<P> In a notorious episode in June, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Jeane Kirkpatrick cast a second veto of a Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease - fire, then announced minutes later that she had received instructions to abstain . The situation was blamed on a delay in communications but perceived by many as part of an ongoing power struggle between Haig and Kirkpatrick . </P> <P> At 11.30 pm London time on May 31, 1982 Reagan sent Mrs Thatcher saying that "The best chance for peace was before complete Argentine humiliation," he told her . "As the UK now had the upper hand militarily, it should strike a deal now ." and suggesting a multi-national, peacekeeping force . Her reply was that "Britain had had to go into the islands alone, with no outside help, she could not now let the invader gain from his aggression ." </P> <P> Galtieri and a fair proportion of his government thought that the UK would not react . Margaret Thatcher declared that the democratic rights of the Falkland Islanders had been assaulted and would not surrender the islands to the Argentinian "jackboot". This stance was aided, at least domestically, by the mostly supportive British press . </P> <P> The Argentine dictatorship felt that the United States would, even in a worst - case scenario, remain completely neutral in the conflict (based upon the support that Argentina had given to the Reagan administration in Central America, training Contras). This assumption demonstrated a clear blindness to the reality of the US - UK special relationship . </P>

First president to make human rights central to foreign policy