Quote:
Originally Posted by John Drake
Shit, why haven't I thought of this. I'm going to get freighter full of Haitians and some Zodiacs right away.
Oh, wait, the territorial waters are two HUNDRED miles out, not 13 any more.
Gee, this is still brilliant tho. I mean noone will ever notice a several thousand ton unregistered freighter with no papers just trundling up and down the shore. All our satellites and radar are useless, of course. I wonder why the Germans never thought of landing saboteurs from subs, or why smuggling isn't the biggest industry in the US
Jefferson Christsmas why don't you just go and actually look for them under your bed, you're more likely to find them there.
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Better do some research. Territorial waters are still 12 miles. Nations can claim a 200 mile "economic" zone, but: "A coastal nation has control of all economic resources within its exclusive economic zone, including fishing, mining, oil exploration, and any pollution of those resources. However, it
cannot regulate or prohibit passage or loitering above, on, or under the surface of the sea, whether innocent or belligerent, within that portion of its exclusive economic zone beyond its territorial sea."
Beyond the 12 mile limit, no one is going to know whether a freighter is registered or not - and it isn't that hard to find a country that will register it for the right price with no questions asked anyway. It could even have a legitimate cargo and destination.
Satellites and radar are useful if you are looking for something unusual, but freighters are common. We don't scramble jets or send ships to intercept every freighter cruising down the coast in international waters.
If the freighter drops off small, fast boats at night they are going to be ashore before we react even if we notice it - especially if they avoid major ports with their enhanced security.
The Germans DID invade the US from subs in WW2, at Amagansett, New York, and Ponte Verdra Beach, Florida. The New York landers were caught by an alert Coast Guard man patrolling the beach.
World War II: German Saboteurs Invade America in 1942 » HistoryNet. Their object was sabotage, but they were also to carry out some terrorist style attacks against civilians. Their easy capture forestalled further planned landings.
In WW2 we were at full alert - our Coast Guard was active and funded and looking for invaders. This is not true today - if they are looking for anything it is drug smugglers.
Smuggling probably IS the biggest industry in the US, second only to exporting debt. Both drugs and people are smuggled across the borders, and by sea and air continually.