During the White House briefing today, there were lots of questions about the recent announcement by the United States that it is advising U.S. citizens within 80 km (50 miles) of the troubled nuclear reactor to evacuate — which goes further than the Japanese government’s recommendations.

Up until today, the White House had been advising American citizens to follow the advice provided by the Japanese govt.

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney today resisted the idea that the conflicting advice meant the U.S. didn’t have faith in the information coming out of Japan.

‘This is new information,’ Carney said. ‘When the NRC– when the situation was what it was the other day and yesterday — based on the data that the NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission) was analyzing — their advice was in agreement with what the Japanese government was saying and therefore our advice was the same. And therefore we told American citizens to follow the instructions of the Japanese government.

‘We are now saying — based on our independent analysis of the deteriorating situation — we all have watched on television and read about the damage at the various reactors and the potential for emissions — based on that new information that […]