The Oil Spill War.

The oil spill is a major threat to the United States. It is correct for the federal government to act to act to mitigate this threat to us all. It is important for Obama to remain clear on this objective. BP has unwittingly triggered an attack on US soil, and they can and should help with defense, but it's our collective interest at stake, and we must take the lead.

This is a battle with three objectives:

1. Stop the flow.
2. Cleanup the mess.
3. Don't get distracted.

Stop the flow. Cap it, divert it or plug it. And don't stop trying until you succeed. One solution would be to ask every oil company in the world to come and drill into the field and drain it as quickly as possible. Make this a condition of ever doing business in the US again. Oh, and make sure that your blowout preventers are working.

Cleanup the mess. Use booms and sponges to keep floating crude away from shore. Figure out a way to sieve dispersed oil from seawater (fund a research project). Enlist locals help cleaning the coast.

Don't get distracted. By the blame game. By flow calculations. By political calculation. By philosophical positions. By questions of prevention. By principles. By critics. This is by far the most important objective, because without it all other objectives will not be met.