Falkland Islands: Teetering on the Brink

As the diplomats talk, Britain and Argentina brace for combat

Like wary boxers who had learned they could be hurt, Britain and Argentina traded cautious punches last week around the Falkland Islands. The military action was restrained: both sides drew blood, but neither tried to aim a knockout blow in their South Atlantic confrontation. The reason: there were continuing prospects for a diplomatic resolution of the six-week crisis.

Although each side remained deeply suspicious of the other, the main action shifted for most of the week from the frigid waters around the disputed...

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