This mean using the network to get out of reach of the United States. Placing the transacting operation in international waters, or space, means they are outside these entities. There the United States is stuck having to adhere to international law (which I am sure thrills them).

I'm not sure that this is strictly accurate. Just recently the USA has threatened Japan with sanctions if they try to buy Iranian oil. The reach of US regulators is worldwide now.

It is a battle of guns and laws versus technology. Ultimately, this is a game of agility.

Nothing has more agility than internet math. Ultimately the biggest problem that government is going to have is that the game theoretical incentives of getting rich is going to play into crypto's favor. Since the billionaires have the biggest voice, they will not stand by while a few dinosaur bankers railroad the forward thinkers. A war is coming between these groups and I think it will buy enough time to render the buying power of national fiat weak enough to show what politicians are really made of (this isn't pretty). Once politicians and regulators cross the line into dictatorship, business will move away from their jurisdictions and everybody who fails to follow crypto into the future will die off.

Of course, this may take place in stages with some jurisdictions locked down for about a generation (China and the USA look most likely to follow this path), but I don't believe it will last.