[bvw]

"international waters"

They were war zone waters. International or not. War trumps.

[ScreamingFist]

They were war zone waters. International or not. War trumps

Clue 3, remember that statement when the Coast Guard blows your sailing boat out of the water.

[USMCVet]

Don't know much about the international laws regarding warfare do you? Unless you adopt the same ethics as the U-boats did, combatants are required to respect the safety of all noncombatant vessels in international waters. Just because somebody says the waters are a war zone, doesn't mean that they are permitted to attack without warning.

Combatants may board vessels to ascertain whether they are carrying war materials to one of the belligerants but that's not quite the same as "shoot first and ask questions later".

Violation of those laws is a war crime..not to mention lousy tactics.