Ace of Spades HQ

November 23, 2010

New Book: Thatcher Threatened to Nuke Argentina (Ben)
— Open Blogger

I know there are a lot of history buffs like me that read this blog. Well I was purusing Instapundit when I saw this link to a Guardian UK article.

Apparently Margret Thatcher threatened to nuke Buenos Aires during the Falkland Island's War. Thatcher's threat was aimed at the French who refused to give her the disarmament codes to French missles which had been sold to the Argies.

President Francois Mitterand explains:

"Excuse me. I had a difference to settle with the Iron Lady. That Thatcher, what an impossible woman!" the president said as he arrived, more than 45 minutes late, on May 7 1982. "With her four nuclear submarines in the south Atlantic, she's threatening to unleash an atomic weapon against Argentina if I don't provide her with the secret codes that will make the missiles we sold the Argentinians deaf and blind." He reminded Mr Magoudi that on May 4 an Exocet missile had struck HMS Sheffield. "To make matters worse, it was fired from a Super-Etendard jet," he said. "All the matÃ©riel was French!"

Who knew Maggie Thatcher was the inspiration for Jack Bauer?

"Give me those codes guv'na"

I should also point out obviously the French surrendered the codes.

Photo of Mitterand below the jump.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 09:04 AM | Comments (85)
Post contains 225 words, total size 2 kb.

1 What she should have domne was threatened to nuke Mitterand.

Posted by: Harry at November 23, 2010 09:11 AM (IPoT/)

Ha! I finally got a picture embedded. Yay me!

Posted by: Ben at November 23, 2010 09:11 AM (wuv1c)

I can not believe I was first.

Posted by: Harry at November 23, 2010 09:11 AM (IPoT/)

Ha! I finally got a picture embedded. Yay me!

Posted by: Ben

Well done. Now can we have coke bear on the Alaska thread?

Posted by: Blue Hen at November 23, 2010 09:12 AM (1O93r)

I can not believe I was first.

congrats, you win a free subscription to the AoSHQ website.

Posted by: Ben at November 23, 2010 09:12 AM (wuv1c)

I love people like Thatcher who are not afraid to up the ante.

Can we profile at the airport now?

Posted by: Harry at November 23, 2010 09:13 AM (IPoT/)

7 I seem to recall that there were reports of French 'technicians' and 'trainers' servicing the Exocets and various missile sites.

Posted by: Mark E at November 23, 2010 09:14 AM (w5RwR)

8 I question the timing. Just in time for Streep's movie making Thatcher out to be a loon.

Posted by: Ken Royall at November 23, 2010 09:14 AM (9zzk+)

9 Ace makes me pay.

Posted by: Harry at November 23, 2010 09:14 AM (IPoT/)

10 Thatcher....biggest balls since Reagan...

Posted by: Rightzilla at November 23, 2010 09:14 AM (ujT7B)

11 The French Surrendered? that has got to be a first.

Posted by: Guy Fawkes at November 23, 2010 09:14 AM (JcRgg)

12 I always loved Maggie Thatcher - she kicked ass and took names!

Posted by: Teresa in Fort Worth, TX at November 23, 2010 09:15 AM (D4mx0)

13 Ace makes me pay.
Posted by: Harry

I don't think we want to know what he requires.

Posted by: Blue Hen at November 23, 2010 09:15 AM (1O93r)

14 Thatcher gave the best speech at Reagan's Funeral

Posted by: nevergiveup at November 23, 2010 09:16 AM (0GFWk)

15 A French Surrender Monkey!

Posted by: dfbaskwill at November 23, 2010 09:17 AM (71LDo)

16 On the bright side, I'm sure the Argies are thrilled that the French took their money and then screwed them over. And that the French probably expect them to be grateful for not being nuked.

Posted by: Blue Hen at November 23, 2010 09:17 AM (1O93r)

17 Wait 'there is another', too good to check, a book that's out 16 years after the subject passed on

Posted by: justin cord at November 23, 2010 09:18 AM (O20xS)

Thatcher....biggest balls since Reagan...

I've found it funny that two leaders of the 20th century who had hugest balls were women. Maggie Thatcher and Golda Meir.

Keep in mind that maggie not only beat foreign enemies, but she busted the unions in her nation. You think it is hard to get concessions from a teacher union in jersey, imagine england in the 1980s, when almost all industry is state own and therefore union run.

Posted by: Ben at November 23, 2010 09:18 AM (wuv1c)

19 Look, Frank, I said give me the fucking codes.

Posted by: Thatcher back in the day at November 23, 2010 09:18 AM (8/DeP)

o/t - the jawbone found in aruba doesn't belong to natalee holloway

Posted by: laceyunderalls at November 23, 2010 09:18 AM (pLTLS)

21 The Iron Lady, she was brilliant and chemjeff would like her -I believe she also had an advanced degree in chemistry.

Posted by: Journolist at November 23, 2010 09:18 AM (O/NP5)

22 o/t - the jawbone found in aruba doesn't belong to natalee holloway Posted by: laceyunderalls at November 23, 2010 01:18 PM (pLTLS) I never figured it did since it just had "1" tooth in it.

Posted by: nevergiveup at November 23, 2010 09:19 AM (0GFWk)

23 Thank you for the photo! LOL!

Posted by: Moi at November 23, 2010 09:20 AM (Ez4Ql)

24 I'm slated to be in Argentina in a few months, so I'll check some of this out after I get drunk and smoke a pack.

Posted by: Journolist at November 23, 2010 09:20 AM (O/NP5)

I never figured it did since it just had "1" tooth in it.

oh I never heard that part. just that they only id'd it as a female.

Posted by: laceyunderalls at November 23, 2010 09:20 AM (pLTLS)

26 I don't see any cheese in that photo...

Posted by: Additional Blond Agent at November 23, 2010 09:21 AM (PMGbu)

27 Interesting how we're the warmongers when the Frenchies sell weapons to everybody we don't, nukes to Saddam, etc.

Posted by: nickless© at November 23, 2010 09:21 AM (MMC8r)

Could you imagine Obambi trying that???

Obambi : "give me the secret codes or, as I've always said, Bush will make me Nuke them"

Posted by: Romeo13 at November 23, 2010 09:23 AM (AdK6a)

29 I never figured it did since it just had "1" tooth in it. oh I never heard that part. just that they only id'd it as a female. Posted by: laceyunderalls at November 23, 2010 01:20 PM (pLTLS) I mean a young 17/18 year old from the USA ( even Alabama- Go Bama , Roll Tide) usually has a full compliment of teeth and they don't just fall out?

Posted by: nevergiveup at November 23, 2010 09:23 AM (0GFWk)

30 "I love people like Thatcher who are not afraid to up the ante." Dubya could do that too sometimes, when he didn't go mushy over the 'Religion of Peace' claptrap. Remember how he threatened the Pakistanis into cooperating over Afghanistan OR ELSE? The Pakistani leader went on TV and all but told his people the Americans were coming with bombs to Islamabad, oh, and India would get ALL of Kashmir if they didn't do what they were told, no playing games. Someone wrote around that time that there were advantages to giving the impression that you are absolutely crazy enough to do ANYTHING. Now, Obama. Even if he tried to bully NK or Iran, who would believe him. His reputation as The Man of The Yellowed Underwear is firmly established, and nothing short of a REAL nuclear explosion will erase it.

Posted by: Dr Mabuse at November 23, 2010 09:23 AM (jgkJo)

o/t - the jawbone found in aruba doesn't belong to natalee holloway

Posted by: laceyunderalls at November 23, 2010 01:18 PM

Jerry Rivers and Greta hardest hit.

Posted by: MrScribbler© at November 23, 2010 09:24 AM (Ulu3i)

I don't see any cheese in that photo...

what? it's in the right side of the picture. There is a wide array of cheeses to choose from there.

Posted by: Ben at November 23, 2010 09:26 AM (wuv1c)

Posted by: Dr Mabuse at November 23, 2010 01:23 PM (jgkJo)

Yeah... at the time, the world expected America to just plain loose its temper...

Heck... remember Khadafi (Duck)... gave up ALL his weapons and nuc research, including sources...

Sometimes its MUCH better to be feared... Heck, that one reason Reagen was so succesfull... the world saw him as a Cowboy... and you know how those Cowbys are!

Posted by: Romeo13 at November 23, 2010 09:27 AM (AdK6a)

34 Is that what this world is coming too? You buy, or steal a weapon-system, and some can get the Over-ride Codes. That's just wrong...

Posted by: Khan at November 23, 2010 09:29 AM (ycm4Q)

35 you know how those Cowbys are! Posted by: Romeo13 at November 23, 2010 01:27 PM (AdK6a) "Brokeback"?

Posted by: nevergiveup at November 23, 2010 09:30 AM (0GFWk)

36 Heck, that one reason Reagen was so succesfull... the world saw him as a Cowboy... and you know how those Cowbys are!

How it should have happened.

School Marm Europe: Oh, thank you Ron for saving us from the Russians!

Reagan: Aw, shucks, ma'am, t'wern't nothin'.

Posted by: WalrusRex at November 23, 2010 09:31 AM (xxgag)

37 the secret codes that will make the missiles we sold the Argentinians deaf and blind

Huh? You mean nuke missiles are like Bait Cars?

Posted by: ingenus at November 23, 2010 09:31 AM (+sBB4)

38 Is that what this world is coming too? You buy, or steal a weapon-system, and some can get the Over-ride Codes. That's just wrong... Posted by: Khan at November 23, 2010 01:29 PM (ycm4Q) American Techs sabatoged all the F-14s before they were kicked out of Iran

Posted by: nevergiveup at November 23, 2010 09:31 AM (0GFWk)

39 Mon Dieu! Surrender monkey or EWOK on vaca in Paris?

Posted by: guy who can't read the comments at November 23, 2010 09:32 AM (K/USr)

40 #33 Sometimes its MUCH better to be feared... Heck, that one reason Reagen was so succesfull... the world saw him as a Cowboy... and you know how those Cowbys are!

Peace through strength.

Remember that it was also Reagan's strength and his commitment to missile defense brought the Soviets back to the table for arms reduction talks (eventually turning into START 1). Of course, it helped that Reagan took several steps to accelerate the Soviet's demise...

Posted by: Kratos (Ghost of Sparta) at November 23, 2010 09:32 AM (9hSKh)

41
I vacationed in Aruba a long time ago.

Perhaps it is mine.

Posted by: Piltdown Man at November 23, 2010 09:32 AM (uFokq)

42 Cargo area at Boston's Logan Airport evacuated while investigators examine suspicious item http://bit.ly/hJa9D0

Posted by: Kratos (Ghost of Sparta) at November 23, 2010 09:33 AM (9hSKh)

43 what? it's in the right side of the picture. There is a wide array of cheeses to choose from there.

I see another cup of coffee in my immediate future.

Posted by: Additional Blond Agent at November 23, 2010 09:34 AM (PMGbu)

44 From the article:

Mr Mitterrand - who once described Mrs Thatcher as "the eyes of Caligula and the mouth of Marilyn Monroe" - went on: "One cannot win against the insular syndrome of an unbridled Englishwoman. Provoke a nuclear war for a few islands inhabited by three sheep as hairy as they are freezing! But it's a good job I gave way. Otherwise, I assure you, the Lady's metallic finger would have hit the button."

Tee hee.

Posted by: WalrusRex at November 23, 2010 09:34 AM (xxgag)

45 Hum? Dogs have found something in the Cargo Area of BostonÂ’s Logon Airport? Probably a cat

Posted by: nevergiveup at November 23, 2010 09:34 AM (0GFWk)

46 The frogs working both ends against the middle, what a surprise. Good for the Iron Lady. She knew how to put the fear of mom into recalcitrant European metrosexuals.

Posted by: joncelli© at November 23, 2010 09:35 AM (RD7QR)

47 Sometimes its MUCH better to be feared...

Which joke puts more fear into a commie?

I think I'll take AF1 through SA and visit Chavez

Or

The bombing will commence in 5 minutes

Posted by: Buzzsaw at November 23, 2010 09:35 AM (tf9Ne)

Probably a cat

regardless, the system worked.

Posted by: laceyunderalls at November 23, 2010 09:35 AM (pLTLS)

49 That monkey has really big hands. What's with that?

Posted by: Joanie (Oven Gloves) at November 23, 2010 09:36 AM (HaYO4)

Breaking.... New TSA protocol, swabing for hair balls. Live at 5 ... we now return you to Barnaby Jones in progress.

Posted by: Journolist at November 23, 2010 09:37 AM (O/NP5)

51 Probably a cat regardless, the system worked. Posted by: laceyunderalls at November 23, 2010 01:35 PM (pLTLS) My 3 cats are not particularly inpressed

Posted by: nevergiveup at November 23, 2010 09:38 AM (0GFWk)

52 49 That monkey has really big hands. What's with that? Posted by: Joanie (Oven Gloves) at November 23, 2010 01:36 PM (HaYO4) He's applied for a job as a TSA screener.

Posted by: Nighthawk at November 23, 2010 09:38 AM (02uN6)

53 All cats must be rounded up and interrogated

Posted by: ingenus at November 23, 2010 09:38 AM (+sBB4)

54 49 That monkey has really big hands. What's with that? Posted by: Joanie (Oven Gloves) at November 23, 2010 01:36 PM (HaYO4) It's a tranny french metrosexual cheese-eating surrender ladyboy monkey. In a turtleneck.

Posted by: joncelli© at November 23, 2010 09:38 AM (RD7QR)

Posted by: Soothsayer is sometimes like his father -- too cold at November 23, 2010 09:40 AM (uFokq)

56 Thanks to that commie Mitterand, the French don't make much of anything anymore, so we won't have to worry much about their gear being turned against civilized nations.

Posted by: forest at November 23, 2010 09:40 AM (sHmvf)

57 New TSA protocol, swabing for hair balls.

If I tell the agent that mine are shaved, is that helpful?

Posted by: ingenus at November 23, 2010 09:40 AM (+sBB4)

58
Did someone say monkeys?

Posted by: Soothsayer is sometimes like his father -- too cold at November 23, 2010 09:40 AM (uFokq)

59
It's a tranny french metrosexual cheese-eating surrender ladyboy monkey. In a turtleneck.

Posted by: joncelliÂ© at November 23, 2010 01:38 PM (RD7QR)

<Actually, it's a mock turtleneck from the Club Obama line.

Posted by: Journolist at November 23, 2010 09:41 AM (O/NP5)

"It's a tranny french metrosexual cheese-eating surrender ladyboy monkey. In a turtleneck. "

Holy shit. Somebody nuke France before these things escape.

Posted by: Joanie (Oven Gloves) at November 23, 2010 09:41 AM (HaYO4)

61 57 New TSA protocol, swabing for hair balls.

If I tell the agent that mine are shaved, is that helpful?

Posted by: ingenus at November 23, 2010 01:40 PM (+sBB4)

< In terms of the scanning, yes.

Posted by: Journolist at November 23, 2010 09:42 AM (O/NP5)

62 A photo of a cheese-eating surrender monkey. I see what you did there.

Posted by: Second-String Commenter at November 23, 2010 09:43 AM (mAm+G)

"It's a tranny french metrosexual cheese-eating surrender ladyboy monkey. In a turtleneck. "

Holy shit. Somebody nuke France before these things escape.

You haven't been to California or Manhatten lately, huh?

Posted by: dagny at November 23, 2010 09:47 AM (2GOHX)

64 If France gave her the codes, why were the few Exocets so damned effective against British ships?

Posted by: Chris R at November 23, 2010 09:49 AM (h1iq3)

65 Logan airport, partial evacuation, two suspicious pkgs in the cargo area. Bags with Nigerian origins (?).
Found by dogs.

Posted by: Lincolntf at November 23, 2010 09:49 AM (Z6Mgb)

66 Kinda OT, but I want to thank you, Ben, and the other cob-loggers for doing a great job of keeping the info flowing whilst our fearless Ewok is....ewoking somewhere. Considering the day we are having today-Norks going ape-sh*t, Bristol getting death threats for dancing, blizzards, tornadoes, dogs and cats sleeping together (at least mine do-cause they are all on my bed, forcing me into a tiny corner) you have done a great job of keeping the threads up to date. Well done.

Posted by: moki at November 23, 2010 09:50 AM (dZmFh)

67 Posted by: moki at November 23, 2010 01:50 PM (dZmFh) Second that. You've all done a great job.

Posted by: joncelli© at November 23, 2010 09:52 AM (RD7QR)

If France gave her the codes, why were the few Exocets so damned effective against British ships?

I think they got the codes after the first few hits, when it became clear to the british that these missles were extremely deadly.

Posted by: Ben at November 23, 2010 09:58 AM (wuv1c)

moi and jonicellli,

Thanks! It means a lot. I am always a little nervous that the readers won't like what I'm putting out there. I'm trying to keep it light and entertaining. I clearly don't have the analytical or rhetorical powers of Ace and the other real co bloggers.

Posted by: Ben at November 23, 2010 10:00 AM (wuv1c)

Apparently Margret Thatcher threatened to nuke Buenos Aires during the Falkland Island's War.

That is so not cool. I'm from Buenos Aires!

Posted by: Johnny Rico at November 23, 2010 10:01 AM (sWynj)

71

France, home to the world's greatest painters, chefs and anti-Semites.

The French, cowardly yet opinionated, arrogant yet foul-smelling, anti-Israel, anti-American, and of course, as always, Jew-hating.

Paris, the city of whores, dog feces on every corner, and effete men yelling anti-Semitic remarks at childern. The real creme de la creme of world culture.

With all that's going on in the world, isn't it time we got back to hating ... the French?

Posted by: it's evergreen at November 23, 2010 10:05 AM (S5YRY)

72
Apparently Margret Thatcher threatened to nuke Buenos Aires during the Falkland Island's War.

Never in my wildest, weirdest dreams would I have thought that Margaret Thatcher could give me wood.

I'm going to savor the irony of leftists defending the Argy "right-wing military junta" from the eeeeeevil Iron Lady.

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at November 23, 2010 10:07 AM (DZVrI)

Shit, Margaret bitch slapped the Polish communists backed by the soviets, the french were just an appetizer.

Posted by: dagny at November 23, 2010 10:14 AM (2GOHX)

With all that's going on in the world, isn't it time we got back to hating ... the French?

It's actually a smooth transition considering who the "french utes" are now.

Posted by: dagny at November 23, 2010 10:15 AM (2GOHX)

Shit, Margaret bitch slapped the Polish communists backed by the soviets, the french were just an appetizer.

Maggie Thatcher was one of my role models growing up. Girls have twits and fluff pieces to look up to, but every now and then, there's a Maggie.

Posted by: EZB at November 23, 2010 10:18 AM (Ty06w)

76 Margaret Thatcher invented Soft Serve Ice Cream and was going to nuke Buenos Aires!!! Her place in history is secure!

Posted by: Minuteman at November 23, 2010 10:22 AM (502+o)

#53, don't sing it, bitch, bring it. Make the first left after you turn off the paved road. I'll be the 22 pound Maine Coon sharpening my claws on the cinderblocks holding up the trailer.

Posted by: SGT Dan's Cat at November 23, 2010 10:27 AM (GgXZc)

78 When Chuck Norris and Pat Caddell are outnumbered by more than 100:1 they call on Lady Thatcher.

Posted by: motionview at November 23, 2010 10:28 AM (zRbkQ)

79 Thatcher was the real deal. Obama, not so much...

Posted by: Purple Avenger at November 23, 2010 11:26 AM (VyKZx)

80 What haven't the French surrendered?

It started with Julius Caesar and hasn't stopped since.

The only folks they've conquered are bigger cowards than themselves the Muslims.

virulent expressions of outrage and fatwas on self in 5 ... 4..... 3...

Posted by: jakee308 at November 23, 2010 11:51 AM (fhTf7)

81 "Excuse me. I had a difference to settle with the Iron Lady. That Thatcher, what an impossible woman!" the president said as he arrived, more than 45 minutes late, on May 7 1982.

Or it could be that he was running late after a tryst with the ladyfriend, and decided that he'd already used "stuck in traffic" once too often.

Posted by: Anne B. at November 23, 2010 11:57 AM (LqpQR)

Apparently Margret Thatcher threatened to nuke Buenos Aires during the Falkland Island's War.

That is so not cool. I'm from Buenos Aires!

Posted by: Johnny Rico at November 23, 2010 02:01 PM (sWynj)

Blame it on the bugs & the skinnys.

Posted by: Mark E at November 23, 2010 12:32 PM (w5RwR)

83 I think Piers Brendon's claim that the UK was actually trying hard to unload the Falklands prior to Argentina's aggression makes the "nuclear Thatcher" notion a little doubtful. His "Decline And Fall of the British Empire, 1781-1997" makes a pretty convincing argument that while Thatcher felt national pride demanded action, she was far from using anything like nuclear weapons to keep the Falklands in the Union.

Posted by: railwriter at November 23, 2010 12:49 PM (WovsE)

France, home to the world's greatest painters, chefs and anti-Semites.

Ahem.

Posted by: Lithuania at November 23, 2010 01:04 PM (sWynj)

85 This sounds like something out of Hollywood. Including the extremely WRONG description of how missile guidance systems actually work.

Posted by: Cobalt Shiva at November 23, 2010 08:14 PM (G0yb2)

Hide Comments | Add Comment | Refresh | Top

Comments are disabled. Post is locked.

105kb generated in CPU 0.0986, elapsed 0.2267 seconds.
64 queries taking 0.1998 seconds, 213 records returned.
Powered by Minx 1.1.6c-pink.