27-05-2010, 07:35 AM
Special Reports Last Updated: May 27th, 2010 - 00:41:00
Obama doesn't want to own oil disaster
By Wayne Madsen
Online Journal Contributing Writer
May 27, 2010, 00:22
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(WMR) -- WMR has learned from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) sources that President Obama has avoided taking responsibility for the oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico because he would rather have BP "own" the disaster than his administration.
Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Thad Allen is to retire at the end of this month. He was named as national incident commander for the oil spill and President Obama has stated that Allen will continue in his position after he retires. However, WMR's sources in FEMA report that Allen has been in post-retirement employment discussions with BP. Under his watch, the Coast Guard has been accused of shilling for BP's public relations efforts, including having armed Coast Guard personnel chase away a CBS camera crew from filming the oil spill's effects in Louisiana and claiming that tests of oil tar balls in Florida have not come from the Deepwater Horizon disaster.
The oil spewing from the Mocondo Prospect in the Mississippi Canyon Block is estimated to contain about 3 billion barrels of oil but there are some indications that it may contain as much as 10 billion barrels.
President Obama recently indicated that the federal government may take over efforts to stop the oil leak from BP. Obama is actually required by federal law, the Clean Water Act of 1972, to bring criminal charges against companies that commit environmental crimes. Obama's failure to take control of the oil disaster from BP leaves Obama open to criminal and civil charges from affected parties. What most incenses those in the Gulf who are trying to deal with the magnitude of the disaster is Obama's failure to order the U.S. military to take immediate action, including the call up of National Guard and other resources.
The Obama administration is also faulted for failing to send medical teams to coastal Louisiana to treat residents in towns, like Grand Isle, who are falling sick from the effects of the toxic oil fumes. There are reports of people experiencing dizziness and nausea.
WMR has also been informed that BP and Halliburton have hired foreign nationals for oil clean-up efforts, passing over local coastal residents whose jobs in the fishing and shrimping industry have been idled by the oil spill.
FEMA points out that its resources to deal with the oil disaster are limited due to lack of material and equipment. FEMA points out that when it was placed under the new Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following 9/11, FEMA directors Joseph Allbaugh and Michael Brown, and DHS secretaries Tom Ridge and Michael Chertoff, inked lucrative contracts with security companies that provided worthless junk. FEMA paid the price for not having the capabilities to deal with a major event like the present oil disaster in the Gulf.
Wayne Madsen is a Washington, DC-based investigative journalist and nationally-distributed columnist. He is the editor and publisher of the Wayne Madsen Report (subscription required).
Copyright © 1998-2007 Online Journal
http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/...5923.shtml
Obama doesn't want to own oil disaster
By Wayne Madsen
Online Journal Contributing Writer
May 27, 2010, 00:22
Email this article
Printer friendly page
(WMR) -- WMR has learned from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) sources that President Obama has avoided taking responsibility for the oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico because he would rather have BP "own" the disaster than his administration.
Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Thad Allen is to retire at the end of this month. He was named as national incident commander for the oil spill and President Obama has stated that Allen will continue in his position after he retires. However, WMR's sources in FEMA report that Allen has been in post-retirement employment discussions with BP. Under his watch, the Coast Guard has been accused of shilling for BP's public relations efforts, including having armed Coast Guard personnel chase away a CBS camera crew from filming the oil spill's effects in Louisiana and claiming that tests of oil tar balls in Florida have not come from the Deepwater Horizon disaster.
The oil spewing from the Mocondo Prospect in the Mississippi Canyon Block is estimated to contain about 3 billion barrels of oil but there are some indications that it may contain as much as 10 billion barrels.
President Obama recently indicated that the federal government may take over efforts to stop the oil leak from BP. Obama is actually required by federal law, the Clean Water Act of 1972, to bring criminal charges against companies that commit environmental crimes. Obama's failure to take control of the oil disaster from BP leaves Obama open to criminal and civil charges from affected parties. What most incenses those in the Gulf who are trying to deal with the magnitude of the disaster is Obama's failure to order the U.S. military to take immediate action, including the call up of National Guard and other resources.
The Obama administration is also faulted for failing to send medical teams to coastal Louisiana to treat residents in towns, like Grand Isle, who are falling sick from the effects of the toxic oil fumes. There are reports of people experiencing dizziness and nausea.
WMR has also been informed that BP and Halliburton have hired foreign nationals for oil clean-up efforts, passing over local coastal residents whose jobs in the fishing and shrimping industry have been idled by the oil spill.
FEMA points out that its resources to deal with the oil disaster are limited due to lack of material and equipment. FEMA points out that when it was placed under the new Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following 9/11, FEMA directors Joseph Allbaugh and Michael Brown, and DHS secretaries Tom Ridge and Michael Chertoff, inked lucrative contracts with security companies that provided worthless junk. FEMA paid the price for not having the capabilities to deal with a major event like the present oil disaster in the Gulf.
Previously published in the Wayne Madsen Report.
Copyright � 2010 WayneMadenReport.com
Copyright © 1998-2007 Online Journal
http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/...5923.shtml
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