The legalese is complicated, but in international waters a vessel of the United States Navy may be regarded as sovereign US territory. [1] In the case of a merchant vessel that is registered in the United States and flying the American flag, the US citizens aboard are considered to be under the jurisdiction of the United States. [2]
The warships of the United States Navy enjoy sovereign immunity. They may not be boarded, searched, or otherwise interfered with by the armed forces, police, or other agents of any foreign nation or group. [3] If a US Navy ship is attacked in international waters it may be regarded as an attack on the sovereign territory of the United States of America.
The question that presents itself, then, is this, “What does the Biden Administration think they are doing by ordering proportional responses against the Houthi terrorists who are attacking our naval vessels?” If the Houthis, or their Iranian bosses, attack our sailors on our ships, they should feel the full force of our military strength. We can destroy the Houthis’ ability to strike, and sink the Iranian Navy, within days.
The cowardly way the Biden Administration is dancing around with Iran is disgusting. Iranian proxies in Iraq and Syria are firing on American forces stationed there. Those are the sons and daughters of our neighbors and friends. In some cases, they are our own flesh and blood. Enough!
The use of military force is always the last option. In the case of the Houthis and Iran, it seems that other options have been tried ad nauseum … and failed.
