On The (Putrid) Scent...
"We were aware that this could have a negative impact on U.K. commercial interests, including the ratification by the Libyan Government of BP's exploration agreement." "It is a matter of public record that in late 2007 BP told the U.K. government that we were concerned about the slow progress that was being made in concluding a prisoner transfer agreement with Libya." BP Spokesperson , 2010
"It was part of the bargaining deal with the U.K.... We signed an oil deal at the same time. The commerce and politics and deals were all with the PTA (prisoner transfer agreement). For the last seven to eight years we have been trying very hard to transfer Mr. Megrahi to Libya, to serve his sentence here and we have tried many times in the past to sign the PTA without mentioning Megrahi, but it was obvious we were targeting Megrahi and the PTA was on the table all the time." Saif al-Islam al-Gaddafi, 2009BP is in extremely bad odour in the United States. Despite the British government's attempts to insist to the government of the U.S. that BP's fortunes are of vital concern to them, and to please go easy on the embattled multinational, the pride of Britain, the gloomy environmental forecast in the wake of the gargantuan Gulf oil spill has not endeared BP to America.
The company, for its part, has been losing stock shares like crazy. Confidence in its future is wobbly. It has spent a frantic $4-billion+ and growing, on trying to solve the problem of runaway oil soiling the eastern coastline of the United States, with the U.S. administration hot on its tail. Apportioning blame to its own lack of due vigilance, and BP's lack of due diligence hasn't been an option.
BP is a dirty, loathsome word and entity in the vocabulary of the United States of America. Although, if it does somehow manage to save itself from bankruptcy, it will still be eligible for further contracts with the U.S. That's the name of the game. Even if, currently, its ethical stock is at a perilously low ebb.
Add fuel to the fire? Not really necessary, but there it is, the fire of furious American opinion, both administrative and popular has been re-lit by new revelations around BP's interference in an affair that had the U.S. and Libya at jugular odds. Business as usual, perhaps, but not quite business as usual. The stench of corrupt blame is re-igniting America's ire.
And little wonder. The world looked on amazed as the Scottish government decided to release to Libya the sole individual who had been indicted and held responsible for planning and executing the terrorist attack on Pan Am Flight 103 which exploded over the Scottish town of Lockerbie, killing 270 people, 189 of whom happened to be American.
Abdel Baset al-Megrahi was released last year in a humanitarian gesture. "Mr. Megrahi ... was sent home to die according to the due process of Scots law, based on the medical report of the Scottish Prison Service director of health and care, and the recommendations of the Parole Board and prison governor", was the mealy-mouthed excuse given by a Scottish government spokesperson.
What else could Scotland do but manoeuvre somehow to create this little scenario? After all British Prime Minister Tony Blair, the great good ally of the U.S., himself signed the PTA agreement. And he witnessed the signing of a major BP exploration contract in Libya, valued at five hundred million pounds.
Add to that a former official with MI6, Sir Mark Allen who had written to the Justice Secretary about a prisoner transfer agreement between Libya and Britain, and who travelled to Libya to broker oil deals on behalf of BP. And who, incidentally, has left his official government position, and now serves as a special advisor to BP.
BP admits it was lobbying the British government to conclude a PTA with Libya. "It is a matter of public record that in late 2007 BP told the U.K. government that we were concerned about the slow progress that was being made in concluding a prisoner transfer agreement with Libya." And then, they no longer had any reason for concern; it was a done deal.
The television footage of a frail, morbidly ill Abdel Baset al-Megrahi being placed aboard an airliner to return to Libya, greeted on return by wild celebrations as a national hero, with the Government of Libya triumphant over its great success in liberating a mass murderer, held viewers enthralled. Bemused and enraged, too.
But, pity the poor man, he had mere months to live. He was said to have been placed immediately into a hospital where loving family members could linger over his last hours. And then, gradually, the realization that this was all a sham. He is well, very well indeed, thanks for asking. He lives gracefully, and in fairly robust health.
And BP secured that contract it was so anxious to obtain. And BP blew a hole in the ocean floor it couldn't contain. And BP still stands to benefit from many more such useful contracts in the future, hugely benefiting British pensioners. Can't argue with that, can you?
Labels: Britain, Middle East, Terrorism, United States
posted by Pieface @ Saturday, July 17, 2010
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