macliam wrote: Your comment was as I described, provocative garbage - if you don't like being called out on it, don't post it. The comment above is more of the same.
As to the rest of your post, the Belgrano was known to be no threat to the task force as it was being shadowed by the British nuclear submarine Conqueror. The sinking was merely a cynical show of force that Thatcher knew would cost many lives - over 320 in the end - so regardless of the post-victory re-writing of history, it was not a justified act. Tony Blair say he believes that there were WMDs in Iraq, so presumably he is innocent of any blame too, eh???
Thatcher is an inappropriate choice.
It seems worthwhile repeating the following as it seems you have not read it:
If you have a different point of view from me, even if I believe your view to be wrong (as here) I don't call it garbage, rubbish, trash... or worse it just weakens your case and shows you up. Please be civil enough to do the same!
Should we have waited until a British ship was sunk!!!!
"When ARA General Belgrano was sunk on 2 May 1982, it was outside the TEZ. This has led to much debate and controversy over whether the attack was legal. However, exclusion zones are historically declared for the benefit of neutral vessels; during war, under international law, the heading and location of a belligerent naval vessel has no bearing on its status. In addition, the captain of the Belgrano, Héctor Bonzo, has testified that the attack was legitimate (as did the Argentine government in 1994).
Interviews conducted by Martin Middlebrook for his book, The Fight For The Malvinas, indicated that Argentine Naval officers understood the intent of the message was to indicate that any ships operating near the exclusion zone could be attacked. Argentine Rear-Admiral Allara who was in charge of the task force of which the Belgrano was a part said, "After that message of 23 April, the entire South Atlantic was an operational theatre for both sides. We, as professionals, said it was just too bad that we lost the Belgrano"."
Thanks to Military Wiki for those details.
See:
http://military.wikia.com/wiki/Total_Exclusion_Zone