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Editorial / Commentary / Opinion

 

 

New York Times : Unacceptable risks -
Letters to the International Herald Tribune

 

Unacceptable risks

Regarding “Drilling for certainty” (Views, May 29-30): David Brooks is correct about the risks entailed in building and operating complex systems such as those involved in the Deepwater Horizon oil drilling operation (and, as he points out, in many other areas of modern life as well). In particular, he's right about the danger that, precisely because such systems are so complicated, they may contain hidden flaws which may lead to catastrophic consequences.

This has implications, however, which Mr. Brooks does not fully explore. Tiptoeing past the Three Mile Island debacle, Mr. Brooks refuses to see that his logic implies that drastically expanding our use of nuclear power means sharply elevating the risk of a catastrophic accident.

The same thinking applies to the oil industry. Contrary to Mr. Brooks, the liberals I know (including myself) don't see the Deepwater Horizon calamity primarily as proof that the government should have more control over industry (although liberals do argue for stricter regulation). Rather, the liberal response is that this grotesque episode highlights the folly of coastal oil drilling and the urgent necessity to free ourselves not merely from dependence on foreign oil, but from reliance on oil from any source.

Of course, if nuclear power presents its own unacceptable risks, that challenge is all the harder. But it's one we must meet, and I'm confident that we can — if we make the right choices, and make them in time.

Eric B. Lipps,Staten Island, N.Y.

The lesser of two evils

Thomas Friedman is right (“Malia for President”, Views, May 31), that the disastrous oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico does great harm to countless birds, fish, beaches and ecosystems.

But a shortage of oil today would do great harm to human life and quality of living, especially because humans have become so dependent on oil in just about every aspect of their lives. Unfortunately, until we find a better and safer means of energy, oil spills are the lesser of the two evils than having no viable energy at all.

Kenneth L. ZimmermanHuntington Beach, California

 

 

The New York Times and The Herald Tribune, its sister newspaper in Europe are world read news papers. Petroleumworld does not necessarily share these views.

Editor's Note: This commentary was originally published by The New York Times, on May 31, 2010, . Petroleumworld reprint this article in the interest of our readers

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Petroleumworld News 06/01/2010

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