Thanks folks for taking my post in the spirit it was meant.
First to answer 500N
Regarding the use of the helicopter, we MUST obviously use all our resources to prevent any invasion. BUT......We also have to be careful we are NOT putting 'hostages' aboard these ships. What I mean by that is if the ship is carrying hundreds of soldiers along with the school children then those few soldiers we put onto the deck of the Merchant ship are possibly up the Khyber without a paddle!!
Hopefully my post MUST is looked at as asking questions as opposed to giving answers. I am NOT saying we cannot do this or we must do that. I am suggesting what may not be possible and what may be considered murder or at least a war crime..
Attacking unarmed merchant ships that are sailing the high seas, and going about their lawful business is not something I for one would want to be associated with, so before getting down and dirty, we must be whiter than white in making sure these vessels are part of an invasion.
Airborne
We are talking about civilian flagged merchant vessels and sadly there will be a very real possibility of these ships sailing unopposed into Port Stanley.
Don't forget I am only talking about civilian flagged ships, I am NOT talking about those vessels flying military flags and in the service of the Argentine government. Once that civilian ship enters the 12 mile limit then I quite like the idea of putting a huge net or rope in the water right across the bows of the ship and let the thing wrap around the propeller.
These issues MUST be sorted out PRIOR to challenging civilian flagged ships and to me the MAJOR problem is when they are flying what we call a 'flag of convenience' You will find a HUGE number of merchant ships being registered in places like the Bahamas which I believe is ranked about the sixth biggest fleet worldwide.
I am playing Devil's Advocate and no doubt folks FAR more clever than myself are giving this issue serious thought but in the meantime we have to accept that things are never black and white. The submarine is an amazing deterrent certain types of target but might not be of much use against others.
I have NO ISSUES with the sinking of the Belgrano, or of course the British losses.