There is always a certain glamour about the idea of a nation rising up to crush an evil simply because it is wrong. Unfortunately, this can seldom be realized in real life; for the very existence of the evil usually argues a moral weakness in the very place where extraordinary moral strength is called for.
Nearly three years after the Deepwater Horizon accident dumped over four million barrels of toxic crude oil in the Gulf of Mexico, oil giant BP is set to face off against the Justice Department in court Monday.
It all started in April 2010 when a massive explosion on board the platform killed 11 workers and injured many others. The platform ultimately sank and set off a 3-month frenzy to cap the well as oil continued to gush into the Gulf.
BP says it will fight the government’s charges of gross negligence, saying “We have always been open to settlements on reasonable terms... faced with demands that are excessive and not based on reality or the merits of the case, we are going to trial.”
Transcript with links continues below...
According to the Times-Picayune, the difference between “negligence” and “gross negligence” under the Clean Water Act means the difference between a $4 billion fine and a $17 billion fine. The editorial cites previous BP safety violations, saying “The bottom line is simple: BP should pay the highest penalties possible to undo the grievous damage it has done.”
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Under typical circumstances, major companies almost always come to a settlement when such high penalties are at stake. In a trial, much more uncertainty exists. A guest on Fox News urged BP to settle.
“We’re in a situation now where BP is pointing fingers at people but the reality is, why don’t we sit down and just try to get this settled, BP? And why don’t you just accept that it was a very terrible situation that you created?”
So why hasn’t BP simply settled? A lawyer involved with the case told Bloomberg that with BP shifting blame to it’s sub-contractors Halliburton and Transocean and with 5 states involved, the case is simply too complex.
The Anniston Star sums up the difficulty, saying: “Even if all are determined, in some way, to be guilty, how does one divide the blame in dollars? It will not be an easy task.”
The company still has time to settle should they come to a last minute agreement with government lawyers, but since it’s already been several years, that seems unlikely.
Original link can be found here:
http://www.newsy.com/videos/trial-of-bp-over-deepwater-horizon-set-for-monday/
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Iran and Syria pose no threat to the
US or any peaceful law abiding nation. Imposing a blockade against
either violates the UN Charter and settled international humanitarian
laws as well as US law.
Egyptians Playing into Zionist Hands
By Adel Safty
Israel's
designs call for the reoccupation of the Sinai, supporting the
creation of a Coptic state in upper Egypt and two Sunni states in the
North and in the South.
Israel Playing Dirty in Troubled Africa
By Abdel Bari Atwan
While
Israel has been able to establish diplomatic relationships with most
non-Muslim African countries, nations such as Mali and Niger have so
far refused to formally recognise it.
When "War is Peace"
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Does appreciating "the solidarity" shown by France mean killing hundreds of Malian people since the invasion?
Democrats' Complicity in Political Murder
By Norman Pollack
Progressives
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Hillary Clinton to charge '$200,000 a speech'
By Rosie Gray
Now
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Bradley Manning: 1,000 Days in Detention and Secrecy Still Reigns
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The Feds Want Your Retirement Accounts
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65 "Islamic rebels", 13 Chad troops killed in Mali:
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Chadian army says that its troops killed 65 Islamic extremist rebels
and destroyed five vehicles in fierce fighting northern Mali. The
Chadian military said in a statement on Saturday on state broadcasting
that 13 Chadian soldiers were also killed and six were wounded in the
fighting.
5 killed as more suicide bombs hit Mali:
Two
vehicles targeting civilians and members of the ethnic Tuareg rebel
group, the MNLA, exploded near the town of Tessalit, killing three and
wounding several others, a security source said yesterday.
Clean up in Gao after fierce battle : Video report:
Residents
of Gao in northern Mali start rebuilding their lives after the city
was devastated in heavy fighting, as it was recaptured from islamist
rebels. Sarah Toms reports.
Boots on the ground:
Obama deploys 100 US troops to Niger;
Obama
announced the deployment in a letter to Congress, saying that the
forces "will provide support for intelligence collection and will also
facilitate intelligence sharing with French forces conducting operations
in Mali, and with other partners in the region.
US deploys Predator drones to Niger: official:
The
United States has deployed several Predator drones to Niger to fly
surveillance missions in support of French forces in Mali, a US defence
official said Friday.
Tribal fighting in Darfur leaves 60 dead:
Renewed
fighting between two Arab tribes over mining rights has left 60 people
dead in the northern Darfur region, Sudan's state news agency said
Sunday.
6 killed in attack in northern Nigeria, Islamic extremists suspected:
Nigeria's
military says that at least six people have been killed in an attack
in northeastern Nigeria, a region under attack by Islamic extremists.
Egyptian Protests Against Mursi, Elections Spread Through Cities:
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demonstrations have been accompanied by mounting calls for a boycott
of the parliamentary vote, which Mursi yesterday rescheduled to
accommodate Coptic Christians' observance of Easter.
Egypt elections: ElBaradei warns of chaos:
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Egyptian opposition figure Mohamed ElBaradei has urged President
Mohammed Morsi not to go ahead with elections. Mr ElBaradei said the
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Democracy Tastes Bitter as Poverty Bites:
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factories, forced layoffs, and scared away tourists and investors.
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17 Insurgents Killed in Afghan-Led Operations:
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and Coalition Forces launched four joint clearance operations in
Nangarhar, Laghman, Kandahar and Logar provinces," the ministry said in a
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Taliban claim 14 killed in separate attacks across Afghanistan:
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8 killed in Afghanistan Sunday:
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Kabul orders US forces out of two Afghan provinces:
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Fidel Castro makes rare appearance in parliament:
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US gun activists stage 'day of resistance' to tighter controls: Video -
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protesting against President Obama's plans to ban assault weapons
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Worst Drought in 1,000 Years Could Begin in Eight Years:
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Combined,
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