Recall that Britain under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher successfully defended the Falklands from an attempted Argentine invasion and attempted takeover in 1982.

The Sunday Times titled its full-page article: "Can We Still Defend the Falklands?" (Jan. 22, 2012). Certainly defending these islands remains current Prime Minister David Cameron's stated intention, saying that Britain will support the island's population, still very loyal to the United Kingdom. Recently he has restated his support more than once. What this dilemma has done is to focus attention on Britain's ability to protect its distant territories.

Some 3,500 years ago God promised the descendants of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph that they would possess the "gates" of their enemies (Genesis 22:17; 24:60)—the critical chokepoints controlling commercial and military routes. Certainly the Falkland Islands are but one of those gates, many of which have already been lost because of national and individual disobedience to God's spiritual laws. Hong Kong has already passed on to China, and Spain still covets Gibraltar. Even Jamaica has decided to remove Britain's monarch from being its head of state.

Should Argentina invade the Falklands, the task to protect them may be even more difficult than in 1982. At that time Thatcher had two aircraft carriers that Cameron doesn't have. Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay have already decided to ban any Falklands-flagged vessels from their respective ports—in effect threatening to intimidate and isolate the island population. Still, the British have a history of great courage in battle even when the odds are heavily stacked against them.

Argentina is very aware that Prince William is slated to be posted to the Falklands this year. He has already been warned that he will be flying into a potential war zone, but he remains more than willing. He's a helicopter pilot as was his uncle Prince Andrew, who participated in the 1982 conflict.

Valuable natural resources around the Falklands add to the tensions. It is likely that the surrounding seas are "home to some the world's last great undiscovered oil reserves" ("Drilling for Oil off Falklands Digs Up Dark Memories," Financial Times, Dec. 23, 2011). Argentina already has its own economic problems, making the Falkland Islands an even greater prize.

For help in understanding the underlying biblical significance of these events in the South Atlantic, read our free Bible study aid booklet The United States and Britain in Bible Prophecy. (Sources: The Times, The Sunday Times, Daily Express, Financial Times [all London].)