Reply #4: Actually, he already has the legal authority to do so - and I mention

[BR_Parkway]

the oil riggers meaning someone who actually had hands on experience with capping oil wells since the Navy presumably does not. The point of the OP was to refute the various statements that the US doesn't have the equipment or trained individuals to work at those depths, therefore we had to rely on BP

http://thinkprogress.org/2010/05/29/push-out-bp/

The law — Title 33, Section 1321 — mandates that President Obama “shall direct all Federal, State, and private actions to remove the discharge,” using any means necessary. There are not any resources — people or equipment — that Obama doesn’t have the authority to seize and put into service.