I am genuinely curious - would the navy shoot down a friendly nation tanker who was just trying to cross?

That would be an insane escalation that helps nobody. Instead, if they watched it float by, that makes the USA look impotent beyond belief. I suppose they could "just" seize it, but piracy is not much of an improved look.

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jacquesm 4 hours ago | parent [-]

The Chinese can do something really funny now.

	▲	3eb7988a1663 44 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		Excellent point. If I were China, think you would be obligated to push the issue. Either the USA does nothing or steals a foreign ship. The only issue is I know that ship nationality can be complicated, unless there is a state-owned vessel they could use for the process.