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Even if they couldn't have affected repairs, they could have waited until another shuttle was sent to bring them down (they were scheduled for 18 days, they could have stretched that quite a bit if they were careful.) I find it hard to believe that NASA (working night and day on an emergency basis) couldn't get another shuttle up there in 3 weeks.

I heard a NASA rep explain the reasons they couldn't. I believe the crux of the rescue issue was that, unlike castaways on an island, rationing in space is not as easy. There's no effective means (on the shuttle I guess) to maintain adequate air supply for too long. If it were just a matter of food and water, yes, they could string it out.

In addition, they would be running the risk of compounding the problem with another accident. Remember, the incident during launch had not been even close to resolution. They would be scrambling to launch another shuttle without necessarily knowing what happened to Columbia. High risk.

I heard a NASA rep explain the reasons they couldn't [effect rescue]...

That is, make miserable excuses. That we spend tens of billions on NASA, and they don't have a contingency plan for a Shuttle unable to re-entry is mind-boggling and inexcusable. Thats what you'd expect from a friggin' FRENCH program, not the U.S.!!