Secret Squirrel On The Rock Of Gibraltar.

Squirrel turns his attentions to Gibraltar, and the designs of Spain on The Rock, wishing to wrest it from England,from Britain,and quite improperly so as well it is. Look at the history of Gibraltar. It's recorded history began with the Phoenicians around 950 BC. The Carthaginians and Romans also visited and are said to have built shrines there, though they did not settle.After a brief period of Visigothic rule following the collapse of the Roman Empire, Gibraltar was conquered by the Moors in 711 AD. The Kingdom of Castile annexed it in 1309, lost it in 1333 and finally regained it in 1462, subsequently incorporating it into the unified Kingdom of
Spain. It remained under Spanish rule until 1704, when it was captured by an Anglo-Dutch fleet in the name of the Habsburg ruler Charles VI. Following Charles' death,1422, Gibraltar was ceded by Spain to the British, becoming one of Britain's key colonies in the Mediterranean Sea.

Spain subsequently sought to restore its sovereignty over Gibraltar through military, diplomatic and economic pressure. During the wars of the 18th century between Britain and Spain, Gibraltar was besieged and bombarded for extended periods but the attacks were successfully repulsed.The War of the Spanish Succession was finally settled in 1713 by a series of treaties and agreements. Under the Treaty of Utrecht, which brought together a number of sub-treaties and agreements, Philip V was accepted by Britain and Austria as king of Spain in exchange for guarantees that the crowns of France and Spain would not be unified. Various territorial exchanges were agreed, among them the cessation of the town, fortifications and port of Gibraltar (but not its hinterland) to Britain "for ever, without any exception or impediment whatsoever." The treaty also stipulated that if Britain was ever to
dispose of Gibraltar it would first have to offer the territory to Spain. The colony grew rapidly during the 19th century as Gibraltar became a key British naval base and stopping point for vessels en route to India via the Suez Canal.

During the 20th century, Gibraltar played a vital role in the Second World War by enabling the British to control the entrance to the Mediterranean. The Spanish dictator General Francisco Franco revived Spain's claim to the territory after the war, imposing restrictions on travel and severing communications links with Gibraltar. The Spanish claim was pursued through the United Nations under the aegis of decolonization. Spain's position was supported by Latin American countries but was rejected by Britain and the Gibraltarians themselves, who vigorously asserted their right to self-determination.Arguments the Spanish have presented have been that it is thousands of miles away from Britain,well then, so too are the Canary Islands from Spain.It has been argued that it is a conquest, well then so too was the Canary Islands, but the Canaries have been held since only 1495,Gibraltar has
been held for a touch longer, by conquest as well.The Canaries remain Spanish.

Gibraltar was however,ceded,the Canaries were by total conquest, and not given.It has been presented by the Spanish that the people wish it, only theirs do, not those of Gibraltar, not those of Britain. The inhabitants of the Canary Islands, have been given no choice, no vote, no voice on their status.

Spain has other territories itself,similarly the Moroccan coveted Spanish enclaves of Ceuta had been Portuguese before becoming Spanish in 1580, and Melilla has been part of Spain since 1497,but they have not been given up by Spain to the Moroccans.The Basques are clearly not pleased with Spain, and spend much of their time trying to separate from Spain, clearly, Spain has vast internal separational problems,much as Canada has with Quebec.

Gibraltar also has a vastly superior economy compared with Spain,and has an unemployment rate of only 3%, Spain a massive 20%.Clearly Spain acquiring Gibraltar, would improve Spain's economy and unemployment rate,which is probably their major reason for trying to wrest Gibraltar from the safe and secure hands of Britain.
Never the less, all things being equal,Gibraltar must clearly,legally,regally, remain as it is,firmly in British hands, as solidly as The Rock Of Gibraltar.