As much as I am extremely concerned about the environmental and economic damage caused by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, there is a cynical side to me that sadistically thinks it is ‘just desserts’ for a nation that has greedily guzzled cheap fuel while the rest of the world has economised on the use of fossil fuels.

Not just in the very recent years when ‘green’ has become popular centrist politics, but for the last forty years the US has shown that it is cheap oil that fuels its economy and any length justifies the means of monopolising the oil market. Perhaps your should read Bush Oil Administrations and Iraq Wars here.

So while the US continues to have a love affair with Hummers, gas guzzling pick up trucks, SUVs, V8s and 365/24/7 air conditioning, how can I really have much sympathy? Rather odd in my mind that the US government was ready to give the ‘green light’ to more close offshore oil drilling just days before this spill. I do not recall hearing a vocal opposition at that time. Almost everyone in the US was quite happy to find more cheap oil it seemed.

The other point that comes to mind with the advent of this disaster is the Katrina fiasco in New Orleans. Two examples now of the inefficiency of a ‘greed is good’ capitalist policy. The inability of the US to manage natural disasters is frightening for a super power state. Why is the government of the US looking on while it waits for BP to fix the problem? Where are the Federal agencies that should be responsible in such situations?

I have heard President Obama say a number of times that BP must pay for this. Well, whoopee doop! BP made $35 billion last year so money is no problem. The real problem is that President Obama is powerless to do anything. Except maybe ‘nuke’ it to plug the flow.

Oh I am really sure the population of the Gulf States would go for that.

As I recall a US general once said, America is very good at blowing things up, but not very good at fixing things. Oh too true.

Wake up America. Your Jed Clampett, Beverly Hillbillies fantasy days are well and truly over.


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I couldn’t believe my luck when I read this story about Barack Obama. Fancy having the most powerful man in the world on my side for a change. Alas I am not an American so I really will not have the opportunity to lobby him to bring smoking back to restaurants and bars, but it still gives me optimism that the world has not yet been totally purified and sanitised.

The other point that came to mind when I read the article was that I now understood (but only a little) the debate about health care reforms in the US. I must admit, being from Europe, it had not made much sense to me. Until now. Good old Barack is wielding his power for that other minority voting block. Smokers! What a coup for his re-election campaign. I bet the Republicans will be spewing in their soup, as they will now have to play political catch up.

All I need to read now is that Mr Kool (or is he Mr Camel or Mr Marlboro?), drinks beer! But there was no mention about ‘Bud’ in the article. Rather unfortunate, or perhaps it was just an oversight.








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