About Those Oil Wells Off the Coast of Florida

A week or so ago, George Will wrote a column that claimed that "Drilling is underway 60 miles off Florida. The drilling is being done by China, in cooperation with Cuba, which is drilling closer to South Florida than U.S. companies are [allowed to]."
http://jewishworldreview.com/cols/will060508.php3

Vice-President Cheney quoted George Will but, when attacked, his "office acknowledged on Thursday that he was mistaken when he asserted that China, at Cuba's behest, is drilling for oil in waters 60 miles from the Florida coast."
http://www.kansascity.com/445/story/661427.html

Meanwhile, there are those at CBS news that essential say that Cheney is a liar:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/06/12/
politics/politico/thecrypt/main4176037.shtml

But the CBS News claim is based on the distinction between where China CAN drill and where they ARE drilling. I think the point can still be made that Cuba has given the Chinese the right to drill in the waters between Cuba and Florida in outer continental shelf areas where the U.S. oil companies are not allowed to drill under the current moratorium imposed by, guess who, the U.S. Congress.

I, of course, come down on the same side as McCain and Bush on this issue, that it is time to open up vast areas for drilling oil wells on the continental shelf. But I'd go one step further than them, since I would support drilling in ANWR and other federal lands (e.g., National Monuments).