America's Future 'Green Light' from Nuclear Japan

In a meeting in which Steven Chu, Nobel prize winning physicist and energy secretary, was supposed to help promote currently 'not so socially' thriving nuclear energy to a House panel, the secretary ended up defending nuclear power in light of the recent disasters in Japan. Politico posts:

The panel did not allow him to support Obama's pro-nuclear views and instead forced him to speak of the recent Japanese disasters, possibly forcing him to promote anti-nuclear panic instead. Chu, well spoken and well informed seamed to quell the panels disturbed and distorted views of nuclear energy but possibly not enough to persuade the panel to be in favor of supporting nuclear energy. In only another among countless events of scientific misinformation and bias, it looks like America will remain anti-nuclear for several years to come.

The World Steps Back From Nuclear

While disaster after disaster crashes upon Japan, the world, which among developed nations was decidedly pro nuclear, now takes a step back to re-evaluate. The National Geographic reports:

The disaster in Japan, which threatens to worsen as the country’s officials struggle to contain what is being called the worst nuclear accident since the Chernobyl meltdown 25 years ago, is having repercussions on nuclear policy worldwide.

On Monday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced a three-month moratorium on extending the operation periods for its nuclear power plants. Under the moratorium, seven plants that began operating before 1980 will be shut down.

Switzerland also suspended its nuclear plans pending a safety review, and the European Union called for an emergency meeting of energy ministers Tuesday to assess, among other points, the idea of running stress tests on the EU’s 143 nuclear plants.

Many already nuclear European countries have scheduled immediate check-ups for their plants. America faces a slightly different problem. Obama had high hopes for nuclear energy and this disaster is putting his efforts to a screeching halt. Although this disaster can in the end, sadly, be deemed a learning experience to the rest, it has placed many not only cautiously but violently against nuclear energy.