Monday, January 17, 2011

Nu, Flip the Switch Already!

The Daily Telegraph Reports that Russian scientists providing technical support to Iran's Bushehr nuclear reactor, are considered that activating the reactor, could cause a meltdown on the scale or the Chernobyl disaster.

The scientists, "..have raised serious concerns about the extensive damage caused to the plant's computer systems by the mysterious Stuxnet virus, which was discovered last year and is widely believed to have been the result of a sophisticated joint US-Israeli cyber attack."
Ali Akbar Salehi, Iran's foreign minister who also serves as head of the country's Atomic Energy Organisation, rejected suggestions earlier this month that the Bushehr opening schedule should be postponed. "All the rumours related to the Westerners' claims that Stuxnet had caused damage to the nuclear plants are rejected," he said.

However, Russian scientists working at the plant have become so concerned by Iran's apparent disregard for nuclear safety issues that they have lobbied the Kremlin directly to postpone activation until at least the end of the year, so that a proper assessment can be made of the damage caused to its computer operations by Stuxnet.

The Iranian government is bitterly opposed to any further delay, which it would regard as another blow to national pride on a project that is more than a decade behind schedule. While Western intelligence officials believe Iran's nuclear programme is aimed at producing nuclear weapons, Iran insists the project's goals are peaceful.

The Russian scientists' report to the Kremlin, a copy of which has been seen by The Daily Telegraph, concludes that, despite "performing simple, basic tests" on the Bushehr reactor, the Russian team "cannot guarantee safe activation of the reactor".

It also accuses the Iranian management team, which is under intense political pressure to stick to the deadline, of "not exhibiting the professional and moral responsibility" that is normally required. They accuse the Iranians of having "disregard for human life" and warn that Russia could find itself blamed for "another Chernobyl" if it allows Bushehr to go ahead.
Go ahead guys and flip the switch already.

It's only a few wimpy, simple, basic, safety tests.



Visiting Israel?
Learn to Shoot at
Caliber-3 with top Israeli Anti-Terror Experts!


Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

4 comments:

yoni r. said...

I wouldn't trust this report. It contains blantant use of "metric spelling", such as Organisation, rumours, and programme. It seems to be a leftist scheme.

George said...

@yoni r.

That's British English spelling, so nowhere near anything metric.It's also from the daily Telegraph, so equally far from being leftist.

yoni r. said...

Any Dave Barry fans out there want to back me up?

Anonymous said...

It's only a few wimpy, simple, basic, safety tests.

I think that's what BP said before they went ahead with the drill in the Gulf of Mexico that blew.

Hey, why not....

Search the Muqata

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails