Submariners and National Security

Today, I took a well-deserved day off from work.  I got up early, tripped back to my place from the housesitting gig, did a bunch of computer stuff including bringing the newly repaired computer that had gotten zapped by lightning onto my home network, paid a few bills, worked up a journal entry, went back to the housesitting gig, then eventually back to Montrose to see friends at the Icehouse.  I was pleased to see lots of people I haven't seen in ages:  Samantha (rumored to be missing on the east coast), John (whom I agree with enough of the time that people ought to be very very scared), Cathy, my old grad school buddy Chris Cookson, Greg Weiher and his wife Connie, and probably others I am leaving it.  It was quite nice to see them all.  

And even the Sugar Busters police would have been happy -- I had a single beer the whole evening.  I'm actually wondering if I shouldn't pull a George Bush and just stop drinking the silly things altogether.  I probably won't wonder about it for too long.

One interesting topic came up, and that was:  Is there any justification for Russia not calling in Western help earlier in attempting to rescue their ailing submariners?

John and I were both adamant in our "Hell yes there is a justification!" answers to everyone, who seemed horrified with us.  There was a great deal of sentiment that because of the human element, help should have been requested immediately.  I'm not denying the humanity of that sentiment.  But is that the ONLY consideration?  Or is it possible that the government of Russia is justified (even if they won't come out and say it) in thinking that a nuclear submarine represents an enormous monetary and technological investment in national security and that it might be harmful to the nation in the long run if the West gained detailed knowledge of that nuclear submarine via a rescue operation -- which undoubtedly would happen?

Were I the President of the United States, and faced with a similar decision -- a trapped nuclear sub full of secret proprietary technology with 118 military personnel who have sworn to defend the country and only Russia or China with the capability of a rescue -- it would be very difficult for me to call them for help.  It would be a very sad day for the country, the decision probably could not be publicly defended in those terms (i.e. a noble lie might be necessary), and I would be very sad for those men on board.  

But would those men on board want the national security of the country jeopardized so that they might live, when they knew the dangers of submarines (and the military) going in?  I wonder what answer my dad, an old submariner, might give in that circumstance.  Being one of the most honorable and patriotic men I know, he would choose to give his life for his country's national security, I suspect.  That would be my choice were I on board, knowing full well what it would mean.  And I think it would be easier for me to make THAT decision than the decision as President outlined in the scenario above.

What do you think?