Gold King: A long history of public risk for private gain

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Wednesday August 12, 2015 · 3:07 PM PDT

2015/08/12 · 15:07

I was curious about the genesis of stories blaming the EPA for the contamination of the Animas River outside of Silverton, CO. I knew the EPA wasn't in the mining business, but what I wasn't learning from those stories was who, in fact, was responsible for generating the wastes that blew out into the Animas river on Aug. 7.

Doing a little digging I've compiled a brief history of the mine to try to create a timeline in which to understand the current problem. What I've found so far is another riff on the story of mining in the West: Private citizens acquire property rights on land taken from indigenous peoples by force, and exploit it for private commercial gain. Over time, private claims get acquired by giant international corporations. When a problem happens, the government steps in to assist, cleans up and takes over responsibility for fixing the problem caused by private individuals and private enterprise.

I remain fascinated by the people who make these kinds of decisions. This post is meant to be a place where I can document my findings in an attempt to keep the facts, and responsibilities, clear.

captbobalou

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Saturday February 07, 2009 · 11:37 AM PST

2009/02/07 · 11:37

It makes me so proud.

captbobalou

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Friday January 09, 2009 · 6:19 PM PST

2009/01/09 · 18:19

This is a just a bookmark for myself.

Sen. Obama lapsed into the "royal we" tonight. Found it right here on DailyKos. Wondering if it means anything?

captbobalou

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Friday October 10, 2008 · 11:37 AM PDT

2008/10/10 · 11:37

Former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari has just been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. For many of us who have worked with him, this is a long overdue honor for a diplomat who has worked quietly, and productively, to address some of the longest standing conflicts in the world, in bright contrast to the bellicose antics of members of the current administration.

captbobalou

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Wednesday September 17, 2008 · 7:56 AM PDT

2008/09/17 · 07:56

We couldn't have had a more dramatic demonstration of national political priorities than events of this week. Let us compare the response to Hurricane Ike, affecting more than 5 million citizens, with the (forseen, preventable) finanical collapse of the AIG group, shall we?

Hurricane Ike: Snafu leaves responders hungry, thirsty." Now as a first responder myself, I find this a little disconcerting, seeing as how we all have been trained in the National Incident Management System, a set of response guidelines developed over a period of over 30 years. Some responders waited over 30 hours for food and water while they were in the field.

AIG Bailout: Government steps in again, bails out AIG with $85B In less than 24 hours, the Fed decides to rescue the company that provided the nest egg for the world's richest person and free-market, self-help guru, Warren Buffett.

captbobalou

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Tuesday August 05, 2008 · 5:44 AM PDT

2008/08/05 · 05:44

...but misses the mark towards a consistent policy towards Afghanistan. Today's lead Times editorial ends with:

Longer term, the answer lies in a consistent, integrated and well-financed plan to establish security throughout Afghanistan, put kingpins in jail, develop a market economy and a functioning government in Kabul, and rapidly expand incentives for smaller farmers to stop growing poppies. It is all one more daunting Bush administration legacy that will be left for the next president to fix.

But they still don't see the fundamental disconnect between, "putting the kingpins in jail" and "develop a market economy." How can you have a market without capital?

captbobalou

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Thursday July 24, 2008 · 10:06 AM PDT

2008/07/24 · 10:06

The New York Times is running a story documenting an administration officials journey into the reality of the Afghan economy here. (Registration and login required).

The author takes a while to come around to the gist of the story:

"There was no coherent strategy to resolve these issues among the U.S. agencies and the Afghan government. When I asked career officers at the State Department for the interagency strategy for Afghan counternarcotics, they produced the same charts I used to brief the cabinet in Washington months before. "There is no written strategy," they confessed."

(Note: This is a followup to my post yesterday.

captbobalou

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Wednesday July 23, 2008 · 8:46 AM PDT

2008/07/23 · 08:46

This article (cited by Raw Story)US-led soldier among scores killed, Afghan district falls caught my attention the other morning, and led me to ruminate on how the US can gracefully triumph in Afghanistan.

If there is a "right" conflict in which to be engage, this is it. Afghanistan is struggling to merge from medieval levels of poverty with it's national character intact. This is an effort the United States should support because it's success may change conflict dynamics both within Afghanistan, and within critical neighboring countries of Pakistan and Iran. And unlike Vietnam, Afghanistan is a place where many if not most of its people would welcome a NATO-led victory against the warlords, Taliban and corrupt government officials.

captbobalou

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Sunday July 13, 2008 · 11:01 AM PDT

2008/07/13 · 11:01

Big bank gets in trouble because it's cash on hand can't cover it's (mounting) obligations. Senator writes bank and says it looks like it's in big trouble, what are they planning to do about it. Bank investors panic. Bank fails. Economic "expert" employed by CNBC blames "leftists" for bank's failure.

Sometimes there is no more damning evidence of one's foolishness than one's own words.

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May 1, 2007: 09F911029D74E35BD84156C5635688C0

captbobalou

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Wednesday May 02, 2007 · 8:44 AM PDT

2007/05/02 · 08:44

I'm stunned. Last night I almost missed a revolution. It wasn't there at 4 pm Mountain time. It was over by 2 am the next morning.

captbobalou

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Wednesday November 08, 2006 · 1:31 PM PST

2006/11/08 · 13:31

What's that sound? A lame duck and time slipping away. I have to say the Democrats did a great job of getting into position. I personally lament the losses of Tammy Duckworth, Harold Ford and Ned Lamont. But here's the theme of my urber-thought for today: time is slipping away quickly, and Democrats haven't yet figured out how to turn the attitudinal tide that is leading us into a new Dark Age. Read More

"Terrorism" isn't the problem, command control is.

captbobalou

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Sunday September 24, 2006 · 10:46 AM PDT

2006/09/24 · 10:46

Anyone looking for a conceptual link between the "War on Terror" and the incompetence that led to the drowning of New Orleans need look no further than an article printed in today's LA Times entitled, "A Silence in the Afghan Mountains."

As you read it, I urge you to overlook the details of the actions and personalities, and look closely at evidence of uncoordinated responses to specific threats on the part of unit leaders, battalion command, central command, the State Department, the Government of Afghanistan, and (not mentioned in this story, yet), other partners in the area which would include other foreign military agencies, and nongovernmental organizations providing aid services in the area. Read More

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Gold King: A long history of public risk for private gain

Carlton's all grown up...sniff...

Please ignore this.

Pres. Obama can learn a lot from Pres. Ahtisaari

Politics is about who gets what, when.

NY Times endorses common sense in Afghanistan

The Problem with Poppies (Part II)

The Problem With Poppies

Portrait of a boob

May 1, 2007: 09F911029D74E35BD84156C5635688C0

Quack-thump! Tick-tock!

"Terrorism" isn't the problem, command control is.