Nuclear plants need real security
By Charles S. Faddis, Special to CNN
Editor's note: Charles S. Faddis is a retired CIA operations officer and the
former head of the CIA's unit focused on fighting terrorism involving
weapons of mass destruction. The author of "Willful Neglect: The Dangerous
Illusion of Homeland Security," Faddis is also president of Orion Strategic
Services, a Maryland-based security firm that does consulting work for the
Department of Defense and counter-terrorist training for private firms.
(CNN) -- Several weeks ago, President Obama announced that $8 billion in
government-loan guarantees would be made available to Southern Co. to begin
construction of two nuclear reactors in Georgia.
If built, it would be the first nuclear power plant constructed in the
United States in almost 30 years. More importantly, this would be the first
of what is expected to be many such projects initiated in coming years.
I am a big believer in the necessity for energy independence. I accept that we
will all have to make some compromises in achieving that goal.