President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has restated Argentina’s claims to
sovereignty over the islands it calls the Malvinas, saying, “We are
going to get them back.”

General Jackson believes they could still fall to a surprise attack.

“The official answer will be that it would not be possible for the
Argentinians to gain a foothold on the islands, in particular to take Mount
Pleasant, which is key to the British defence plan.

Defences on the Falklands are now – by a factor of several tens – better than
they were in 1982.

We have a large international-sized airfield to allow for very rapid
reinforcement by air, should circumstances so require.

But I suppose I have learned in life, never say never.”

The original invasion was “a strategic shock” that surprised defence
chiefs, says General Jackson, who worked for the head of military
intelligence in Whitehall during the Falklands War.

“There was a small amount of intelligence – which was gold – from the
British naval attache in Buenos Aires, who was clearly watching with great
care, and no doubt listening to this and that conversation and he said,
‘Look, these people are up to something.’ Basically, that was discounted in
London.”

However, Brigadier Bill Aldridge, commander of the British forces in the South
Atlantic, also tells The Sunday Telegraph: “I am not expecting
to hand the islands over to anybody and therefore put us in a position to
have to retake the islands.”

The British commitment to the Falklands is unchanged despite the cuts, he
says. “If I fail in my primary mission of deterring aggression, I have
the capability here to defend the islands. I am fully confident that I have
the capability to do that.”

The armed forces on the islands are in “an extremely different position”
to 1982, says Brig Aldridge.

Then there were fewer than 100 military personnel to resist the initial
invasion force. Now the garrison at Mount Pleasant is home to 1,400.

They will soon be joined by Prince William, who is about to start a tour of
duty there as a Sea King helicopter pilot.

“It would be foolish to discount any particular scenario,” says Brig
Aldridge. “But I do not see any position where the type of eventuality
that some people are speculating about is going to happen.”

The Governor of the Falkland Islands, Nigel Haywood says a new British
diplomatic push has been mounted to correct Argentine claims about the
islands.

“The fact is that in many people in the world don’t know anything about
the islands other than Argentine mistruths and lies.

“Their claim is founded on a complete myth. Their arguments are getting
louder and louder and weaker and weaker. They are saying some very stupid
things.”