Barack Obama has drawn criticism for comparing the BP oil spill with 9/11. Photograph: Reuters

Barack Obama today risked the wrath of September 11 victim's families by comparing the BP oil spill to the 2001 terrorist attacks, as pressure intensified on the White House to show greater urgency over the crisis.

Source-  http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jun/14/barack-obama-oil-spill-911

Was Obama wrong to compare an accident to 9/11?

I don't know why he'd use the change 9/11 had as the analogy...

It was sort of a hamhanded comparison to make, but he wasn't trying to draw moral equivalency between mass murder and an industrial accident or anything like that.

It may turn out to be an apt comparison if he has his way, though, and our energy policy becomes as fucked up after this as our foreign policy in the years following 9/11.

Could you help me see where he was going with it then?

His words were, "In the same way that our view of our vulnerabilities and our foreign policy was shaped profoundly by 9/11, I think this disaster is going to shape how we think about the environment and energy for many years to come." My reading of it is that he sees this as a watershed moment in terms of developing political will to put stricter regulations on offshore drilling and tackle American dependency on foreign oil (and fossil fuels in general).

I still Don't agree that it should have been compared to 9/11

Wow, people need to shut the hell up, honestly, there is nothing at all wrong with his comparison, its actually quite a good one with how he put it.

No matter what context 9/11 is used in, a lot of people will be offended.

That's why I'm confused why he would use it.

It would have been better if he hadn't gone down that particular road, I'll agree with you there.

Because he's shown himself time and again to be remarkably tone deaf.