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Washington (AFP) May 17, 2010 US President Barack Obama will establish an independent presidential commission to probe the huge oil spill from a wrecked BP-leased rig in the Gulf of Mexico, an official said Monday. The commission, similar to other presidential-ordered probes into civilian disasters, will be established by executive order, the official said on condition of anonymity. Reports said that the commission will be officially unveiled in the next few days, and will supplement existing government inquiries into the disaster sparked by an explosion aboard a drilling rig last month. Obama has gradually ratcheted up criticism of BP over the spill of millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf in an unfolding ecological disaster, betraying more and more frustration over the company's failure to stop the leak. A visibly angered president on Friday hit out at oil companies for trying to avoid blame over a massive slick, and vowed an all-out effort to stop the leak pouring into the Gulf of Mexico. "I will not tolerate more finger-pointing or irresponsibility. The people of the Gulf Coast need our help," Obama said, as he also unveiled a review of the environmental safeguards to be put in place for oil and gas exploration. He slammed the three oil companies linked to the Deepwater Horizon rig -- BP, Transocean and Halliburton -- for seeking to pass the blame, denouncing what he called a "ridiculous spectacle" by their top officials during congressional hearings. He also accused oil companies of enjoying a "cozy relationship" with federal agencies set up to monitor the energy sector.
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BP says containing one fifth of spill; political pressure mountsNew Orleans, Louisiana (AFP) May 17, 2010 US President Barack Obama is launching a commission to probe the huge Gulf oil spill amid a growing political firestorm as BP said Monday a tube inserted into the gushing leak was siphoning 20 percent of the flow. The independent commission will be established by executive order in the coming days, an administration official said, and will supplement existing government inquiries into what h ... read more |
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