Dear Pals,
Bophal was a terrible human tragedy that happened in 1984. Union Carbide was responsible and apparently a lot of bad stuff went on after the fact and a lot of folks skated on the punishment. That sounds like a systemic failure of the Indian justice system to me.
But there's been a lot of water down the Ganges since then. So why the uproar now?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37917682/ns/world_news-the_new_york_times
Let me give you $20 Billion reasons. If Obama can shake down BP for $20 Billion, surely he can shake down Union Carbide for a few billion.
Look, the US Government should not take the Chicago Pay-To-Play Shakedown art to yet another situation on the International level. Nor should we feel guilty about a terrible industrial accident. I didn't have anything to do with it. Did you?
America and its taxpayers are NOT responsible for every bad thing that happens in the world. And, it isn't our job to try and fix things.
Our country is always the first in line to help in any disaster - except our own - in Indonesia, Chile, Haiti and around the world. Wherever disaster strikes it's the evil capitalist USA that gets the first cash call.
Now, I'm sorry that so many people in India died. That's awful. But the Indian courts should deal with it, not Obama or anyone else in government.
I'm also sorry that troops in Afghanistan and Iraq are still being killed and maimed. So I'd have to come down this way on the allocation of resources.
Given our dwindling resources, I'm not in favor of sending anyone's cash to India. I am not in favor of shaking down US or foreign companies - the courts are set up to address issues, damages and remedies.
I am in favor of using our cash to help our wounded warriors before we go back and waste even a nanosecond trying to redress 26-year old grievances.
Shakedown fever has got to stop.
Look Amigos, really bad stuff happens in the streets of India every single day. It has for centuries - and they turn a blind eye to most of it - Mother Teresa saw it all her life.
So let the Indians take care - or not - of their own injured and aggreived.
We'll handle ours.
Birk, Commonsensetarian, Citizen of the Republic, Mob of One and Sage sans Snuggie for summer.
PS: If US corporate presence is causing offense, maybe we should repatriate all those US corporate call-center jobs that were outsourced to India and set up new call centers here to give people on the Gulf Coast some new jobs.
Nah...that might make sense. Besides Sabu will work for a lost less than Sam or Susie or Sid.
