I was TDY at Camp Smith from the 7thSFG during the Falklands War and we monitored the situation in real-time at I-PAC. FWIW - there was a bit more than Intel support given to the UK as they struggled to project enough power over that distance for that operation.
That fall I spent time with an SAS team who had just returned from that fray and they were still pretty beaten up from it physically and mentally from their losses there - the Falklands/Maldives are rough, especially in the winter - they had some interesting stories about the Argentines and thought little of them militarily.
One point which the Falklands campaign made was naval - prior to that time the thinking was for lighter, faster, composite-hulled ships - the devastating impact of the Exocets used by the Argentines on such lighter-hulled ships of the RN changed our views and we sought a return to the idea of the necessity for a sturdier hull structure in our ships (e.g., FF/DE).
My wife and I were in Argentina this past September - nice vacation but the economy there has suffered far worse than here to date. Their pride has been hurt over a number of issues over the years - always a sensitive matter amongst many (if not most) cultures - and there could be others
goading them on a bit to see how the UK-US and UN respond.
IMO - the fact that they have sought to reconcile their issues in the UN is a positive step in comparison to their previous actions.
However - MOO and YMMV - and so it goes...
Richard's $.02
