posted on Jun, 16 2010 @ 12:46 PM
After the announcement that BP will be paying $20 billion dollars into a fund as a form of compensation for the oil disaster in the Gulf:
bbc link
Several things struck me:
1. Is this purely a ploy for limitation of liability from BP so they can regain some moral high ground? After all the sum of $20bn is only 18 months
profits for the company. It seems to me like the reputed deal BP cut with the fisher people whose livelihood was exterminated by the leak who they
paid $1,000 a day to work on the 'cleanup' along the gulf on the understanding it was for a max of three months and meant they couldn't sue BP at
any point ever in the future.
2. Is this cynical maneouvering by the oil industry to protect it's 'image' after a disaster or is it a genuine attempt to cover the clean up
operation.
3. Who gains from a weak BP in the international oil markets?
4. Is todays' display a show of strength by Obama? Does it show he has an independent will and acted in a credible, even laudable manner. Or is he
the ventriloquists dummy skipping to somebody elses tune and making the best of a situation forced on him to enhance his image in the eyes of
ordinairy citizens. (Seriously i bet his rating leaps up in the next few days after e socked it to the Brits
)
I tend to think that BP have been held over a barrel and have traded off the $20 bn because they had no choice because of Obamas actions on calling
them out in public. (Hell, in the UK we would be saying we have to wait and see the extent of the disaster, then there would be an enquiry and ten
years in the future BP would get a £250 million slap on the wrist!)
Mark my words this is the making of Obamas Presidency. He will from now on be known as 'Obama the Strong - The Callout man'.
(Remember Bush and his do not 'misunderestimate' me line? That line is the whole reason he is seen as a clown internationally. Everything after this
just reinforced it.)
Opinions...?
(Should this be in the Deepwater Disaster forum Mod? ? ? Please move if you think best)
[edit on 16-6-2010 by spacedonk]
[edit on 16-6-2010 by spacedonk]