I find it impossible to believe that they couldn't get a power source of some kind over there within a couple days of the quake/tsunami. This smacks of massive incompetence, but maybe it's just me.
The Japanese certainly have their own way of doing things. Kinda regimented system of doing things it seems. Of course, we don't have the most aggressive offer of help coming from our CEO.
I'm like you in belief that more could have been done sooner. I know some plant mangers in B.R. and L.C. and Beaumont who would have had most of the reactors and storage pools overflowing with seawater by now.