BP began the technique known as the “Top Kill” at 2:00 pm on Wednesday in yet another attempt to cap the well which has been spewing millions of barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico for more than four weeks.
Operating at some 5,000 feet underwater, BP said that the chances of success of the “Top Kill” were between 65 – 70 percent. According to experts, it will take at least three days to plug the leak completely if the “Top Kill” technique is successful.
Meanwhile there is great anger and frustration on the part of Louisianians and other gulf coast residents who have seen their heritage and livelihoods disappear overnight, with no indication how this environmental and economic disaster will play out. Many have charged too that there has been a lack of leadership on the part of the Obama administration on how the disaster has been handled.
James Carville, Democratic political commentator was unable to contain his frustration earlier today on Good Morning America, calling on President Obama to demonstrate greater leadership by taking charge of the disaster, rather than leaving it to BP to lead the effort. He urged the president to come to the gulf and empathize with those suffering as a result of the catastrophe and with relatives of the 11 men killed when the rig exploded on April 20.
The White House announced yesterday that President Obama will be returning to the Gulf of Mexico on Friday to get a first hand appreciation of the scale of the disaster, given that oil has reached the shores and marshes of Louisiana.
One can only hope and pray that the “Top Kill” works, as millions more gallons of oil will flow into the Gulf until another technique is attempted.
