Longbarrel, The US Coast Guard couldn't allow foreign flagged vessels to operate in US waters to clean up the spill unless their commander in chief (Obama) waived (made an exception to) the Jones Act. Do you really think the US Coast Guard should have mutineered, or that even if they did the British and Dutch oil spill skimmer ships would have started working knowing that the US Navy would be the next to run them off?
We do help other people, especially our friends, and the Japanese have been very good friends of ours for a long time, including helping us in our time of need.
I don't know about you, but I don't think it's right to abandon a friend in trouble.