because Noble will be sure that Hezbollah will not dare to attack the gas fields if the Russians are involved. That does not mean of course that for the Israelis the increased Russian military presence is a good thing. It is probably a bad thing. But if this increased Russian military presence is taken for granted, the new deal is a great success for the Israelis. I hope this deal will not cause problems in the relations between Israel and the United States, because the United States is Israel’s main ally, and the only ally that can keep Israel alive. The United States should understand that Israel does not have any other option.

What I want to see is where the Russians plan to sell all this gas. Maybe to Egypt until the Zohr becomes operational? Maybe to Turkey? Maybe to Asia in order to threaten Qatar? Or is this one of the moves that the Russians very often make to confuse their rivals and put pressure on them? What is strange is that the Israeli natural gas is not for Russia as important as it used to be, since ENI discovered the Zohr in Egypt. See “ENI VS Gazrpom : A New War in the East Mediterranean Sea”?

https://iakal.wordpress.com/2015/09/24/gazprom-vs-eni-a-new-war-in-east-mediterranean-sea/

On the other hand Russia really needs Hezbollah and Assad in Syria to seal the exit to the Mediterranean Sea. Therefore I find it a bit difficult to understand the new deal between Russia and Israel, but it is obvious that I am missing something here, and as I said we will have to wait and see.

Also keep in mind that very recently there were new oil discoveries in the Golan Heights, as you can read at the following article of the Fox News, titled “Potentially game-changing oil reserves discovered in Israel”, October 2015. The Golan Heights are of great strategic importance and were captured by Israel during the wars of 1967 and 1973. You can see the Golan Heights at the following maps.

Map 5

http://ichef-1.bbci.co.uk/news/624/media/images/77242000/gif/_77242135_golan_heights_v3.gif

Map 6

http://defense-update.com/images/golan_dispute.jpg

Map 7

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3qG6YHAuIdyzOeVbpS2GndZDGgBD1FwBaB5uX2ylx9GNFO7y3fOudp-SnA7PPq4UsY5XISOPKS_afWuoPxcKpRQYwuIakQ3nLxQI6aXMPlSiXxKvwt7thj60eKQqATVO9L0iPLGrbFbM/s1600/Golan+topographical+map.jpg

Map 8

http://www.kidsbiblemaps.com/bethlehem.jpg

Maybe the new oil discoveries have something to do with the new diplomatic developments. Maybe they have also played a role in the new violence outbreaks and the stabbings in Israel. Again we will have to wait and see what happens.

Also note that recently Iran increased its influence in West Bank as you can read at the following Jerusalem Post article, titled “Abbas to visit Iran in November for first time since 2012”, August 2015. The West Bank is run by the socialist Arab Palestinian organization of Fataht Bank. Hamas is the islamist Palestinian Arab organization that runs Gaza, and Fatah is the socialist Palestinian Arab organization that runs the West Bank, with the two having very problematic relations. Until recently Iran had influence mainly in Hamas and Saudi Arabia mainly in Fatah. Therefore most of the tension was coming from Hamas in Gaza. But maybe things are changing, and with the increasing Iranian influence in West Bank tension might come from there too. The Saudis are not as hostile as the Iranians are towards the Israelis, because they both fight Iran.

Articles

“Why Israel Should Be Worried About Russia's Role in Syria”, October 2015

http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/why-israel-should-be-worried-about-russias-role-in-syria

“Putin and Netanyahu to strike deal on Leviathan gas field”, October 2015

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/putin-and-netanyahu-to-strike-deal-on-leviathan-gas-field/story-e6frg6so-1227574801534

“Potentially game-changing oil reserves discovered in Israel”, October 2015

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/10/08/potentially-game-changing-oil-reserves-discovered-in-israel/

“Abbas to visit Iran in November for first time since 2012”, August 2015

http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Abbas-to-visit-Iran-in-November-for-first-time-since-2012-411807

The Oil Fields of ISIS

According to the Financial Times, ISIS is making 1.5 million dollars a day from the oil fields that it controls in Syria and Iraq. See “Isis Inc: how oil fuels the jihadi terrorists”, October 2015. At the following map from the Financial Times you can see with purple the areas controlled by ISIS, and with black blots the oilfields controlled by ISIS. The blue areas at the coast of the Mediterranean Sea are the areas controlled by Bashar al Assad i.e. the Iranian and Russian ally. With green, on the north, you can see the areas controlled by the Kurds of Syria.

Map 1 ISIS Controlled Regions and Oil Fields Controlled by ISIS (Source FT)

http://ig.ft.com/sites/2015/isis-oil/?ftcamp=engage/email/topics/topics/inside_isis/crm&utm_source=topics&utm_medium=email&utm_term=topics&utm_campaign=inside_isis

I must add something to that. It is a sure thing that ISIS can sell oil in Syria and Iraq, but you can see on the map that the purple regions connect ISIS’s oilfields to Turkey. Turkey is exporting oil from the port of Ceyhan in the Mediterranean Sea (see the red circle I have added on the map). Oil from Azerbaijan and North Iraq (Iraqi Kurdistan) is already flowing to Ceyhan. Who says that ISIS oil isn’t flowing at Ceyhan too? Maybe it does. The region between the areas controlled by the Kurds i.e. the area I have marked with red color is where Erdogan wanted to send the Turkish army in order to establish a buffer zone. That’s what Turkey was asking in exchange for her support in the fight against ISIS. This region is important for Turkey, because it allows, or it will allow in the future, ISIS oil to flow to Turkey and the port of Ceyhan. Turkey can earn commissions from exporting this oil, and Turkey can also reduce her energy dependence on Iran and Russia.

All the above is a problem for Russia and Iran, because Russia and Iran are already selling oil to Turkey, and I would expect they sell at prices higher than the ISIS oil. Moreover if this oil ends up in Europe through Ceyhan, it will compete with the Russian oil, because Russia mainly sells to Europe. This is not good for Saudi Arabia either, because Saudi Arabia sells to Europe too, but it is mainly the Russian interests that are hurt. Saudi Arabia mainly sells to Asia and not Europe.

The region between the areas controlled by the Kurds i.e. the green area, is very important for Turkey for one more reason. It is through this corridor that Turkey supports her Islamist allies in Syria and Iraq.

For the Financial Times map see

http://ig.ft.com/sites/2015/isis-oil/?ftcamp=engage/email/topics/topics/inside_isis/crm&utm_source=topics&utm_medium=email&utm_term=topics&utm_campaign=inside_isis

For the Financial Times article see

“Isis Inc: how oil fuels the jihadi terrorists”, October 2015

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/b8234932-719b-11e5-ad6d-f4ed76f0900a.html#axzz3p0Cg3Hwx

The US Pivot to Asia-Pacific

Very often during the last few years the geopolitical sites refer to the US pivot to Asia. What they mean by that is the transfer of American military power from the Middle East and the Persian Gulf to the Asian part of the Pacific Ocean. At the following map you can see that it is at their western flank the Americans face their great rivals. The China-Russia-North Korea axis is located at the Asia Pacific region. Spain, France, England and Norway, located at their eastern flank, are no threats for the Americans.

Map 1

With the new technological advances that allowed the production of oil and gas from shale rock, the United States dramatically increased their oil and gas productions, but also their imports from their neighboring countries of Mexico and Canada, which are both very rich in shale rock. As a consequence the United States decreased their imports and dependence on the Persian Gulf, and they do not want to spend what they have been spending during the last decades for guarding it. Instead they want their NATO allies to share a large part of the military cost. But Germany is not willing to do so, since she is closely cooperating with Russia in the energy sector i.e. Nord Stream 1 and 2, and the same is true for Italy, at least until recently i.e. before the cancellation of the South Stream Pipeline and the discovery by ENI of the Zohr, the huge Egyptian gas field at the East Mediterranean Sea in August 2015. England and France were not very enthusiastic either about sharing the military cost in times of economic crisis.

Therefore the Americans are stuck in the Persian Gulf, since the Middle East hosts the largest share of the world’s oil and gas reserves. After all it was the control of the Persian Gulf that led to the victory of the allies in World War I and II. However the United States have reduced their military presence in the Middle East, in an effort to enhance their alliances in the Asia Pacific Region i.e. with South Korea, Japan, Philippines and Australia, in order to be able to confront China and Russia in the future. As you can read at the following article of Stars and Stripes, titled “Admiral: Carrier gap in Persian Gulf hinders war effort”, July 2015, in 2015 it was the first time in many years that the Persian Gulf was left without an American aircraft carrier. The Star and Stripes is issued by the American Ministry of Defense.

 However, even though they have reduced their military potency in the Middle East, the Americans do not seem ready yet to allow the Persian Gulf fall in the hands of Russia and China.

“Admiral: Carrier gap in Persian Gulf hinders war effort”, Ιουλίου 2015

http://www.stripes.com/news/middle-east/admiral-carrier-gap-in-persian-gulf-hinders-war-effort-1.360564

The Role of France During the Falklands War between England and Argentina in 1982

A very nice map from Stratfor, about the remainings of the British Empire at the South Atlantic Ocean. These are small islands, almost inhabited, which give the English and their allies the opportunity of having some military presence at the South Atlantic Ocean. They also give the English a claim on future oil and natural gas discoveries, and also ownership of a part of Antarctica, which is the only unexplored continent on earth.

I guess the most important British islands are the Falklands. The British control the Falklands since 1833, but the Argentineans never dropped their claims over the Falklands. In 1982 the Argentineans invaded the islands and the Argentinean-English War broke out, with the British regaining control of the islands in the end.

Map 1 British Territories in the South Atlantic Ocean

France played a very important role in this war, since it was with the French Exocet missiles that the Argentineans managed to destroy Sheffield, a British destroyer, and also Atlantic Conveyor, a British commercial ship that was requisitioned by the British Navy during the Falklands War.

As you can read at the following BBC article, titled “How France helped both sides in the Falklands War”, March 2012, France’s official position was to support England during the war. However the French ambassador in England was calling an imperialist the then Prime Minister of England Margaret Thatcher. At the same time a French technical team was in Argentina helping the Argentinean army.

It must be mentioned that the special relationship between England and the United States in North Atlantic annoyed the French. The “special” relationship was one of the main reasons that the national socialist leader of France, Charles de Gaulle, withdrew France from NATO in 1966. De Gaulle wanted France to have better relationships with the Soviets, in order for the Soviets to support the French in their disputes with the British.

With the help of Argentina, and maybe Brazil, France could become more assertive in the South Atlantic Ocean. However France had to officially support England, because France has many small islands around the globe too, as you can see at the following map from Wikipedia’s “Overseas departments and territories of France”.

Map 2 French Oversees Territories

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overseas_departments_and_territories_of_France#/media/File:Outre-mer_en.png

Therefore it was not in the French interests to challenge the British ownership of the Falklands. But maybe it was in the French interests for England to lose the war.

Map 3 North and South Atlantic Ocean

At the following Wikipedia map you can see the French claims over Antarctica (blue color). Moreover France has military bases or military presence in many countries at the western coasts of Africa i.e. Gabon, Guinea, Cameroon, Senegal.

Map 4 Territorial Claims Over Antarctica

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Antarctica_territorial_claims.png

Most African countries were French or British colonies at the beginning of the 20^th century. France was controlling West Africa (red color) and Britain was controlling East Africa (blue color), as you can see at the following map.

Map 5 French and British Colonies in Africa

https://hmissbahapwhp6.wikispaces.com/file/view/Africa_nation.jpg/216712064/Africa_nation.jpg

I must also say that the dictator of Chile, Augusto Pinochet, was supporting Margaret Thatcher during the Falkland War, because Chile and Argentina have territorial disputes too.

For more details about the territorial disputes over Antarctica see also “The Territorial Claims over Antarctica”

https://iakal.wordpress.com/2015/08/08/territorial-claims-over-antarctica/

“The British Territories in the South Atlantic”, October 2015

https://www.stratfor.com/image/british-territories-south-atlantic

“How France helped both sides in the Falklands War”, March 2012

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-17256975