They did the right thing in ceasing rescue efforts at the Crandall Canyon mine in Utah yesterday, after a collapse killed three men, and injured six others, who had tunneled deep into the mountain to rescue six trapped miners. ''We went from a tragedy to a catastrophe,'' said Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman. ''Let us ensure that we have no more injuries. We have suffered enough as a state."
No doubt: These dead rescuers were true heroes. Surely, there is no more noble way to die than in attempting to save another’s life. Their mission was just and admirable. Yet, after their deaths, it was obvious that further rescue attempts were futile and deadly. It was better to cut the losses of life and mourn the dead.
But what if instead, mine officials had come out and said, "We will honor their memories by completing the mission." Or, that the "greatest tribute" to the dead rescuers would be "to persevere, to keep moving forward..."
It would cause outrage. But that’s exactly what our misguided president is doing in Iraq. Now, let’s pretend Iraq is a coal mine....
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