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Greg Spyridis asks if the British used maximum force during the Falklands War. The answer (even excluding the extreme example of non-use of nuclear weapons) is no. The British task force operated under severe constraints due to the diplomacy which was continuing up until the end of May 1982. At the strategic level the UK considered it vital to gain and retain international support. It therefore had to avoid escalating the war too much in case this lost it support. The most important example was the failure of the British to attack the Argentinian mainland, especially airbases. This could have been done either with Vulcan bombers or special forces, and indeed the commander of the SAS, de la Billiere, was keen to use his men to attack the airbases. Such attacks, especially if they had destroyed the Exocet-carrying Super Etendards, could have made a substantial impact on the war. But they were rejected as politically inexpedient. There were other examples of restrictive Rules of Engagement, which reinforce this point. Paul Robinson
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