From: JamesL@Lugoj.com   
      
   Charles Buckley  wrote:   
   > Jim Logajan wrote:   
   >   
   >> henry@spsystems.net (Henry Spencer) wrote:   
   >>   
   >>>In article <4064D870.57FC520A@yahoo.com>,   
   >>>Abrigon Gusiq   wrote:   
   >>>   
   >>>>Nice thing about a world that has more than one nation, is that if   
   >>>>they can't get FAA clearance, they can always go to another country   
   >>>>and get something like it..   
   >>>   
   >>>Unfortunately, if they're Americans, they still need FAA approval.   
   >>>The US thinks it has jurisdiction over American citizens everywhere.   
   >>   
   >>   
   >> Unlike physical laws, there are ways around human laws. In this case   
   >> a bit of legal research should turn up a way to shield a U.S. citizen   
   >> from prosecution or a need to get authorization from the FAA. For   
   >> example, it should be possible to get around the problem simply by   
   >> having the U.S. citizen establish a business in a foreign country,   
   >> which would then be the legal entity that would design, build, and   
   >> fly the rocket.   
   >   
   > Umm. No.   
      
   I believe U.S. citizens can buy stock in foreign aerospace firms. They can   
   be party to their establishment - all quite legally and without contacting   
   the FAA. If you believe differently, it would help if you cited appropriate   
   statute or case law.   
      
   Likewise, I believe a U.S. citizen does not need FAA approval to travel to   
   a foreign country and attempt to acquire a license to fly aircraft in that   
   land. Nor, as far as I know, are they prohibited by the FAA from being a   
   passenger in a plane, jet, or rocket flown from that land. If you believe   
   differently, it would help if you cited appropriate statute or case law.   
      
   > Henry is correct. If the US believes that a US citizen, even an   
   > ex-pat, is behind a corporation, they *will* go after that person.   
      
   I can't deny that the U.S. Federal government might attempt to "go after   
   them" - but the question isn't what they'd like to do - it is whether they   
   believe they have a legal (and political) leg to stand on - which I would   
   think would determine whether they'd "go after" someone. If you believe   
   that they *will* go after that person, perhaps you'd be kind enough to   
   share how you know this with such certainty?   
      
   > When it comes to potential military tech, there is no shield. You   
   > would be committing additional, many additional felonies going this   
   > route.   
      
   I'll grant that a U.S. citizen is subject to export controls of munitions   
   or any equipment or information under export control. Since there is no   
   need to export any such material from the U.S. for a U.S. citizen to get a   
   rocket built in a foreign country, objections along those lines seem mute.   
   Perhaps you have some other statute or case law in mind?   
      
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