X-Message-Number: 4254
Date: Thu, 20 Apr 1995 08:19:10 -0700
From:  (Stephen Van Sickle)
Subject: Re: CryoNet #4242 

You wrote: 


>>Have you heard of "flags of convenience."  Many nations have very
>>different attitudes about medicine than the US, and the standard
>>flags of convenience, Panama and Liberia, are not very uptight about
>>what happens on the ships they register.

>This is not to say that they tolerate ANYTHING on ships in their
>registry, however. In particular, it is far from clear that they will
>tolerate what they might consider to be murder.

As someone who has spent a fair amount of time at sea, I'd also like to 
point out that the US Coast Guard and/or Navy *will*, if it believes US 
citizens are being harmed, board and detain *any* flag vessel in waters 
*anywhere* in the world, regardless of international law.

Do not make the mistake of believing the high seas are a "lawful" 
anarchy.  It is a lawless one, and whomever has the biggest guns wins.

I hope I need not point out that it is *exceedingly* unlikely you will 
outgun the US Navy any time in the forseeable future.

SJV 


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