Colin Powell wants the military to take over from BP...

[time_has_come]

...because they bring organization, control, and assets.

Former US secretary of state Colin Powell joined calls for the military to take command of the operation from BP. Powell said the problem was beyond the capacity of BP to solve and the government should bring in "decisive force". He said: "The military brings organisation, it brings control, it brings assets."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/may/30/bp-oil-spill-deepwater-horizon

I'm up for any suggestion at this point, but what "assets" does the military bring to stop this leak? Organization and control, i see that...though they have a ways to go in terms of control in war zones, especially their prisons.

Maybe he's talking about putting the military in control of the cleanup. That could work.

[tabatha]

1. I think that the military would have the best interest of the

gulf in mind ---- far more than BP, who is counting every dollar, regardless.

[Walk away]

2. So the plan is to stuff Osama Bin Laden down the well.

Hey, if it means we get the hell out of Iraq then I say go for it no matter how stupid it sounds.

[Pirate Smile]

3. Military takes over and then has to hire the oil industry experts as contractors. That's what it

means for killing the well.

[Catherina]

4. What military? Are you going to bring them back from Iraq, Afghanistan

and all the other places they're scattered about?

If so, by all means. Please do.

[Golden Raisin]

12. They'll hire the Xe stormtroopers first.

The Empire needs our armies on active duty at permanent war around the world.

[time_has_come]

14. How about from Japan? n/t

[Warpy]

5. If your only tool is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail

While the Army Corps of Engineers might be able to come up with something eventually, I'm afraid we need engineers, geologists, marine ecologists, and other experts a lot more than we need a semi retired general.

[RandomThoughts]

6. Military for clean up and construction under civilian leadership

elected by majority of people makes some sense in such situations. But of coarse it is decision of people elected to make those decisions. And has to match ideas of rights and justice when used in society.

Although military action has to be within the concepts of democracy, and hence why the US military is better then the attempts to move to mercenary militaries.

Could work, maybe as oversight, maybe for logistics. They definitely have a skill set in those areas.

[Mind_your_head]

7. Colin Powell....well, well, well.......sell, sell, sell.....

Colin Powell. THAT *sshole.

[Ned Bro]

8. K&R

The only bad decision Powell ever made was trusting the damn neocons prior to Iraq! They fed him info that they knew was false and let him make the case, because they knew that none of THEIR slime-sucking asses had any credibility!

[doc03]

9. What the f ---- does the military know about oil wells? I think

Obama should appoint that loudmouth expert Ret. Gen Honore to command the operation. maybe he could bullshit the oil into stopping.

[FrenchieCat]

10. LOL!

Could work. I know I turned off my television after watching Honore
for like 30 seconds!

[Catherina]

15. That "loudmouth expert Ret. Gen Honore" did a exemplary job during Katrina

I'm sorry facts don't suit your narrative.

How dare you smirch a man because he dared suggest there's room for improvement? You could care less about the survival of the people or the region could you?

[doc03]

17. Everybody has an opinion, he has his. He was just at the right

place at the right time, I am sure there were dozens of other Generals at the time that could have done just as well. Sure he did a fine job in cleaning up the mess from Katrina, the National Guard has experience with that type of operation. My point is, what the f--- does the military know about drilling or sealing an oil well? I would be happy to see Obama put him in charge of cleaning up the shoreline and protecting the marshes. But sealing an oil well should be left up to people with
the equipment and know how to do the job. Somehow Americans think you just bring in the military to solve every problem, some things can't be solved by blowing them to smithereens. Honore did pretty well for himself I would say he retired and picked up a cushy job being a CNN spokesperson. While many other military Officers just as capable are still on the job or retired and get zero recognition.

[scheming daemons]

11. He's got a point... about fucking time we used our military to do something GOOD for a change

[William Z. Foster]

13. he is right

Use the military, yes, and the rest of the federal government, under civilian control from the White House of course.

The most important thing is to take control away from BP - the BP executives; we can still use BP experts and technical crews, of course. The question is this: are those experts answering to BP executives who are beholden to Wall Street and obligated to look out for the shareholders' interests, or to the federal government, obligated to look out for the public interests? Pick one. The two are incompatible, and "partnering" is a form of privatization that will never protect the public adequately.

The military brings logistical assets, for one thing. Communications equipment. Craft of various kinds.

Because the government has been used for bad things - imperialism and welfare for Wall Street and protection of corporations - does not mean we should resist calls for the government to do things to protect the public welfare. That is the reason we have a government.

[Catherina]

16. Megets the feeling that when Obama finally orders the military in

because it's a matter of when, not if, the same people arguing against it now will be cheering wildly. Cult of personality is now more important than human life, animal life, environmentalism or economic survival. I'm very distressed and wondering what the fuck happened to my party.

[Swamp Rat]

18. +1

I am glad you are here at DU. :toast:

[lame54]

19. The same Colin Powell who wanted us to invade Irag?