[justme]

We do have the authority to impose laws on foreign carriers while their aircraft are on US soil. In fact, the time limit rule is in place for them as well, except it's 4 hours, not 3.

Actually the law doesn't apply to foreign carriers yet... straight from the article... "The limit doesn't apply to international flights and overseas airlines like Britain's Virgin Atlantic, but Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood recently solicited comments on whether it should."

I completely agree with everything else you said about it wreaking havoc because the idiots who pushed to make it happen have a complete lack of understanding of how the system works in storm situations.