Towards a Diplomatic Peace

THE LEADERS of Argentina's ruling military junta, faced with mass discontent and protests at home, embarked last week on a foreign adventure that has brought them to the brink of war with Britain. The invasion of the Falkland Islands was clearly a ploy to distract Argentine citizens from their domestic grievances. We can only hope that the current crisis is resolved peacefully--and that whatever settlement is reached does not reward Argentina for its flagrant violation of international law.

Margaret Thatcher's government may deserve mild blame for allowing the impasse to arise, for it had long been aware of the potential for trouble over the Falklands. But faced with the Argentine fait accompli, the British were right to respond immediately, imposing a 200-mile blockade around the islands and demanding that Argentina withdraw its troops below the nations discuss the Falklands future sovereignty.

As Britain realizes, the real victims are the 1800 Falklanders whose home has been ruthlessly overrun by a nation that has consistently disregarded human rights. Those who have difficulty sympathizing with England's outrage would do well to recall the Iranian hostage crisis, when Americans seethed with helpless anger over an egregious transgression of international law.

In the Falkland situation, the United States helped pave the way for Argentina's transgression of accepted codes of international law through its kid-gloves treatment of Argentina's repressive regime, the consequence of the Reagan Administration's fundamentally fallacious distinction between authoritarian and totalitarian dictatorships. Its vision clouded by its bipolar world view, the Administration tailed to show Argentinas just how seriously it takes violations of human rights or its most recent flouting of diplomatic standards.

Now however, it is America's responsibility as the leader of the free world and Britain's closest ally to act to resolve the crisis Secretary of State Alexander M. Hang Jr's efforts to mediate the dispute are commendable. The United States' first priority is to ensure peace, to that end it must discourage British military actions.

Working behind the scenes to settle the crisis, the United States should put extra pressure on Argentina to withdraw and should not hesitate to threaten that nation with economic sanctions and bans on imports. As long as the United States has chosen to establish cordial ties with Argentina, it must use that economic lever age as a bargaining chip.

In a nuclear age, when nations may someday have to decide between war and peace in a matter of seconds, the irony suggested by the Falkland crisis is stark. Given two weeks to forestall bloodshed, the world has thus far failed entirely. The United States must now show its commitment to promoting peace and to upholding international law. If it does not, both international law and morality in diplomacy will have suffered a serious setback.