Slick and spin

The so-called special relationship with the US appears to be very one sided. Within a few days of David Cameron and Barack Obama discussing the economic dangers arising from the (Gulf of Mexico oil] spill, Mr Obama is once more making statements which result in the BP share price falling dramatically, making one wonder what he is trying to achieve.

His cheap talk has far outweighed the remarks by the BP chief executive which were claimed by his administration to be insensitive. Instead of playing to the American media, Mr Obama should be helping harness all the expertise available in the world to solve the problem as quickly as possible.

BP is clearly trying to find a solution and is to be commended for accepting responsibility for the accident and not blaming the US companies that are also involved. Mr Obama should reflect on the US record on dealing with disasters such as the Union Carbide case, which has taken 26 years to conclude in an unsatisfactory manner.

BILL WATT

Kinghorne St

Arbroath

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Am I the only one who finds BP's current situation highly ironic? In its first incarnation as the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company in the 1950s, it was a potent and cynical instrument of British and American foreign policy (for instance its infamous "regime change" in Iran).

Now, 60 years later, after being trashed by the capricious markets and publicly lambasted by the President of the United States, the outlook is bleak. Perhaps it is an illustration of "what goes around comes around".

DAVID McMILLAN

Westbank Quadrant

Glasgow

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