The U.S. 125 Mile Line of Death?

Does anyone here remember when Qadaffy Duck in Libya announced his 100 Mile Line of Death back in the late 80's and early 90's? While international laws only recognize territorial waters up to 7 nautical miles, this guy claimed 100 miles. I have personal knowledge that the U.S. used to conduct F.I.R. Ops (if you don't know what this is...you can look it up! Bwahahaha) to draw this guy out. Sometimes it worked. In any case, he claimed up to 100 miles off the coast of Libya as his territory and he would defend it with military force. This was not recognized internationally and any attempt he made at defending those waters militarily could be deemed as an act of war.

So..where am I going with this? Today, Florida Democrat U.S. Representative Kathy Castor announced today that she is introducing a bill titled Florida Coastal Protection Act that would make permanent a ban from drilling oil within 125 miles off the coast of Florida. According to the ARRL Maritime Mobile Operations in International Waters website, the United States only recognizes 3 nautical miles off any U.S. coastline as being U.S. territory. So, if that is the case, how does she think the U.S. can effectively enforce this ban? This is an addendum to the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006. That Act effectively allowed drilling for oil in the Gulf of Mexico. She's trying to limit our ability to become energy self-sufficient. This original Act gives the power to the coastal states to set their own limits and states there is no veto power beyond 100 miles off the coastlines. Still..if international waters begin at 3 nautical miles, how can our country effectively ban another country from coming in and drilling?

Cuba is 90 miles from the tip of the Florida Keys. So, if Cuba wanted to drill within 3 nautical miles of its coastline, the 2006 Act says that the State of Florida has the ability to ban that country from drilling in their own territory. WTF? As we all know, Cuba has contracted with China to set up drilling operations between Florida and Cuba. How can a state possibly have jurisdiction over another sovereign country's operations in international waters?

If Castor has her way and can pass legislation in the U.S. House and subsequently in the Senate, that would ban drilling for oil 125 miles off the West Coast of Florida, don't you think that they would try to create a 125 mile boundary all around Florida? Cuba is within that 125 miles. Won't the U.S. have to go to an international court to enforce this U.S. Act? It is ludicrous to think that America has domain over international waters that far out, yet we were willing to instigate a war with a terrorist nation for trying to defend an unrecognized 100 miles. So, is this going to be Florida's 125 mile line of death? This is another waste of taxpayer money and time to try to enact an unenforceable bill.

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