The Hero
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- Jun 29, 2008
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'Sean Penn's an idiot and a fool': Falklands hero Simon Weston hits back at bleeding heart actor's explosive remarks on disputed islands
War hero Simon Weston says actor 'does not know what he is talking about'
Ben Fogle also challenged Penn to a public debate on the Falklands
Left-wing U.S. actor says sending Duke of Cambridge is not necessary
Hollywood star in Uruguay as he continues South American tour
Comes day after he labelled Britain 'colonialist, ludicrous and archaic'
Falklands hero Simon Weston yesterday
branded Sean Penn an 'idiot' and a 'fool' over his comments about
Britain's ownership of the islands.
Former Welsh Guardsman Weston, 50, hit back at the Hollywood actor's criticism of Prince William's deployment to the Falklands.
The
father-of-three, who was terribly injured in an Argentine bomb attack
that killed 48 people in 1982, said: 'Sean Penn is living, breathing
proof that just because you are famous doesn't mean you know what you
are talking about.
War of words: Simon Weston, left, today came out
fighting in support Britain in the row involving Sean Penn, right, over
the Falklands
Making a point: Actor Sean Penn wears a poncho
as he shakes hands with Evo Morales, the president of Bolivia, during a
meeting yesterday
He told The Sun: 'Penn is an idiot.
It's bad for people to think you're a fool. You don't need to open your
mouth to prove it. By opening his mouth on this, Sean Penn proves he is a
fool.'
The attack by Penn was the second time in two days he has criticised the UK's involvement in the islands.
Meanwhile TV adventurer Ben Fogle -
who is a close friend of Prince William - also attacked Penn for
criticising the Royal's deployment to the Falklands.
Fogle,
who - with his wife Marina - was a guest at William and the Duchess of
Cambridge's wedding, said he wanted to place Penn in the mouth of
crocodiles over his comments.
Brave: Fogle (pictured) has recently dived with
crocodiles for a new television series - describing it as the 'scariest,
most terrifying thing' he has ever done
Fogle told followers on Twitter: 'I would like
to take Sean Penn and place him in the jaws of one of those crocodiles.'
He also challenged Penn to a public debate on the Falklands
Fogle has recently dived
with crocodiles for a new television series - describing it as the
'scariest, most terrifying thing' he has ever done.
But he told followers on Twitter: 'I would like to take Sean Penn and place him in the jaws of one of those crocodiles.'
He also challenged Penn to a public debate on the Falklands.
[h=3]WAR OF WORDS - PENN V WESTON[/h]Sean Penn:
'My oh my, aren't people sensitive to the world colonialism, particularly those who implement colonialism
'It's
unthinkable that the United Kingdom can make a conscious decision to
deploy a prince within the military to the Malvinas, knowing the great
emotional sensitivity both of mothers and fathers in the United Kingdom
and in Argentina who lost sons and daughters in a war of islands with a
population of so few.
'There
are many places to deploy the prince. It's not necessary, when the
deployment of a prince is generally accompanied by warships, to send
them into the seas of such shared blood.'
Simon Weston:
'Sean Penn is living, breathing proof that just because you are famous doesn't mean you know what you are talking about.
'Penn is an idiot. It's bad for people to
think you're a fool. You don't need to open your mouth to prove it. By
opening his mouth on this, Sean Penn proves he is a fool.
'His views are irrelevant and it only serves to fuel the ire of the Argentinians and get them more pumped up.'
'Let us not forget that 253 airmen, soldiers and sailors lost their lives protecting the Falklands,' wrote Fogle on Twitter.
'We
are all entitled to our own political opinion on the Falklands but it's
up to the islanders not actors to decide their future.'
Penn, Madonna's ex-husband, was
condemned as 'moronic' by Tory MP and former Army officer Patrick Mercer
for claiming Britain's continuing hold on the Falklands was
'colonialist, ludicrous and archaic'.
But
the left-leaning actor showed he cannot keep his mouth shut over the
islands by accusing the UK of 'insensitivity' for posting William to the
disputed South Atlantic territory and labelling Britain a colonial
dinosaur for the second day running.
The
double Oscar winner went on the attack again after a meeting with
Uruguayan president Jose Mujica in Montevideo - less than 24 hours after
he savaged Britain over the Falklands during his visit to Buenos Aires
to see the Argentine president Cristina Kirchner.
Penn,
who once called for U.S. president George W. Bush to be impeached over
the Iraq War, met both state leaders in his role as Ambassador-at-large
for Haiti.
He condemned
criticism of his attack on 'colonial' Britain as 'hyperbole' and again
insisted on calling the islands by their Spanish name of Las Malvinas.
Grinning
smugly as he praised Uruguay as a 'model of development in the world'
he added: 'My oh my, aren't people sensitive to the world colonialism,
particularly those who implement colonialism.
'It's unthinkable that the United
Kingdom can make a conscious decision to deploy a prince within the
military to the Malvinas, knowing the great emotional sensitivity both
of mothers and fathers in the United Kingdom and in Argentina who lost
sons and daughters in a war of islands with a population of so few.
Controversial: Actor Sean Penn meets with
Bolivian President Evo Morales at the government palace in La Paz today.
He has been criticised by Ben Fogle for his controversial comments on
the Falklands issue
Angry: Double Oscar winner Sean Penn (left) went
on the attack against Britain for a second day running yesterday after a
meeting with Uruguayan president Jose Mujica (right) in Montevideo
Controversial: Actor Sean Penn, pictured here
with Argentina's President Cristina Kirchner on Monday, has branded
Britain 'colonialist' for its refusal to hand over the Falkland Islands
Annoyed: Sean Penn said that the deployment of Prince William (left) to the Falklands was 'unthinkable'
'There are many places to deploy the
prince. It's not necessary, when the deployment of a prince is generally
accompanied by warships, to send them into the seas of such shared
blood.'
Penn, who has
received praise from crackpot Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez, insisted he
was proud of America's long-standing alliance with the UK but felt he
had the responsibility to criticise when criticism was due.
And
he said that while he understood and respected the wish of people
living in the Falklands Islands to remain British, they should also
understand the need for Argentina and Britain to negotiate the sharing
of the islands' natural resources.
The international row which has erupted since Penn made his outspoken views has become a national talking point.
Such
is the anger Penn raised with his opinions that as of Thursday
afternoon, MailOnline had received close to 5,000 comments on the story -
a record number for our site.
Graffiti: A mural in the Argentine capital of Buenos Aires commemorates its soldiers who fell in the Falklands Conflict
Protest: Stencilled graffiti across Buenos Aires
saying 'They are not British, they are Argentine' (left) and 'English
out of the Malvinas, we will return!' (right)
Demonstration: A Buenos Aires street daubed in
pro-Argentine graffiti, with a sign that says: 'The Malvinas were, are
and will be Argentine'
Inspection: Actor
Sean Penn (right) alongside Argentina's Social Developer Minister Alicia
Kirchner (left) during a visit to a factory in Berazategui, on the
outskirts of Buenos Aires on Monday
Disputed: Argentina calls the Falkland Islands (pictured) Las Malvinas and claims they were 'stolen' by Britain 180 years ago
In an ugly attack
on the press before ending his address to newsmen after his meeting with
Uruguay's president, he added: 'Good journalism saves the world. Bad
journalism destroys it so to all of you good journalists in the room I
thank you. And the rest I will leave you to your own reflections.'
[h=3]ARGENTINIAN POLICE CLASH WITH FALKLANDS WAR VETERANS[/h]
Argentine
police clashed with a group of Falklands War veterans in Buenos Aires
yesterday, demanding inclusion in a pension plan for war vets.
The
protesting veterans, who were deployed in the 1982 Falklands War when
Argentina invaded the British-ruled South Atlantic islands, are
disqualified from a Falklands war veterans package because they never
actually deployed on the islands.
The
demonstrators were blocking a major downtown thoroughfare when riot
police, led by a massive water cannon truck, moved in on them to break
up the demonstration.
The
ex-soldiers, who began their protest on Monday night, resisted the
police and hurled rocks, sticks and other projectiles. The police
responded with batons and riot shields.
The police finally fired tear gas and advanced against the demonstrators chasing them through the streets and detaining several.
The
protesting veterans say they want the government to recognize them as
'continental combatants' and afford them a 'minimal pension'.
Penn, who had no previous
knowledge or connection with the Falklands, later left by a side door
of the skyscraper where he had met Jose Mucija, disappointing fans who
had travelled miles to see him.
His comments have incensed Falkland veterans and islanders ahead of the 30th anniversary of the Falklands conflict.
Patrick Mercer added: 'What on earth has
this got to do with Sean Penn? Hes neither British nor Argentine and
seems to know nothing about the situation judging by this moronic
comment.
A good number of his movies have been turkeys, so I suppose we shouldnt expect much better coming out of his mouth.
Penn waded into the row over the disputed territorys future after he
met President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner in Buenos Aires on Monday, by
insisting he was firmly on the side of the South Americans.
Tensions between the UK and Argentina have been running higher than
usual after Prince Williams deployment to the islands as a
search-and-rescue helicopter pilot. Penns remarks will further inflame
relations as the anniversary of the start of the Falklands War
approaches on April 2.
A total of 255 British soldiers were killed retaking the islands after
an Argentinian military junta invaded the Malvinas, as the Falklands
are known in Spanish, in 1982, while 649 Argentine troops died.
Tory MP Andrew Rosindell, secretary of the All-Party Parliamentary Group
on the Falkland Islands, attacked the actors comments as nonsense.
He said: He shows complete ignorance of the issue if he comes out with
nonsensical statements like that. In the 21st century people have a
democratic right to their own future.
[h=3]A HOLLYWOOD REBEL WITH EVERY LEFT-WING CAUSE[/h]
As the acknowledged king of
Hollywoods liberals, there is scarcely a single fashionable Left-wing
cause Sean Penn has not championed in recent years.
Vehemently
anti-Republican and achingly trendy, he counts Fidel Castro and
Venezuelas hardline president Hugo Chávez among his friends.
He has also made anti-American propaganda visits to Iran and post-war Iraq.
Penn
has met Chávez at least twice and defended the Left-wing leader,
arguing that anyone calling him a 'dictator' should face jail. He has
also said: 'Chávez may not be a good man. But he may well be a great
one.'
Penn even once
took out a £40,000 full-page newspaper advertisement to attack President
George W Bush for his simplistic and inflammatory view of good and
evil.
Friends: Sean Penn (right) who has been labelled
a 'communist' for his friendship with Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez
(left) who he met in 2008
Later he would call for Bush
and former vice president Dick Cheney to be jailed for 'deceiving the
American people into a war (Iraq) that was murdering young men and
women'.
Last October Penn visited inspirational post-Gaddafi Libya.
The
51-year-old actor, who was married to Madonna from 1985 to 1989 and has
two children from his second marriage to Robin Wright which has also
now ended, was reported to have flashed a V for Victory sign as he
arrived in Tripoli fresh from visiting Egypt.
Amid even Tinseltowns numerous famous bleeding hearts then, Penn stands out.
But
despite his tough political posturing the Oscar-winning star of Milk
and Mystic River is also famously sensitive to criticism.
When he was lampooned as a naive egotist in the 2004 satirical puppet movie Team America: World Police, he complained bitterly.
In
the film, written by South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker, a
puppet of Penn made outlandish statements about how happy Iraqis were
before the war.
But
while Alec Baldwin, George Clooney and Matt Damon all saw the funny side
to the film, in which they too were parodied, Penn sent Parker and
Stone an angry letter inviting them to tour Iraq with him and signing it
off with '**** you'.
Parker
explained: 'In the movie we were making fun of him for always saying
"Ive been to Iraq, you dont know what youre talking about, Ive been
there", and then he writes in the letter "Ive been to Iraq...".'
More
recently, Penn set up a charity in Haiti following the 2010 earthquake
in the country. It led to him being named 'ambassador-at-large' by
President Michel Martelly, which is why the actor was visiting Buenos
Aires.
He has
also championed causes such as gay-rights and America's poor, as well
as supporting countries most Americans would consider to be enemies.
On
screen he won an Oscar for his portrayal of homosexual politician
Harvey Milk and appeared in a promotional advert for the Occupy
movement.
In
2005 he helped rescue people in New Orleans, Louisiana, who had been
injured by Hurricane Katrina. But some thought it was merely a PR stunt.
The Mystic River star has also visited
Iran, Iraq, and Cuba - and most recently has been seen in Libya
(following the fall of Muammar Gaddafi's regime) and Egypt (after Hosni
Mubarak was ousted).
'It is Argentina that is trying to impose its wishes on the people of
the Falklands. As an American he should remember that freedom is
precious, and it is something his countrymen have defended around the
globe.
[h=3]FALKLANDS OIL 'WORTH £111BN'[/h]Drilling
within the 200 mile territory surrounding the Falklands could yieldb
tax windfalls of £111bn from oil and gas exploration, a major report
claimed today.
Several companies have been prospecting for oil within the exclusion zone set up during the 1980s Falklands War.
UK-listed
companies are involved in exploring four major prospects this year,
with the biggest, Loligo, potentially holding more than 4.7bn barrels of
oil.
The riches
available are put in perspective when it is considered that Catcher, the
biggest discovery in the North Sea, is thought to hold only around 300m
barrels.
According to a
new report by oil and gas analysts Edison Investment Research, if all
four prospects were drilled the potential tax funds would net close to
$180bn.
Ian McLelland,
who co-wrote the report, said: 'With current tax and fishing incomes in
the region of $40m , the islands look set to be transformed by the oil
industry.'
'The
proverbial spanner in the works that remains is the ongoing political
dispute between Britain and Argentina regarding sovereignty of the
Falklands.'
He must understand that the UK is equally entitled to defend the
freedom of the people of the Falklands, even if they are 8,000 miles
away.
Dick Sawle, a member of the Falklands Legislative Assembly, said: I
dont know Sean Penns films or what he looks like so I know as much
about him as he does about the islands. His remarks are ridiculous.
Even comedian Jim Davidson weighed in. Davidson, patron of the Falkland
Veterans Foundation, said: The fact of the matter is Argentina broke
all the laws of the UN and attacked the Falkland Islands. Whats next?
Do we expect the French to land on the Channel Islands and
do nothing about it?
I think the world today is not going to tolerate any kind of ludicrous
and archaic commitment to colonialist ideology. Britain has said
repeatedly that those living on the Falklands which have been in
British hands since 1833 have the right to decide under which country
they want to be governed.
The 3,000-strong population has declared its wish to remain under
British rule. Argentina has made a formal complaint to the UN over the
UKs supposed
militarisation of the South Atlantic, based on the Type 45 destroyer
Dauntless being ordered to the region, as well as Prince Williams
deployment in his RAF role.
The
MoD says the deployments are routine. The Royal Navy is also sending a
nuclear-powered submarine to patrol the islands. In a fresh
development, it was announced yesterday that all
British-flagged ships will be boycotted by Argentinas transport
workers union.
'Should we give Gibraltar back to Spain because
Spain is nearer or do you think the Gibraltarians have a say?
Penn, who called on Britain to join UN-sponsored talks over the islands,
said: I hope that diplomats can establish true dialogue between the UK
and Argentina in order to solve the conflict as the world today cannot
tolerate ridiculous demonstrations of colonialism.
[h=2]Telex from Falklands reporting Argentine surrender set to fetch up to £3,000 at auction
[/h]A
copy of the original telex announcing to the British government that
Argentina had surrendered in the Falklands War is to go under the
hammer.
Sent by the
commander of the British land forces, Major-General Jeremy Moore, it
states that the juntas forces have laid down their arms and the
Falkland Islands are 'once more under the government desired by their
inhabitants.
The
document is expected to sell for between £2,000 and £3,000 when it is
auctioned by Bonhams on April 3, a day after the 30th anniversary of the
start of the war.
The telex, sent by Major-General Jeremy Moore,
Commander of British land forces in the Falklands, which is to be sold
at Bonhams in April
It reads: 'In Port Stanley at 9
oclock pm Falkland Islands Time tonight 14th June 1982, Major General
Menendes (sic) surrendered to me all the Argentine Forces in East and
West Falkland, together with all their impedimenta.
'Arrangements
are in hand to assemble the men for return to Argentina, to gather in
their arms and equipment, and to mark and make safe their munitions.
'The Falkland Islands are once more under the government desired by their inhabitants. God Save the Queen. Signed JJ Moore.
The
message was sent via special forces to the Government Communications
Headquarters on June 14 1982 - six days before the hostilities
officially ceased.
It came to the auctioneer from what was described as a naval-related source.
Bonhams
chairman Robert Brooks said: 'This remarkable document encapsulates
perfectly the very moment of total capitulation by Argentinas
12,000-strong occupying forces in the Falklands.
'It is a rare find of great historical importance and will excite considerable interest from around the world.'
War hero Simon Weston says actor 'does not know what he is talking about'
Ben Fogle also challenged Penn to a public debate on the Falklands
Left-wing U.S. actor says sending Duke of Cambridge is not necessary
Hollywood star in Uruguay as he continues South American tour
Comes day after he labelled Britain 'colonialist, ludicrous and archaic'
Falklands hero Simon Weston yesterday
branded Sean Penn an 'idiot' and a 'fool' over his comments about
Britain's ownership of the islands.
Former Welsh Guardsman Weston, 50, hit back at the Hollywood actor's criticism of Prince William's deployment to the Falklands.
The
father-of-three, who was terribly injured in an Argentine bomb attack
that killed 48 people in 1982, said: 'Sean Penn is living, breathing
proof that just because you are famous doesn't mean you know what you
are talking about.
War of words: Simon Weston, left, today came out
fighting in support Britain in the row involving Sean Penn, right, over
the Falklands
Making a point: Actor Sean Penn wears a poncho
as he shakes hands with Evo Morales, the president of Bolivia, during a
meeting yesterday
He told The Sun: 'Penn is an idiot.
It's bad for people to think you're a fool. You don't need to open your
mouth to prove it. By opening his mouth on this, Sean Penn proves he is a
fool.'
The attack by Penn was the second time in two days he has criticised the UK's involvement in the islands.
Meanwhile TV adventurer Ben Fogle -
who is a close friend of Prince William - also attacked Penn for
criticising the Royal's deployment to the Falklands.
Fogle,
who - with his wife Marina - was a guest at William and the Duchess of
Cambridge's wedding, said he wanted to place Penn in the mouth of
crocodiles over his comments.
Brave: Fogle (pictured) has recently dived with
crocodiles for a new television series - describing it as the 'scariest,
most terrifying thing' he has ever done
Fogle told followers on Twitter: 'I would like
to take Sean Penn and place him in the jaws of one of those crocodiles.'
He also challenged Penn to a public debate on the Falklands
Fogle has recently dived
with crocodiles for a new television series - describing it as the
'scariest, most terrifying thing' he has ever done.
But he told followers on Twitter: 'I would like to take Sean Penn and place him in the jaws of one of those crocodiles.'
He also challenged Penn to a public debate on the Falklands.
[h=3]WAR OF WORDS - PENN V WESTON[/h]Sean Penn:
'My oh my, aren't people sensitive to the world colonialism, particularly those who implement colonialism
'It's
unthinkable that the United Kingdom can make a conscious decision to
deploy a prince within the military to the Malvinas, knowing the great
emotional sensitivity both of mothers and fathers in the United Kingdom
and in Argentina who lost sons and daughters in a war of islands with a
population of so few.
'There
are many places to deploy the prince. It's not necessary, when the
deployment of a prince is generally accompanied by warships, to send
them into the seas of such shared blood.'
Simon Weston:
'Sean Penn is living, breathing proof that just because you are famous doesn't mean you know what you are talking about.
'Penn is an idiot. It's bad for people to
think you're a fool. You don't need to open your mouth to prove it. By
opening his mouth on this, Sean Penn proves he is a fool.
'His views are irrelevant and it only serves to fuel the ire of the Argentinians and get them more pumped up.'
'Let us not forget that 253 airmen, soldiers and sailors lost their lives protecting the Falklands,' wrote Fogle on Twitter.
'We
are all entitled to our own political opinion on the Falklands but it's
up to the islanders not actors to decide their future.'
Penn, Madonna's ex-husband, was
condemned as 'moronic' by Tory MP and former Army officer Patrick Mercer
for claiming Britain's continuing hold on the Falklands was
'colonialist, ludicrous and archaic'.
But
the left-leaning actor showed he cannot keep his mouth shut over the
islands by accusing the UK of 'insensitivity' for posting William to the
disputed South Atlantic territory and labelling Britain a colonial
dinosaur for the second day running.
The
double Oscar winner went on the attack again after a meeting with
Uruguayan president Jose Mujica in Montevideo - less than 24 hours after
he savaged Britain over the Falklands during his visit to Buenos Aires
to see the Argentine president Cristina Kirchner.
Penn,
who once called for U.S. president George W. Bush to be impeached over
the Iraq War, met both state leaders in his role as Ambassador-at-large
for Haiti.
He condemned
criticism of his attack on 'colonial' Britain as 'hyperbole' and again
insisted on calling the islands by their Spanish name of Las Malvinas.
Grinning
smugly as he praised Uruguay as a 'model of development in the world'
he added: 'My oh my, aren't people sensitive to the world colonialism,
particularly those who implement colonialism.
'It's unthinkable that the United
Kingdom can make a conscious decision to deploy a prince within the
military to the Malvinas, knowing the great emotional sensitivity both
of mothers and fathers in the United Kingdom and in Argentina who lost
sons and daughters in a war of islands with a population of so few.
Controversial: Actor Sean Penn meets with
Bolivian President Evo Morales at the government palace in La Paz today.
He has been criticised by Ben Fogle for his controversial comments on
the Falklands issue
Angry: Double Oscar winner Sean Penn (left) went
on the attack against Britain for a second day running yesterday after a
meeting with Uruguayan president Jose Mujica (right) in Montevideo
Controversial: Actor Sean Penn, pictured here
with Argentina's President Cristina Kirchner on Monday, has branded
Britain 'colonialist' for its refusal to hand over the Falkland Islands
Annoyed: Sean Penn said that the deployment of Prince William (left) to the Falklands was 'unthinkable'
'There are many places to deploy the
prince. It's not necessary, when the deployment of a prince is generally
accompanied by warships, to send them into the seas of such shared
blood.'
Penn, who has
received praise from crackpot Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez, insisted he
was proud of America's long-standing alliance with the UK but felt he
had the responsibility to criticise when criticism was due.
And
he said that while he understood and respected the wish of people
living in the Falklands Islands to remain British, they should also
understand the need for Argentina and Britain to negotiate the sharing
of the islands' natural resources.
The international row which has erupted since Penn made his outspoken views has become a national talking point.
Such
is the anger Penn raised with his opinions that as of Thursday
afternoon, MailOnline had received close to 5,000 comments on the story -
a record number for our site.
Graffiti: A mural in the Argentine capital of Buenos Aires commemorates its soldiers who fell in the Falklands Conflict
Protest: Stencilled graffiti across Buenos Aires
saying 'They are not British, they are Argentine' (left) and 'English
out of the Malvinas, we will return!' (right)
Demonstration: A Buenos Aires street daubed in
pro-Argentine graffiti, with a sign that says: 'The Malvinas were, are
and will be Argentine'
Inspection: Actor
Sean Penn (right) alongside Argentina's Social Developer Minister Alicia
Kirchner (left) during a visit to a factory in Berazategui, on the
outskirts of Buenos Aires on Monday
Disputed: Argentina calls the Falkland Islands (pictured) Las Malvinas and claims they were 'stolen' by Britain 180 years ago
In an ugly attack
on the press before ending his address to newsmen after his meeting with
Uruguay's president, he added: 'Good journalism saves the world. Bad
journalism destroys it so to all of you good journalists in the room I
thank you. And the rest I will leave you to your own reflections.'
[h=3]ARGENTINIAN POLICE CLASH WITH FALKLANDS WAR VETERANS[/h]
Argentine
police clashed with a group of Falklands War veterans in Buenos Aires
yesterday, demanding inclusion in a pension plan for war vets.
The
protesting veterans, who were deployed in the 1982 Falklands War when
Argentina invaded the British-ruled South Atlantic islands, are
disqualified from a Falklands war veterans package because they never
actually deployed on the islands.
The
demonstrators were blocking a major downtown thoroughfare when riot
police, led by a massive water cannon truck, moved in on them to break
up the demonstration.
The
ex-soldiers, who began their protest on Monday night, resisted the
police and hurled rocks, sticks and other projectiles. The police
responded with batons and riot shields.
The police finally fired tear gas and advanced against the demonstrators chasing them through the streets and detaining several.
The
protesting veterans say they want the government to recognize them as
'continental combatants' and afford them a 'minimal pension'.
Penn, who had no previous
knowledge or connection with the Falklands, later left by a side door
of the skyscraper where he had met Jose Mucija, disappointing fans who
had travelled miles to see him.
His comments have incensed Falkland veterans and islanders ahead of the 30th anniversary of the Falklands conflict.
Patrick Mercer added: 'What on earth has
this got to do with Sean Penn? Hes neither British nor Argentine and
seems to know nothing about the situation judging by this moronic
comment.
A good number of his movies have been turkeys, so I suppose we shouldnt expect much better coming out of his mouth.
Penn waded into the row over the disputed territorys future after he
met President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner in Buenos Aires on Monday, by
insisting he was firmly on the side of the South Americans.
Tensions between the UK and Argentina have been running higher than
usual after Prince Williams deployment to the islands as a
search-and-rescue helicopter pilot. Penns remarks will further inflame
relations as the anniversary of the start of the Falklands War
approaches on April 2.
A total of 255 British soldiers were killed retaking the islands after
an Argentinian military junta invaded the Malvinas, as the Falklands
are known in Spanish, in 1982, while 649 Argentine troops died.
Tory MP Andrew Rosindell, secretary of the All-Party Parliamentary Group
on the Falkland Islands, attacked the actors comments as nonsense.
He said: He shows complete ignorance of the issue if he comes out with
nonsensical statements like that. In the 21st century people have a
democratic right to their own future.
[h=3]A HOLLYWOOD REBEL WITH EVERY LEFT-WING CAUSE[/h]
As the acknowledged king of
Hollywoods liberals, there is scarcely a single fashionable Left-wing
cause Sean Penn has not championed in recent years.
Vehemently
anti-Republican and achingly trendy, he counts Fidel Castro and
Venezuelas hardline president Hugo Chávez among his friends.
He has also made anti-American propaganda visits to Iran and post-war Iraq.
Penn
has met Chávez at least twice and defended the Left-wing leader,
arguing that anyone calling him a 'dictator' should face jail. He has
also said: 'Chávez may not be a good man. But he may well be a great
one.'
Penn even once
took out a £40,000 full-page newspaper advertisement to attack President
George W Bush for his simplistic and inflammatory view of good and
evil.
Friends: Sean Penn (right) who has been labelled
a 'communist' for his friendship with Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez
(left) who he met in 2008
Later he would call for Bush
and former vice president Dick Cheney to be jailed for 'deceiving the
American people into a war (Iraq) that was murdering young men and
women'.
Last October Penn visited inspirational post-Gaddafi Libya.
The
51-year-old actor, who was married to Madonna from 1985 to 1989 and has
two children from his second marriage to Robin Wright which has also
now ended, was reported to have flashed a V for Victory sign as he
arrived in Tripoli fresh from visiting Egypt.
Amid even Tinseltowns numerous famous bleeding hearts then, Penn stands out.
But
despite his tough political posturing the Oscar-winning star of Milk
and Mystic River is also famously sensitive to criticism.
When he was lampooned as a naive egotist in the 2004 satirical puppet movie Team America: World Police, he complained bitterly.
In
the film, written by South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker, a
puppet of Penn made outlandish statements about how happy Iraqis were
before the war.
But
while Alec Baldwin, George Clooney and Matt Damon all saw the funny side
to the film, in which they too were parodied, Penn sent Parker and
Stone an angry letter inviting them to tour Iraq with him and signing it
off with '**** you'.
Parker
explained: 'In the movie we were making fun of him for always saying
"Ive been to Iraq, you dont know what youre talking about, Ive been
there", and then he writes in the letter "Ive been to Iraq...".'
More
recently, Penn set up a charity in Haiti following the 2010 earthquake
in the country. It led to him being named 'ambassador-at-large' by
President Michel Martelly, which is why the actor was visiting Buenos
Aires.
He has
also championed causes such as gay-rights and America's poor, as well
as supporting countries most Americans would consider to be enemies.
On
screen he won an Oscar for his portrayal of homosexual politician
Harvey Milk and appeared in a promotional advert for the Occupy
movement.
In
2005 he helped rescue people in New Orleans, Louisiana, who had been
injured by Hurricane Katrina. But some thought it was merely a PR stunt.
The Mystic River star has also visited
Iran, Iraq, and Cuba - and most recently has been seen in Libya
(following the fall of Muammar Gaddafi's regime) and Egypt (after Hosni
Mubarak was ousted).
'It is Argentina that is trying to impose its wishes on the people of
the Falklands. As an American he should remember that freedom is
precious, and it is something his countrymen have defended around the
globe.
[h=3]FALKLANDS OIL 'WORTH £111BN'[/h]Drilling
within the 200 mile territory surrounding the Falklands could yieldb
tax windfalls of £111bn from oil and gas exploration, a major report
claimed today.
Several companies have been prospecting for oil within the exclusion zone set up during the 1980s Falklands War.
UK-listed
companies are involved in exploring four major prospects this year,
with the biggest, Loligo, potentially holding more than 4.7bn barrels of
oil.
The riches
available are put in perspective when it is considered that Catcher, the
biggest discovery in the North Sea, is thought to hold only around 300m
barrels.
According to a
new report by oil and gas analysts Edison Investment Research, if all
four prospects were drilled the potential tax funds would net close to
$180bn.
Ian McLelland,
who co-wrote the report, said: 'With current tax and fishing incomes in
the region of $40m , the islands look set to be transformed by the oil
industry.'
'The
proverbial spanner in the works that remains is the ongoing political
dispute between Britain and Argentina regarding sovereignty of the
Falklands.'
He must understand that the UK is equally entitled to defend the
freedom of the people of the Falklands, even if they are 8,000 miles
away.
Dick Sawle, a member of the Falklands Legislative Assembly, said: I
dont know Sean Penns films or what he looks like so I know as much
about him as he does about the islands. His remarks are ridiculous.
Even comedian Jim Davidson weighed in. Davidson, patron of the Falkland
Veterans Foundation, said: The fact of the matter is Argentina broke
all the laws of the UN and attacked the Falkland Islands. Whats next?
Do we expect the French to land on the Channel Islands and
do nothing about it?
I think the world today is not going to tolerate any kind of ludicrous
and archaic commitment to colonialist ideology. Britain has said
repeatedly that those living on the Falklands which have been in
British hands since 1833 have the right to decide under which country
they want to be governed.
The 3,000-strong population has declared its wish to remain under
British rule. Argentina has made a formal complaint to the UN over the
UKs supposed
militarisation of the South Atlantic, based on the Type 45 destroyer
Dauntless being ordered to the region, as well as Prince Williams
deployment in his RAF role.
The
MoD says the deployments are routine. The Royal Navy is also sending a
nuclear-powered submarine to patrol the islands. In a fresh
development, it was announced yesterday that all
British-flagged ships will be boycotted by Argentinas transport
workers union.
'Should we give Gibraltar back to Spain because
Spain is nearer or do you think the Gibraltarians have a say?
Penn, who called on Britain to join UN-sponsored talks over the islands,
said: I hope that diplomats can establish true dialogue between the UK
and Argentina in order to solve the conflict as the world today cannot
tolerate ridiculous demonstrations of colonialism.
[h=2]Telex from Falklands reporting Argentine surrender set to fetch up to £3,000 at auction
[/h]A
copy of the original telex announcing to the British government that
Argentina had surrendered in the Falklands War is to go under the
hammer.
Sent by the
commander of the British land forces, Major-General Jeremy Moore, it
states that the juntas forces have laid down their arms and the
Falkland Islands are 'once more under the government desired by their
inhabitants.
The
document is expected to sell for between £2,000 and £3,000 when it is
auctioned by Bonhams on April 3, a day after the 30th anniversary of the
start of the war.
The telex, sent by Major-General Jeremy Moore,
Commander of British land forces in the Falklands, which is to be sold
at Bonhams in April
It reads: 'In Port Stanley at 9
oclock pm Falkland Islands Time tonight 14th June 1982, Major General
Menendes (sic) surrendered to me all the Argentine Forces in East and
West Falkland, together with all their impedimenta.
'Arrangements
are in hand to assemble the men for return to Argentina, to gather in
their arms and equipment, and to mark and make safe their munitions.
'The Falkland Islands are once more under the government desired by their inhabitants. God Save the Queen. Signed JJ Moore.
The
message was sent via special forces to the Government Communications
Headquarters on June 14 1982 - six days before the hostilities
officially ceased.
It came to the auctioneer from what was described as a naval-related source.
Bonhams
chairman Robert Brooks said: 'This remarkable document encapsulates
perfectly the very moment of total capitulation by Argentinas
12,000-strong occupying forces in the Falklands.
'It is a rare find of great historical importance and will excite considerable interest from around the world.'