Events in Libya and Japan may have overshadowed President Obama’s recent trip to South America but the political consequences of this trip certainly deserve greater attention from the media and the American public. Perhaps the most important event of President Obama’s visit was his statement of support regarding the Brazilian government-owned oil company Petrobras. President Obama “expressed interest in helping Petrobras develop” deep sea oil and natural gas reserves. This statement coming after recent controversies regarding deep sea oil drilling in U.S. waters is sure to become a major issue when the events in Japan and the Middle East settle down.
President Obama has taken a strong stand against deep sea oil drilling in the past; issuing, and defending in court, a moratorium on deep sea drilling following the BP disaster last year. This pro-environmentalist stance has predictably been praised by the Left while it is condemned by the Right. Obama’s stance against deep-water drilling does not seem to apply to the rest of the world however. There has already been some controversy regarding American loans to Petrobras for deep-water exploration and now the U.S. government has given Petrobras permission to drill for oil in the Gulf of Mexico. Defenders of President Obama have been quick to argue that these decisions have been made by various agencies and that the President cannot be held responsible. Such arguments, however, cannot explain the President’s statements of support for the Brazilian oil company.
These recent decisions appear to be a major political misstep on the part of the President. By opposing deep-water drilling by American companies while he supports the same endeavors on the part of Petrobras he appears hypocritical and will ultimately upset both sides of the political spectrum. At a time when American’s are calling for greater energy independence, attacking America oil companies while supporting their foreign competitors can only harm the Presidents image.
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Steve Michaels
Twitter: SteveMichaels5
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