Chinese Connection — the SF Bay Oil Spill

As cleanup continues in the San Francisco Bay after last week’s oil spill, one can’t help but notice that the Chinese connection seems to be downplayed, not only by the media, but by state and other government officials.

The Coast Guard has already replaced at least one officer in the incident, and is being criticized by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for its role in the environmental mess.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein has already blamed the Department of Homeland Security (your guess is as good as mine here) and called for a “full and expedited investigation into the cause of the accident, as well as the Coast Guard’s response.”

The ship’s pilot, Capt. John Cota, a bar pilot of 25 years’ experience, is bearing the brunt of the criticism, as may be appropriate.

But barely mentioned in all of this is the all-Chinese crew of the Chinese ship. Maybe I’m just a landlubber, but it seems to me someone should have been at the front of the ship, calling back to the pilot something like, “hey, you’re gettin’ kinda close to that bridge.” How hard is that?

Any way, the Chinese crew members are apparently refusing to talk and have hired lawyers, according to the National Transportation Board.

Sen. Feinstein’s husband, it is well known, has numerous business connections in China and a great interest in not offending his partners. The senator also has personal ties with the Chinese leadership and has been a great defender of the communist regime. In 1997, the Feinsteins even got to dine in Mao’s former personal residence with Chinese President Jiang Zemin.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has also made trips to China and is something of an icon over there.

Hot on the heels of numerous recalls of made-in-China products, an oil spill would only further cement China’s growing reputation as an untrustworthy trading partner.

In politics, the rule is if you want to know why anyone is doing something, just follow the money. There’s a great deal of money involved in business relations with China.

One hopes that fact will not prevent a complete and honest investigation into the causes of this oil spill.