US turned down Britain’s offer to help clean up BP oil rig spill

[thundley4]

A high-level British offer of help to clean up the Gulf of Mexico oil spill was rebuffed by America shortly after the accident, fuelling fresh fears of political tension between the two countries over the disaster.

A few days after the BP-leased rig sank on April 22, the Cabinet Office made a direct offer to the US State Department to airlift half of Britain’s 1,200-tonne stockpile of chemical dispersants, The Times has learnt.

At the time there was an urgent demand for fresh supplies. The offer to provide the chemicals, at the cost price of £3 million, was made through diplomatic channels and via the Civil Contingency Secretariat, the Government’s emergency planning unit.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Energy and Climate Change, which was also involved in drafting the plan, said that the US had chosen not to accept the offer. Officials said the US claimed that the chemicals held in Britain did not have the correct paperwork but the spokeswoman said: “We are not aware of any problems with licensing. I cannot say why they have not accepted the offer. That is a question for the US State Department.”

One person familiar with the discussions said that the US decision seemed odd, given the severity of the crisis and the fact that the offer had been made in good faith. The Times understands that the rejection of Britain’s offer came after the US had accepted similar offers from other countries, including Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Aramco, the national oil company, sent a large batch of the chemicals to the Gulf shortly after the accident.

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Accepting help from his Muslim brothers, but not from one of the US's greatest allies?  WTF?

[docstew]

Not only that, but refusing help from Great Britain for a spill "caused" (according to them) by British Petroleum.

"Yes, Mrs Jones, I understand your child broke my window, but I won't accept your help cleaning up and repairing it." WTF world does that make sense?

[formerlurker]

 

[zeitgeist]

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Accepting help from his Muslim brothers, but not from one of the US's greatest allies?  WTF?

And how are the envirowacko dummies taking this news?  They were all verklempt about the dispersant issue last I knew and are no fan of the Saudis either.