As world powers begin to wind down operations in war-torn Afghanistan, a new conflict seems to be building up in the South Atlantic.

The issue is, so far, diplomatic, but two nations have gone to war before, almost 30 years ago. The dispute involves a small, barren archipelago in the middle of the South Atlantic – the Falkland Islands, or as Argentina calls them, Las Islas Malvinas.

Almost 30 years ago to the day, Britain launched a task force to retake the islands by force, after Argentine troops invaded during the days of the military Junta. Argentine troops overran the islands, took the garrison prisoner and declared the islands to be sovereign territory.

Britain was still a strong military power in those days and there was great opposition from the US when Prime Minister of the time Margaret Thatcher informed Ronald Reagan that Britain would retake the islands by force.

At the time, the US reasoned that the right wing Junta was a buffer to the spreading of Communism in Latin America. Britain used her military might and invaded. There were tragic losses on both sides, but perhaps the conflict is most remembered for the sinking of the General Belgrano… hundreds of Argentine sailors died that day. Horrific casualties were also suffered by the Brits on their ships, but the ground war was relatively quick and as the SAS, Paras and Marines did their thing, Argentine resistance soon petered out and the Union Jack was once again flying over Port Stanley.

30 years later, the rhetoric has been ratcheted up. The charismatic and stunning President of Argentina, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, has gone head to head against Britain’s self-assured and outspoken David Cameron. But the threat of war seems to be far off. Fernández de Kirchner has reiterated Argentina’s claim to the islands and has said that Argentina will block off its airspace to the only carrier which flies to the islands, from Chile. That air link is the only modern and fast mode of transport that the islanders have to the outside world. The islands are remote and it is a very rural community. The residents are perhaps more British than the British, akin to perhaps, Shetland islanders.

Britain cannot afford to go to war. It has no aircraft carrier in service, only helicopter assault ships. Besides, it just doesn’t have the manpower, or the military budget to do so. All that is locked up in Afghanistan and perhaps, for the first time since the 1800s, Britain might find itself in a position where it is unable to defend its territory, a tiny dependency in the middle of a frigid ocean. There are hopes that something could be brokered within the United Nations, but it is becoming increasingly clear that Argentina will fight another Dirty War. Rather than invade, it will do all it can to ‘starve’ the islanders and cut them off from the rest of the world. The islands are about its people. They have been there for centuries. They regard themselves as British and there are no resources there at all, aside from sheep. The world does not need this; Europe will be dragged in. Mrs Fernández de Kirchner, who has a penchant for theatrics, should try and find another way to boost her poll ratings, rather than making a bunch of farmers’ lives miserable.