How Not To Stop a Oil Spill

NEW ORLEANS – BP's stock plummeted and took much of the market down with it Tuesday as the federal government announced criminal and civil investigations into the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, and BP engineers tried to recover from a failed attempt to stop the gusher with an effort that will initially make the leak worse.

Attorney General Eric Holder, who was visiting the Gulf to survey the fragile coastline and meet with state and federal prosecutors, would not specify the companies or individuals that might be targeted in the probes into the largest oil spill in U.S. history.

"We will closely examine the actions of those involved in the spill. If we find evidence of illegal behavior, we will be extremely forceful in our response," Holder said in New Orleans.

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Yep...that's the way to stop a disaster.  Threaten a law suit.  Send in the lawyers, by god.

Of course, this could put a new spin on the old joke: "What do you call 10,000 lawyers at the bottom of the ocean?  A good start."

Hmmm, now that I think of it, lawyers should have been part of the "top kill" method.