Contrary to Enoch Powell's gloomy crack that all political careers end in failure, Mr Robert's main contention is that Salisbury's was crowned with success.
As for the other incidents that have beset the type over the past few months -- a fan shaft failure on an engine, an oil leak, a windshield crack -- all can safely be put down to teething problems.
Barring a complete crack up of the eurozone, a China hard landing, and a U.S. recession due to failure in the fiscal cliff talks, oil will likely be another boring commodity in 2013.