Lessons for the Future

The task of drawing lessons from, or ascertaining the meaning of, recent historical events is not easy. The Falklands War of 1982 is no exception. As David Gompert and Dov Zakheim have indicated, one can see this conflict in at least two different ways. In the realm of political and military strategy several important lessons emerge. The skill with which Sir Anthony Parsons steered Resolution 502 through the Security Council without a Soviet veto and with the passive approval of many Third World states has been noted by United States (US) Ambassador Jeane Kirkpatrick and others as evidence that it is possible for a Western power to score a victory at the United Nations, as long as the right circumstances are present and they are combined with a vigorous, creative diplomacy. A British transfer of sovereignty over the Falklands to Argentina could be accomplished gracefully, honorably, and with due regard for the long-term interests of Great Britain.