We have been here before in 1982 with Black Buck. At that time RN Sea Harriers were already in situ and capable of bombing the runway at Stanley. The argument was that the "Strategic" use of airpower from a Vulcan bomber strike scared the Junta and deflected Mirages to cover Buenos Aires.
This time around it's because? Well top of the list, it allowed us to demonstrate the RAF still had a long range strike (as well as CAS) capability thus validating SDSR in respect of the retention of Tornado.
In the meantime, was it not the case that much earlier on Saturday, the French Air Force had already stopped the Colonels tanks in their tracks (pardon the pun) near Bengazi before any missions were launched by the UK and USA to take out his air defence radars nationwide?