Anti British Obama attacked over BP

[B Whale]

Source: SKY News

Barack Obama has been labelled anti-British for his attack on BP in an open letter from the head of one of the country's leading companies.

Mr Napier said: "I've just put on record my concerns about the tone that has developed, particularly about the personalisational issues, which is alien to us in our culture. "And the fact it's being received over here as an anti-British rhetoric - that may not be his intent, but that is how it's reading."

He writes: "Please forgive this open letter but your comments towards BP and its CEO as reported here are coming across as somewhat prejudicial and personal.
"There is no doubt that BP, as a UK PLC, is totally committed to do everything possible to contain the oil leak and meet all its obligations in the USA."
He goes on: "There is a sense here that these attacks are being made because BP is British.

"If you compare the damage inflicted on the economies of the western world by polluted securities from the irresponsible, unchecked greed and avarice of leading USA international banks, there has not been the same personalised response in or from countries beyond the US."

"We can all agree that the first and absolute priority is to stem the leak. Perhaps the second one is to ensure the reputation of the Presidency outside the USA is seen as objective, balanced, able and capable of taking the heat when under pressure."

Read more: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20100610/tuk-anti-british-obama-attacked-over-bp-45dbed5.html

---

Obama does keep insisting on calling BP, British Petroleum, which hasn't been its name for a good few years. It is simply 'BP', half of its board is america and most employees are american.

If he is trying to deflect anger and using nationalistic sentiments to do so, that is pretty ugly!

[xchrom]

1. I'm gonna with obama on this one.

That guy is just concerned CEOs might
actually be held responsible -- lose a lot if not
everything -- and it could really catch on.

[B Whale]

2. I agree, but do you not find the nationalistic

sentiment and implications that Obama is subtely stirring is a bit off the mark?

that's what the article is about.

I'd have expected more from Obama, thats all...

[liberalmike27]

41. It is Ridiculous on the Face of It

Since oil companies are multinational, or transnational. In most countries, including ours and Britain, they are over the government anyway, let's face it. These folks are a country all their own, and they supercede our government.

[Chulanowa]

3. Riiiiight

That's all well and good, except for one very important thing.

There's no Anti-British sentiment. Anywhere. Nobody's burning the Union Jack, nobody's pounding the pulpit and holding the United Kingdom responsible, nothing. The claim is wholly unfounded; that Obama refers to the company as "British petroleum" is simply reflective of the fact that, for a majority of Americans, it's always been british petroleum, and they'll keep calling it British Petroleum whenever their kids asks, "Momma, what's 'BP' stand for?"

So what you've got here is someone trying to create a controversy and rally defense around BP. Who do you think this someone could be?

[B Whale]

4. well...i dunno. i do think Obama is a very bright guy

and he has successfully deflected attention away from capitalism itself, Oil itself, the american companies involved on the rig who were very much responsible as well and onto this British company.


he ain't stupid and his rhetoric and dog whistles are not accidental...that's all i'm saying.

Furthermore, of course no-one's burning the Union Jack, no-one's claiming that, that would be silly but i take a keen interest in that and there is definitely a slight anti british feeling in this, which wasn;t reciprocated when Piper Alpha (owned by the american oil company occidental) blew up in the North Sea killing 167 British workers!

as i said, i'd just expect more from Obama. disappointing

[Chulanowa]

6. How can something be definite if it is slight?

And if there is no actual evidence for it?

Sorry. Your gut and the unfounded accusations of a Times op-ed piece are not definitive.

You're not very good at your propaganda technique, man. Kind of bare-bones and milquetoast. Either swaddle the framework you've got in some meat, or start pounding your fists in hyperventilating outrage; neither will work very well, but they'd both be better tactics than what you've got now.

[B Whale]

10. didn;t understand a word of that sorry...

i was just trying to point out that the debate os not around the real issues. Unregulated global capitalism and an insatiable demand for oil. Things that politicians don;t wanna talk about....ditto the financial meltdown!

[Bluenorthwest]

17. That reads as anti American sentiment

Which you are foisting full stop. Accusing our President is a tad more direct an attack than criticizing BP or Hayward.
So you are claiming that Hayward IS the UK, that he embodies Britian, and any criticism of him is criticism of the nation? Hayward? If that is how you see Britain, that is pitiful indeed.
The Piper Alpha rig explosion was 22 years ago. Were you involved? Because I was in London at the time. I'd not use your hyperbole 'anti American sentiment' but criticism and commentary was rife, so don't even try it. I remember clearly, because I was very glad to have divested all of my Occi and all of my other oil stocks years before, at the time of the Santa Barabara spill. When I was a child. Got rid of oil when I was a kid, because it and those who ran it were too scummy to own shares of.
How old were you, and where were you living 22 years ago.?

[B Whale]

28. Its anti-capitalist sentiment my friend. I don't have a

xenophobic bone in my body. My main point is that, as always, anger is deflected away from the core of the problem.

and no, there simply was NOT any anti-american sentiment from governemnt, media or the people, following piper alhpa. Not a bit of it. There was anger, sure, 167 people had juts died, but there was nothing like i've heard on comment boards or from certain media, or even the idiot (not representative i'm sure) who has stamping on a Union Jack in Louisiana.

If you're so interested, i AM British, have lived in the north east of england my entire life and am the right side of 50 (just ;) )

[Bluenorthwest]

38. What the fuck is the 'right side of 50'?

I guess that means I am on the wrong side of 50, because in your world, someone has to be wrong. Look, my friend, there is no anti British sentiment here either. You need to note that you are in fact bringing up a 22 year old disaster, laying it on America rather than the company that did it, and claiming that no one in Britain ever did what you are in fact doing. Why are you bringing up that disaster at all? To use it as an equation for the BP gusher. To use it, as if the nation, not the company, were culpable for that, as if that disaster means we, as Earthlings, should not complain about this one, nor criticize Hayward.
I ask you, person to person, if you feel good about Hayward wanting his 'life back' when this disaster killed people. Did some American executive make a comment like that, which suggested his hobby time was more important that the actual dead worker's lives? Because, sir, if one did, that was not 'America' but I would still rush to apologize for any of my countrymen, or fellow humans, who would make such a statement.
I wonder if you recall the brilliant puppet show 'Splitting Image'? This was a British show. Do you remember how Ronald Reagan was portrayed? I do. I loved it. Ronnie and Maggie, dripping blood, liking each other's bottoms. I think taking a look at some of that material might refresh your memory of the actual, mutually critical, mutually supportive relationship our nations have had for sometime. We were not under the impression that Thatcher was what Reagan was not. Nor were my friends in the UK. I have heard criticism of my government by Brits my whole life, and vice versa. That criticism is generally allowable, because we are inseparable in policy, ownership of corps, culture, and many other things. My work needed the UK. They seemed to need it as well. The exchange is deep and constant.
Criticism of a Brit or of a British company has no more bearing upon the American view of the British people than a Splitting Image mockery of Reagan or a blistering editorial in the Financial Times. Try to deal with that. Your concept that the UK does not criticize nor mock America is delusional, it is fully a two way street, and most of it is based on affection and ties, not dislike and divisions.
Some of the strongest and finest criticism of the Bush administration policies came from one Terry Jones, a rather British comic actor. Terry did not pull punches. We loved him for that, and the UK for him. Many a Brit has a word or two for us. We at times return the favor.
Oddly, among my real world UK friends, the current political thought toward the US is 'how nice that you paid some attention to our elections, as we do yours'. Not much about this 'BP is Britain' song. They tend to think, you see, that they, the British, are Britain. The people, and the land, that is Britain. Not BP. Just as we are not Standard Oil. You should know all of this, my friend, and it saddens me to see you so confused.
I love the UK, the UK loves me. Your notions of division and blame seeking are really not going to change that. I come from a business that is international, and based on English speaking. I'm from the West Coast, and the fact is that London is more 'my city' than NYC is. More time, more ties, more money for me, London is home to me in ways that NY never will be. L.A. London, NY. The cities of my nation. Just for some perspective. That kind of thing can not and will not be put aside to serve some Corporation, be it American or British or as in this case, both. Hayward and his minions do not have the power to destroy the complex and multifaceted friendship between our countries. It is pathetic to see them try.

[B Whale]

39. The right side of 50

is a british phrase that i thought you'd be familiar with having spent so much time here, so i used it to amuse you... obviously not. it means just short of 50 and regretting that fact.....never mind.

i must admit i really am very disappointed that you just set up straw man after straw man and then tore them down, based on NOTHING that i said, intended or insinuated. Not one thing...so i don;'t intend to continue any further at all, if you continue to deliberately misrepresent my position.

(by the way its was spitting image not splitting image, and yes it was very funny...)

[Bluenorthwest]

44. Gosh, you could at least try.

Much of the point I am trying to make to you is that there is a divide in the language. I am trying to take you as an honest person. You are taking, I think without intending to do so, what appear to be several different positions in this thread. Many years ago, when I was very much the right side of 40 even, I read a bit of a story I had written for children to a group in the UK. People were very polite, a room full of kids. After, one of the parents gently informed me of a word I had repeatedly used in the story that here, is innocent, there, not so much. I had no idea. Been visiting for all my life, lived by Brit comedy as a teen, lived off what it taught me as an adult. Still, I had no idea. I have no need to try to seem well versed, my point is actually that no matter how well versed we think we are, we can still stand up and say vile things to kids for half an hour, by virtue of the differences in our mutual language. In no way would I ever claim to understand every bit of jargon over there. That is my point. That is a street that goes both ways.
The position you take in the OP is not the one you are taking in the thread. Had you started out by speaking of how the core systemic problems should be addressed, rather than by claiming that criticism of BP is 'anti British' things would have gone much, much better. I agree about the core problems. I just do not think that trashing BP is trashing the UK, and that is the gist of the OP. I reject that attempted deflection. If you did not intend to deflect, apologizes.

[B Whale]

56. The OP was from a news story about

the same thing i posted. there is only one line of my comment on there. maybe i should have been more comprehensive, granted.

I just do find nationalism as a weapon of capitalism interesting and thought it would bring a strong debate, which it did. Not an attempt to stir up shit, just get people talking and thinking, which it did and has and along the way i have challenged people (not yourself) who do quite clearly equate BP with a nation, and hope for bad things in reverse to happen to that nation, which...

Likewise, apologies if any offence has been caused, non ever intended...

[Robbien]

8. The British papers all have the story of the man wiping his feet on the Union Jack

Articles such as this one were carried in almost every British paper:
Anger against British group building up as protesters in Louisiana take to streets

A death-masked protester trampled on the Union Jack at an anti-BP rally attended by hundreds in New Orleans. But while there is plenty of anger to go with the oil in the Gulf of Mexico, so far little is directed at the country where BP is based.

One charter boat captain in Louisiana said: “I feel absolutely no animosity towards the British people. In fact it would be nice to have the money to go to Britain and have fish and chips.”

Americans are slow to anger and slower to aim their wrath at a particular country, but it does happen. “Cheese-eating surrender monkeys” as a description of the French was no joking matter to those who coined the phrase.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article7142946.ece


Basically the Brits know we are not mad at them but they are aware of this protest.

[Bluenorthwest]

19. Gee if that which is said by one citizen is seen as a national

sentiment, neither the British nor the Americans should do much travel. All around the world, people blame both nations for all manner of things.
Some protester in LA is not the subject at hand. This OP is claiming that the President is foisting anti British sentiment, as if the American people can not tell the difference between a nation and an oil company. It is insulting to both America and to Britain to suggest that Britain IS BP.

[Wizard777]

5. Well then. Lets take all that oil we're sucking up and dump it off the coast of England.

Then we can watch the English not get mad at Obama over it. I mean it is their oil and we should return it to them.

[B Whale]

9. Yep, there it is. Exactly what i'm talking about misinformed nationalistic hatred.

BP is drilling in the gulf of mexico because of the america's insatiable demand for oil. Most employees are american and most is sold to americans and the oil is guzzled up by americans as gasoline. If its anyone's oil, its americas oil

This is exactly what i'm talking about and obama has done a fine job deflecting debate away from the oil industry, and the unsustainable demand for oil in america and around the world and the lax regulations surrounding global capitalism that first led to the financial crisis and now to this.

but hell yeah, lets dump the oil on the limeys and god damn well fuck them up! hooya! ....jesus, well done!

[Wizard777]

20. None of that changes the fact the BP is British owned. It's not just BP that we're angry with.

It's ALL the damned corporations that have been raping our government for so long. Citi Corp is headquartered here in Maryland. But I don't take anger toward them and their mis-dealings as a personal slight against the People of Maryland. We're angry at BP. Not England or the english people.

[B Whale]

25. so why did you just propose dumping oil in england???

to see how 'they' like it..
...?

[Wizard777]

31. To help them better understand our anger at BP. It's not unreasonable of us.

If BP drilled off the coast of Dover and turned those white cliffs black and brown with an oily Sludge. I think the British would be angry with BP too and rightfully so.

[B Whale]

32. erm, yes....but not with

american people. and i certainly wouldn;t wish harm to come to people of a country, just because a global corporation is headquartered there

[Wizard777]

34. Exactly! America is not angry at England or the British people.

BP may be trying to foment that to try to create a shield and a Diplomatic Row that might allow them to walk away from their clean up bill. BP has a vested interest in creating a diplomatic fall out through back channels. This incident is going to cost them billions upon billions.

[B Whale]

36. I think there is a vested interest from different sides in turning

this into an 'anti british' thing. capitalism has always used nationalism as its great escape clause.

there should be proper analysis of an insatiable demand for oil and unregulated global capitalism....but that certainly ain't gonna happen!

[Wizard777]

40. We are also looking at our own hand, or Cheney's, in this disaster also.

Now THAT might get a lil personal in nature. But nobody of any real credibility is trying to turn this into some british conspiracy against us. An oil consortium conspiracy, sure! But we'll have to get our energy policy declassified before we can explore that more deeply. If we have to look for a conspiracy anywhere. I thinks it best to start look at those hiding in the darkness under Top Secret Stamps. They're obviously hiding something. LOL.

[Violet_Crumble]

59. BP is NOT British owned. It's a multi-national company n/t

[Name removed]

21. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[B Whale]

24. I'm actually just disappointed that amongst certain

sections of the US media and US people, not all by any means, are resorting to anti-british sentiments. like the guy who i just responded to, saying lets dump some oil in england, like the guy who was stamping on the union jack in louisiana, like the fact that no culpable american compny has taken any flack, and like comments such as these left on a british online newspaper ..."Darn straight it will take its toll on how we feel about brits. I'd hope britain suffers the same thing that they have caused us at the hands of a foreitn oil company and see how they like it..." http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article7142946.ece

nationalism is always used to deflect anger away from capitalism. divide and conquer. Just a bit disappointed it still seems so easy....

I've just seen no anger directed at the core of the problem. just that idiot hayward, who has become a pantomime villian. it was the same as the financial meltdown. the system took no anger, in the end, it was some pantomime villians before congress. its a well worn successful strategy of deflection...

(by the way i have not once used rude language against your president or yourselves. That is simply untrue)

[Bluenorthwest]

33. Your OP and thread has been a defense of Hayward

If you fail to see that, perhaps it is the different perspective. You seem to be shilling for Hayward. The 'difference' might also explain why you do not see it as rude to call our President 'a bright guy' as if you were conceding a huge and difficult thing. He is the President of the United States, elected by us. Here, when a person makes use of such dismissive language toward Mr Obama, it is frequently race based sentiment being expressed. They say 'he's well spoken, he's obviously bright'.
If you did not mean to be rude, you might wish to delve a bit deeper into the meanings of the terms you are using. For a man who is claiming to understand the mindset of Britain and of Americans, such unwitting insinuations might be a poor choice. You are not aware of your own 'subtext' and yet you claim to understand the thinking and motivation of others.
And I am not buying this U turn you are making. Of course the entire system is the problem. That system includes BP. It is not excluded nor is BP's culpability mitigated by the fact that they are one part of a global problem. Sure others are guilty, but that means guilty as well, not in lieu of. You claim to be pissed about the core of the problem, but you also have the need to make excuses for BP. If the 'core problems' are to be addressed BP is just a part of that, not a separate entity excluded from those core problems, as you keep suggesting.
You speak of the inquiry in Congress as if that were the end of it, when it is just the start. And so hold on to your horses. You ain't seen nothing yet. Brits and Yanks will go down together in this.
And let me be very blunt here. I could not care less if that thoughtless twit Hayward becomes a literal Panto villain, working holidays in Bradford for all I care, in full costume and cheap jokes. He is a Panto villain, standing on the bodies of the dead, shouting that HE wants HIS life back. That is what it is, and to defend that takes the cake. Dead.11. Dead. "I want my life back." If Hayward is, to you, a symbol of all Britain, I'd seriously reconsider your casting.

[B Whale]

37. Not defending Hayward in any sense at all. He's a culpable idiot, who

by his own idiocy has become very useful to people wanting attention deflected from the oil industry and globalisation itself. Thst's why he's the panto villian, boo every time you see him. He's done that himself, but in doing so is usefule to other very powerful vested interests.

By saying Obama is a bright guy, he knows what he doing when he says 'British petroleum" rather than BP, i was using a British phrase that means exactly that. Its basically 'come off it' if you think its accidental, or he knows exactly what he's doing. stating an obvious point to make an obvious pint. low level high school rhetorics granted, but in no way was offence meant. apologies if it was.

as for U turn. please search my other posts here and on similar threads and you will see the same argument running through them all. no u turn. i just get depressed when popular anger is manipulated so easily. in the UK for example, peole are now pissed off at the public sector because they are indebted having bailed out the banking sector. its like collective amnesia. capitalism is impressively resilient to ANY criticism, i just thought just a major catastrophe would spark urgent questions about unsustainable growth, use of oil and global capitalism. it just hasn;t!!!

[Bluenorthwest]

43. Let me be clear, as anything less seems to go past you

I do not think you intended to be rude about the President. I also do not think you know how you sound on this thread, nor to American ears. It is you who sounds hyper nationalistic, and it is odd to see you go from defense of BP directly into blaming capitalism, as if BP is not a capitalist venture, and as if by going to the 'core' of the problem, BP is somehow made innocent.
One thing that strikes me about your posts is that you are speaking about this disaster as if it were a past event, rather than one which is happening right now. For BP, the blow out was the disaster, for the rest of us here, the disaster is ongoing, increasing with each gallon of crude gushed into the Gulf. You have even used the phrase 'in the end' to describe the reaction to this disaster, which is in a way like speaking of the injustice of a guilty verdict while the killing hand still stabs. Can you not see that the very act of attempting to nationalize this crime while it is still being committed is a bit, to be all Brit about it, naff? To say the least, a bit naff?
In the thread you have a very different voice from post to post. If you are more like the 'oil is the problem' posts, you probably, sincerely do not understand how the OP sounds from here. Xenophobic, condescending, and deflecting from BP that which is BP's. I would suggest that if what you want is the 'core problems' to be addressed, you might think to take up on your side of the sea the issue of culpability on the part of the American companies, whose owners have the sort of influence here that BP's does there. It is easier for us to criticize BP and for you to criticize Haliburton. I welcome that, wish you would do so.
If you are about the core problems, rather than harp on us for criticizing BP you would take our example, and go after Haliburton, as well as BP. Which we are doing. But you could do better. Many of us here wish that you would. It is a wiser choice than even seeming to defend BP.
I just find it really insulting to the UK when I hear these criminals attempt to claim we are angry not at them, for their actions, but at them for being British. Hayward, to me, is using a great nation as a personal shield.

[B Whale]

55. Can you not see that the very act of attempting to nationalize this crime

while it is still being committed is a bit naff" thats been my point all along!...more than naff, criminal. Strong forces are already at work creating the 'narrative' for this disaster, as they always are with these things, ditto the banking crisis when that was in full flow, the spin was already under way.

Just want to see, although i don;t hold my breath, a precision in the anger of why this has and will continue to happen around the world,.... such as the niger delta day in day out!

and my tone in posts may change depending on how aggressive or ignorant people are being towards me (yourself excluded of course)

[freddie mertz]

7. The Brits are just wrong on this one.

It is our waters and shores that are being destroyed.

The president is NOT anti-British, and neither am I.

This is nuts.

[Buenaventura]

11. where the hell are halliburton and transocean?

too bad the prez isn't coming down on them - i'd like to see big dick cheney in a hazmat suit.

[freddie mertz]

14. He should be harder on them, it is true. Not sure why they get less attention..

Maybe it is a contractual issue.

But you are right, we need a real, serious investigation of everyone involved.

[B Whale]

16. i think thats what is being picked up on. there are american companies as equally

culpable in this who have been given a free ride....its being seen as anti british

[Bluenorthwest]

22. Is being seen by certain corporate tools to whom is seems

useful to frame righteous anti corporate anger as being 'anti British'. Has it crossed your mind that the Corporations involved ought to speak for themselves if they feel another is culpable? If BP thinks Haliburton is to blame, my suggestion is that they say so, and suddenly become beloved to half of America for that action alone. You see, to the American people, BP and Haliburton are not 'yours' and 'ours' they are both their own, independent, vile selves, drains on both of our nations. BP should place the blame it thinks needs to be placed, they are thus far failing in that responsibility as well.
And face it, Hayward saying he wanted his life back when there are 11 dead was beyond horrific. Protecting that poorly spoken creature is a choice you are making, but not one you should make. He wants his life back. Should we count him as speaking for you? Do you also see Hayward's leisure time as more important than 11 lives? He seems to. And he is Tony Hayward, individual. Rude, thoughtless individual. Job botchingly bad.
But none of us think Hayward is Britain, no matter who much Hayward thinks that to be true.

[Lint Head]

12. Just because they have 'British' in there name. They are a British

company but no more British, American or Japanese (insert country) than any other mega giant multinational corporation with corporate offices in all parts of the world. They have main offices everywhere.

[Are_grits_groceries]

13. Sorry:

"There is no doubt that BP, as a UK PLC, is totally committed to do everything possible to contain the oil leak and meet all its obligations in the USA."

This is total bullshit. I wish BP's leaders was totally committed. Totally committed to jail.

They aren't doing squat except rearranging deck chairs. On the other hand they are dragging their feet, lying, & still being half-assed in cleaning up or preventing more oil from reaching the shore. That's for starters.

I hadn't even thought of being mad at the British government or people. However, if they want to enter the fray slinging that toxic dispersant, then they will catch the hell they deserve.

[Bluenorthwest]

15. Napier is an Insurance executive

And he has taken up this absurd meme from Hayward, that criticism of Hayward is criticism of Britain. The ego on display, the willingness of these two individuals to use their nation as a personal shield.
Napier is obviously shilling for Hayward, as Hayward himself sounded especially priggish explaining that he is, somehow, Britain, and all said against him is said against all Britain.
Napier might want to stop with this ludicrous attempt at defense and focus on Haliburton's part of the disaster. Either that or he should just shut up.
Wonder how much biz Napier gets from BP? Yeah.

[chriscruzan]

18. Just read some of the comments

in the Guardian. I have seen many hate filled comments from Brits concerning the US disdain for BP. I believe it was still called British Petroleum when the US armed forces were sent to Kuwait to defend BP wells from Saddam's Iraq. Nevermind that Zapata and BP were slant drilling and stealing oil from fields, not quite owned by Kuwait or BP, to support the British need for oil, or for the British need to prop up their "pensions" which were tied to BP stocks. Again, I have seen very little 'Anti-British sentiments' in any editorials or comment sections. I have seen a great amount of concern from the British that the BP stocks are nose diving and effecting those "pensions" that were tied, so heavily to BP stocks in the 1980's. GO Reagan, GO Thatcher! I make NO excuses for miss-deeds done by American companies worldwide and openly condemn many US/multinational companies. By bringing up the North Sea disaster, you risk starting a 'Bitch fight' that will ultimately lead to WWII and what would have happened if people, like my father, had not stepped up to help the Russians save Europe. If the British want the US to shut up and leave the great BP alone, then I suggest you Brits start protecting yourselves and let the US servicemen who are still protecting British oil interests, throughout the world,come home and help clean up this never ending mess. The anti-US rhetoric coming out of Britain is unfounded and will soon start to generate some real angst among the US citizenry. Heaven help the rest of the world, when the US really does become xenophobic.

[Name removed]

29. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[chriscruzan]

47. You have me wrong

I am speaking as someone who sits in the middle of fucking Indiana, surrounded by elitist rightwing assholes. My US Rep. is Dan Burton.(get it?) The idea of a bitch fight is where the average population of the US is going to go with this BS. I hold no grudges against any nation or peoples! And the US does not invade foreign nations on the UK's request and I was not trying to infer that in my comment. This disaster in the Gulf is, ultimately, going to change the political landscape in the US. We, as a nation, are a most hateful group that is currently involved in political civil war. When the hateful masses finally come together as one, we (all of us included) will not be able to stop the onslaught of hatred that will be looking for a pot to piss in.My apologies, if you think I am a xenophobic asshole. I really believe this is heading towards Karmaggedon, and the rhetoric being pushed by some of the British papers and politicians will not help. My comments were not directed at you, but at the commentary I have been reading and hearing out of the UK. Please check previous thread about Cameron speaking with Obama over the weekend.

[CLANG]

23. Looks like its time to call the...

[MilesColtrane]

26. Just because I call KFC 'Kentucky Fried Chicken' doesn't mean...

I'm trying to blame the entire state of Kentucky for the Double Down gastro-disaster.

[Bluenorthwest]

46. Exactly, exactly, exactly

[Bluenorthwest]

27. The OP is not a typical Brit at all

Most Brits are not rude and cowardly, unable to discuss facts. Very few of the British people are under the impression that they are subjects of BP as opposed to the Crown, as this one seems to believe.
The last minute rush to wrap up BP as if it was HRH Elizabeth or another actual symbol of State is disgusting. To the OP, I say, sure, kid, sure, all of Britain stands with BP, just like you do, seeing no difference between some company and your country.
Most of us here on DU understand that an entity like BP is international, that it has a long and vicious history, and that it is no different than any other mega corp without any national ties at all. Hayward is using Britain as a rhetorical shield, he could not care less about the nation, he is all about the company. Which is international.
Such a pathetic display this OP is, I am sharing it with all of my friends in the UK, just to gather up the comments.

[B Whale]

30. If you look at my comments you will see it is an anti-capitalist

anti oil and anti-global corporation agenda i am promoting, not protecting BP!!! i despise the oil industry, i just think the deflection of anger to nationalistic sentiment is depressingly expected and is happening (with the corresponding bogey man for everyone to hate)

If you're so precious, you can;t see this, i'm sorry i offended you and go on hating hayward and not thinking about the bigger picture!!!

[Bluenorthwest]

50. If I'm so precious? Good God man.

What the hell is that? All that I have typed for you, and that is your reply? A bit of personal snark and presumption? A personalization of the issue?
If this is going to be reduced to parody, there is no point. Playing word games, not the time or season for that. Not interested.

[Jennicut]

35. He is criticizing a company, not a country. I mean, really...

Brits need to get over it. Or right wing Brits do, seems that is who is starting this.

[bongbong]

42. Amazing!

In a related note, I heard that British politicians were complaining because all the anti-BP sentiment from Obama & the USA was killing BP's stock price. So another group of people are whining because their investment is getting smacked. I thought only Americans did that.

"Stock porfolios only go up, right? If they go down somebody better pay us! We want profit but not losses! WAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!"

I guess freeloading is a Human Condition. But Americans do it best (if the National Debt is an accurate measure of freeloading)

[lynne]

45. Total Bunk. I've heard plenty of anger toward BP - the corporation - but -

none towards the people of Britain themselves. There's a huge difference.

Can you give provide an anti-British people and/or country quote from Obama?? I haven't seen any.

[LiberalFighter]

48. John Napier, chairman of insurance company RSA should go suck an egg.

[Steerpike]

49. oh don't get me started

I blame those gap toothed, carnaby street, irish bashing, mush mouthed (I can't understand a word their saying), effete, james bond wannabe, royalty worshipping, terrible smelling, inbred, herman's hermits listening, tea taxing, red coat, wig wearing, fergie loving, spice girl birthing, boiled meat eating....limies...

you heard me sir paul! get away from the blond model or i'll have to shoot! (it's for your own good)

[SOS]

51. Imagine for a moment

that the Deepwater Horizon had been flying the flag of Venezuela.
The US propaganda machine would be in overdrive, demonizing Venezuela day and night.

In this case there is little evidence of "anti-British" sentiment. Certainly not one iota on our news.
BP is the second most hated company in America (after Goldman Sachs) but that doesn't translate into any dislike for the people of Great Britain.

This "anti-British" BS is about BPs stock price and not any actual anger toward the British people.

[krabigirl]

52. I'll side with Obama on this one. Besides, the UK is becoming even more Orwellian than we are.

[lark]

53. BS

They are doing the classic corporatist thing of spinning and lying. This isn't about them being British, it's about fraud, malicious neglect, ruining the economy and ecology of our country and not giving a damn. They only want to recover the oil and could give a crap about cleaning or even limiting the mess.

[Capt. Jack]

54. Could this be real? Lindsey Williams Video?

I don't know anything about Lindsey Williams or Alex Jones.

You decide.

http://www.infowars.com/lindsey-williams-talks-with-alex-jones-about-deadly-gases-leaking-from-bp-spill/

[FBI_Un_Sub]

57. Tough nuggies

I don't have any overwhelming sympathy for the Brits on this one.

1. BP engineered the coup against Mohhamed Mosadegh in Iran and installed Shah Palevi.
   
2. When BP bought and consolidated SOHIO - I was one of American engineers laid off.
   
3. The "White Cliffs of Dover" are not being befouled.
   

[No Elephants]

58. Whoever wrote that headline should be fired. Dishonest.

[mbperrin]

60. We whipped their Brit butts in 1776, and again when they came

sneaking back in 1812.

We'll do it again if we have to!














:)

[B Whale]

62. well done glen beck...thats the spirit!

idiot

[chriscruzan]

64. And now it goes national

As I suspected, the rhetoric has made it's way to the mainstream. Check AP, CNN, or any other US news outlets. If you think there are some nasty DU'ers, see what mainstream America is now saying about the Brits. Again, I would say most of the folks on this site never saw this as a British problem. Then again, most of the folks on this site are not mainstream Americans.

[mbperrin]

65. Might learn context clues, like a little smiley after an outrageous comment.

Speak English much?

Idiota. :(

[provis99]

66. the Brits won in 1812,.

But keep waving that silly flag

[Quantess]

61. That's like Joran Van Der Sloot claiming that people don't like him because he's Dutch.

[provis99]

67. I hate the Dutch.

Evil, evil, wooden shoe wearing people. doesn't everybody hate the Dutch?

[mulsh]

63. Is the British Govt. bailing out British Petroleum? So far I've

been hearing reports of proposed deals the US Government cold make with British Petroleum, to bail out the company after its precipitous dive in share value. It seems to me that the British Parliament should be doing something significant to save British Petroleum's stock holders collective asses.

I realize British Petroleum is an international operation and recently moved it's HQ to small office building in Switzerland to take advantage of that country's very generous corporate tax and banking laws. It must just be a coincidence that the company's name is British Petroleum

I guess I'm just an ignorant yank who may confuse a company formerly named British Petroleum that radically altered it's name from that to BP being associated with anything British.