Florida Democratic U.S. Senator Bill Nelson today wrote to President Obama about getting the U.S. military involved with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill situation, even though some officials have questioned what more they could do that isn't being done.
Nelson wrote:
While the Coast Guard, under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the National Guard both are involved, it is my belief that the broader assets and command and control capability of the Department of Defense could better translate your directives into prompt, effective action.
I believe such an approach would help protect people's livelihoods, as well as our coastlines, wetlands and fisheries from the damages of this oil spill. Certainly no one thinks the problem in the Gulf is going to be solved in a few days. But Americans feel that their government is taking an all-hands-on-deck response.
But besides creating headlines in posts like this, the question remains: what can the military do that's more efficient than what the feds are already doing?
Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told CNN's State of the Union he did not think there is "anything obvious" for the military to do beyond the current support role.
"We have participated in the meetings here in Washington and actually down on the scene. We are offering everything we can possibly do to try to help."
The ever busy Nelson earlier in the day to Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, suggesting that with more than 30% of the Gulf of Mexico closed off from any fishing, it's time to declare a fishery disaster in Florida. Nelson cited Section 312 of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
This article appears in Jun 3-9, 2010.