Time to Expropriate BP? It's a National Security Issue

As the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico continues virtually unabated, due to what all evidence so far indicates to be criminal negligence by British Petroleum, some policymakers are beginning to raise the question of expropriating the British company.

In discussion today, Lyndon LaRouche expressed support for that idea. "After all," he said, "this is a national security issue. And Buckingham Palace is far, far away."

The expropriation issue was brought up by Sen. Lamar Alexander on the CBS Face the Nation Show. Asked by Bob Schieffer about whether the Administration and the public could trust BP, which is the agency still officially responsible for the pathetic "cleanup," Alexander said that, if necessary, "they can fire BP and take it over." When Schieffer asked if Alexander would favor that, he demurred.

In the CNN "State of the Union" show today, Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Thad Allen continued to show confidence in working with BP, although he showed some shock in hearing that BP CEO Haywood had said, as recently as a few days ago, that he thought the environmental damage from the spill would be "very, very modest." This is a catastrophe, the Admiral said.

Of note from the safety standpoint, is the fact, revealed by Crowley of CNN, that the Deep Water Horizon operation, which blew, is actually an offshore company, registered in the Marshall Islands, as are many other Gulf operations. Others are licensed in Vanuatu and other small islands. As with oil tankers and banking, this offshore leasing leads to less regulation. Congressman Oberstar was quoted by Crowley saying that Coast Guard inspection of offshore units takes 4 to 8 hours, versus 2 to 3 weeks for a U.S.-flag mobile drilling unit.

EIR is continuing extensive research on the implications and causes of the Deep Water Horizon spill.