Of Barbarians and Nuclear Plants or the Double Standard for Japan

Of Barbarians and Nuclear Plants or the Double Standard for Japan

On April 26, 1986, a terrible disaster happened at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, causing wide spread damage, evacuation of a whole city, Prypiat, and then of a whole oblast. A state commission was begun, headed by Valeri Legasov, to investigate the accident on the same day and it was Legasov who ordered the evacuation.The evacuations began at 1400 on the 27th, once the full scale of the disaster was realized. A 30km radius exclusion zone was setup, removing all human habitants. Liquidators were brought in to pick up the debri from the explosion, able to work only a minute at a time, regardless of their heavy protective clothing, due to the high dosages of radiation. Meanwhile, other crews, by helicopter, dropped sand, lead, and boric acid to seal the radioactive hellhole. This occurred in the week following the disaster. In all, over 5,000 tons of material was dropped in and by December of that year, the now stabilized location was sealed in a giant cement sarcophagus.

Of this, the Soviet Union and then Ukraine and Russia, were never to hear the end of.

Neighboring nations screamed about radioactive clouds. Endless UN committees on the event and its handling and the Western media still loves to do hit pieces on the follow up to that disaster.

As it so happened, the Japanese ambassador to the UN was quoted as stating something to the effect of "We told you that these barbarians should not be allowed to have such technology." As if someone had given it to us.

Well, 25 years later and we are witnessing a much much worse catastrophe and one that has not, for 4 months now, been contained. The Soviet Union lost a lot of very brave men, Russians who gave their lives, dieing in agony, to seal that nightmare. From 1986 to 2000, 350,400 people were evacuated and resettled from the most severely contaminated areas of Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine

Much less can be sad about Japan....much much less and much much less has been said in the world press. The hypocrisy is rank.

"It is clear that the two cases are different in nature,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano told reporters, according to AFP. "Unfortunately the amount of radioactive material leaked was about one-tenth [of Chernobyl], but at least we were able to avoid explosions of the reactors.” Apr 26, 2011
Chernobyl and Fukushima are Different, Japanese and Ukrainian Officials Say

Now, the Japanese situation at Fukashimo is much worse. First, there are 3 vs 1 reactors that have fully melted down, along with a coolant pool. While Chernobyl was a major explosion, the three plants had slow melt downs, with two explosions. Radiation continues to leak forth, being cooled and washed out by sea water that is then just dumped right back into the ocean. One reactor is still not even partially handled, with workers unable to get in and several death zones detected, where exposure in a minute is enough to kill in days.

The Japanese have down played the issue, stating over and over the mantra that it is not that bad. However, they have also denied entry to any foreign third party experts and have attacked any independent assessment. While the main Chernobyl cleanup was over in a month, the Japanese efforts are now in their fifth month and going, with no end in sight and with any explained end game.

Now news is filtering out that one of the explosions, a gas blast, was actually a full nuclear reaction, not just a pressure build up. And yet, again, the "open democracy" of Japan is operating on the same level of secrecy as the Soviet Union with only half the effort at containment.

Professor Christopher Busby, Scientific secretary of the European Committee on radiation risks, was quoted on RT as stating:

It could be a lot worse because it is a lot less under control, then Chernobyl was. I have to say that the Soviet system moved very fast to try and contain what was happening in Chernobyl and the Japanese have been very lax in the way they took people out of the exclusion zone.

Even the evacuations have not been nearly as extensive.

So where is the world outcry? Considering nuclear fallout reached and covered much of the US and Canada, both governments have been absolutely mum about this. As a matter of fact, the Western "free" press has total ignored this on going tragedy. The marine contamination will ride the currents and cover a very large chunk of the Pacific ocean. Again, mum. Mum about the contamination bound to hit the people's dinner tables, as nothing is said and contamination coats all of the N.& S. American coast.

I guess, the non-"Barbarians" get special treatment.