There’s a huge difference between helping out a citizen who has broken the law by dodging taxes and helping out a corporation that purposefully evades U.S. regulations. People rate higher than corporations. At least they should.
Note that the State Department does charge people when they are evacuated from a foreign nation.
If you live in a world where the entirety of a corporation was paperwork and robots, that’s a very astute point.
Unfortunately I live in a world where corporations are made up from the investments and works of people (and paperwork, some robots sometimes), including the people whose bodies were on that boat. Do you want to trade?
If the U.S. has the right to intervene when non U.S. flagged vessels owned by a U.S. company are stopped by a foreign government does, say, North Korea have the right to intervene when North Korean owned ships are stopped by the U.S.?
They can try. We can say whatever we want on the land about what folks at sea do, but the truth is on the sea, the bigger gun wins.
The US Navy polices the worlds oceans. Not should, nor can, nor might, nor has considered doing so, but does and has done so for decades; and Iran already knew this, as does North Korea, and this does sometimes include intervening when a hostile power attacks non-American flagged vessels.
… but the truth is on the sea, the bigger gun wins.
Yes. So why go through the rigmarole of trying to justify the actions when it comes down to we do it because we can and our leaders think it’s in our interests.
Because despite the truth in the moment, as a republic we as people still need to believe that our actions are justified to continue our policies, and you don’t have to be lied to believe it, even if you personally end up on the side that it isn’t justified. We still want the approval of foreign nations, even if we’re comfortable with a less than 100% approval rating. Our interests do include human life, even if they’re sailing under a foreign flag on a civilian ship. We would prefer civilian ships and not have to arm themselves to the teeth ready for an adventurous voyage to get across the water without being harassed by hostile actors. In other words, policing actions are a deterrent to greater hostilities.
Note that the State Department does charge people when they are evacuated from a foreign nation.