nuclear energy – Speak Your Mind

Pope Francis And President Rouhani of Iran In Conversation

Yaël Ksander — Thu, 11 Feb 2016 20:05:57 +0000

It was good to see the photo of Pope Francis and President Hassen Rouhani of Iran smiling and conversing with each other in The New York Times (January 27, 2016). Their meeting came as a result of the Iranian nuclear deal. Iran bolstered its long-standing commitment under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty never to acquire nuclear weapons with permanent inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency, and 15 years of restrictions even on its civilian nuclear program.

In return, the international community lifted severe sanctions that had hurt ordinary Iranians. Iran is coming out of isolation to take its rightful place among the world’s nations, re-establishing trade and business ties. Diplomacy can accomplish miracles given time, patience, and good will.

A Vatican statement speaks of “the important role that Iran is called upon to fulfill in promoting peaceful solutions in Middle Eastern conflicts and countering the spread of terrorism and arms trafficking.” 250,000 civilian deaths have occurred in the Syrian conflict. Talks in London are scheduled to bring relief to the suffering population.

Pope Francis sees the Iran nuclear deal as “giving hope for the future.” Pope Francis and President Rouhani discussed “the importance of inter-religious dialogue and the responsibility of religious communities in promoting reconciliation, tolerance, and peace.”

The visit ended with Pope Francis thanking President Rouhani and saying, “I hope for peace.” President Rouhani replied by asking Pope Francis to pray for him.

Bombing Negotiations With Iran

Yaël Ksander — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 14:02:25 +0000

The United States and other world powers are engaged in delicate negotiations with Iran to ensure that nation’s nuclear program remains peaceful. An interim agreement is in force freezing high level uranium enrichment and enhancing verification. In return, the U.S. and others promised not to enact new sanctions during negotiations. Only a diplomatic solution can both prevent Iran getting a bomb and avoid a new war in the Middle East.

Yet hardliners in Congress are preparing a new sanctions bill. President Obama has vowed to veto it. Whether Congress reaches the two-thirds majority to override his veto depends on whether some Democrats – notably Indiana’s Senator Joe Donnelly – join the Republicans pushing this legislation.

Hawks claim that their bill would mean increased leverage, pushing Iran to make further concessions. But the bill is an ultimatum imposing increased sanctions if Iran does not accept what many experts believe are unnecessarily humiliating terms for a final agreement. The President and global diplomats believe the bill would instead lead Iran to break off negotiations. Iranian hardliners, who have also opposed negotiations, would be vindicated, and Iran would likely step up nuclear activities. That in turn would set the stage for Israel to attack Iran and unleash a new war in the Middle East, almost surely involving the United States.

The last thing the world needs is another war, which would increase the risks of global terrorism as well, ironically, as the chances Iran would actually build a bomb.

Sources:

https://www.armscontrol.org/issue-briefs/2015-01-15/Congress-Should-Support-Negotiations-Not-New-Iran-Sanctions

https://www.rollcall.com/news/let_the_diplomats_do_the_driving_with_iran_commentary-232362-1.html

https://www.nytimes.com/video/us/politics/100000003454696/obama-urges-against-new-iran-sanctions.html

https://fcnl.org/issues/iran/israeli_us_security_experts_support_first_step_deal/

On The Third Anniversary Of Fukushima

Betsy Shepherd — Thu, 03 Apr 2014 15:14:38 +0000

March 11th marked the third anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in 2011, killing nearly 19,000 people. The disaster severely damaged three of the six nuclear reactors at Fukushima and caused meltdowns that released large amounts of radioactivity into the atmosphere and ocean. Three years later almost 270,000 Japanese people remain displaced from their homes, and many may never be able to return because of long-lived radioactivity in the Fukushima area.

Naoto Kan, the Japanese prime minister at the time of the meltdown, recently said that the disaster was worse than the radioactive release in 1986 from a reactor at Chernobyl in the Ukraine.

If Kan is correct, it would make Fukushima the worst reactor disaster in history. Kan also said that if it had been worse, it could have led to the evacuation of 50 million people in Japan, including those in the Tokyo region. For these reasons, Kan opposes nuclear energy. However, present prime minister of Japan Shinzo Abe is still in favor of nuclear energy.

There are two problems with nuclear energy in addition to the possibility of a catastrophic accident. First, nuclear reactors are toxic to surrounding areas. A recent study found that communities near California’s Diablo Canyon reactor suffered declines in health after the plant was built. Infant mortality and cancer rose dramatically. Second, we have still not solved the problem of long-term storage of radioactive waste.

In my opinion, the advantages of nuclear energy do not outweigh the dangers, and I think all countries should eliminate nuclear reactors in favor of solar and wind energy, and practice serious conservation.

Sources

“Ex-Japanese PM on How Fukushima Meltdown was Worse Than Chernobyl & Why He Now Opposes Nuclear Power” (Democracy Now)

“Japan marks 3rd anniversary of tsunami disasters; thousands are still displaced” (Herald Times)

“The Academy’s Nuclear Power Health Impact Study” (World Business Academy)