When you consider Union Carbide in Bopal killed 8000 (1984) on the first day, with estimates higher than 30000 knocking around for total dead. Hopelessly contaminated land and ground water and still the population are suffering after 25 years.
No idiot want's to belittle the Oil spill, it should be taken at face value.
Bhopal was abandoned as it was not in their backyard, and the real costs to compensate personal and economic, and to clean up to an American standard would be staggering. $4.5 Billion Dollars could not achieve this.
Average Compensation Sum (US $):
Personal Injury Claim $455
Death Claim $1128
In 2007 total award was $281 million
To me, $4.5 Billion Dollars could be better assigned else where, a god fearing country, obviously does not fear god, as I do not.