[samtheman]

This is future homeland for the human race. All this talk about the ethics of locking out the developers in order to preserve a few microbes reminds me of chosing snail-darters over the welfare of American farmers.

Allow a decent interval to explore Mars, see exactly what's there, keeping it as pristine as possible for during that interval (so as to not disturb the investigation, sort of like keeping the integrity of a crime scene) and once we're satisfied that there's no life or that we've collected and stored enough samples of whatever minisicule life there is: start ripping and tearing!

[Wilhelm Tell]

I knew it. The "environmentalists" are against taking a dead or virtually dead planet like Mars and restoring it to life. If no microbes are found on Mars, the environmental extremists will argue that man ought not harm the "purity" of the lifeless dirt. What animates the environmental extremists is a hatred of mankind.

[FourtySeven]

Allow a decent interval to explore Mars, see exactly what's there, keeping it as pristine as possible for during that interval (so as to not disturb the investigation, sort of like keeping the integrity of a crime scene) and once we're satisfied that there's no life or that we've collected and stored enough samples of whatever minisicule life there is: start ripping and tearing!

My sentiments exactly.