Anglo's Ties to Mugabe

We all know what a bad guy Zimbabwean dictator Robert Mugabe is, and if you have any doubts this latest stolen election should remove them. What many people may not be aware of are the ties Anglo American has to Zimbabwe in spite of this evil, and even more distressing is how Anglo persists in their relationship with the Mugabe regime. Indeed, Anglo actually is working on plans to strengthen this partnership in the wake of Mugabe’s most recent crimes. The London times reported recently that,

Anglo American, the London-based mining giant, is to make what is believed to be the largest foreign investment in Zimbabwe to date, just as the British Government puts pressure on companies to withdraw from the country.

Anglo will invest $400 million (£200 million) to build a platinum mine in Zimbabwe — a move that has raised concern among some of the company’s shareholders and been condemned by politicians.

The Foreign Office was investigating tonight whether the company’s investment breached sanctions against Zimbabwe. Anglo insisted that its involvement in the country did not break the law.

The decision, which was criticised roundly as likely to give succour — and possibly money — to the Mugabe regime, is in stark contrast to the policy of nearly all other main British corporations in Zimbabwe. They are either withdrawing from the country or waiting for Mr Mugabe to be deposed before expanding their businesses.

I guess Mugabe won’t ever need to worry about running out of money to finance his murderous regime as long as he has Anglo American to bankroll him. Perhaps if the Pebble Mine Project is allowed to go forward, Anglo can collect a portion of the innumerable dead salmon carcasses and send them to Mugabe. After all, they’re throwing enough money at him, why not some dinner as well?

In all seriousness however, Anglo has promised not to rape and pillage Alaska's salmon fisheries, but how can we expect them to care about the salmon when the obviously could not care less about actual human beings suffering in Zimbabwe?

If You'll Permit One More Shot

I’ve been giving Eric Twelker quite a bit of flack here on PuckFebble, and rather than feel guilty about, I wonder why he doesn’t feel guilty about what he has done to Alaska. In the last few days we have received terrible news from the world of Twelker, first working Alaskans were screwed by the Supreme Courts siding with Exxon and now we learn from the Wall Street Journal that Twelkers former clients are opposing what could be the next big boom of Alaska. Read what the WSJ says below:

Many Alaskans are feeling bitter about the U.S. Supreme Court's decision Wednesday to slash the amount of punitive damages Exxon Mobil Corp. must pay for the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. But the relationship between the oil-rich state and the oil-producing giant could get even rockier in coming months.

That's because Exxon holds an effective veto over whether a pipeline can be built from Alaska's North Slope to carry natural gas to the lower 48 states.

As many Alaskans know, Governor Palin has made the construction of this pipeline a key goal for her administration. If Exxon decides to hold Alaska ‘over a barrel’ regarding this pipeline project, I wonder which side of the argument Twelker will find himself on? Maybe we can look forward to more skewed Juneau Empire op-eds as the Twelk tells readers to take it easy on the misunderstood oil giant (his former client). We’ll keep scanning the headlines.

A Banner Day for the Twelkster

Highly visible mining industry marionette, Eric Twelker, must be having a banner day today as the US Supreme court handed victory to his former employer, the Exxon Corporation, sharply reducing the $2.5 billion in punitive damages awarded in the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill.

The court lowered the award to $507.5 million, effectively destroying the hopes of some 32,000 Alaska Natives and fishermen who had been waiting almost 20 years to learn whether Exxon Mobil Corp. would have to pay punitive damages for grounding the tanker on Bligh Reef and releasing 11 million gallons of crude oil into the fishing waters of Prince William Sound.

You see way back when, the Twelkster, in the case of Chenega V. Exxon, argued against requiring Exxon to pay damages to Alaskan native corporations whose land had been damaged by the spill. Now Twelker passes his time as a vocal and visible (not to mention well paid) supporter of the mining industry in its bid to build Pebble. The drinks are on you tonight Twelk!