Quoting Chuck Hards <chuck.hards@gmail.com>:
Jeez, really. I doubt anyone on this list is even remotely qualified to second-guess the NASA engineers.
Kurt wasn't second guessing anyone. He was merely concerned for their safety. That said, it doesn't take a Rocket Scientist to second guess NASA. After learning about the damage Columbia sustained, I really thought, based on a gut feeling and no particular scientific basis, that the crew would have been better off coming home in a different vehicle. So you see, second guessing NASA isn't that big a deal. I was right! But I will go on record now and say that the crew should have been allowed to make the repair IF for no other reason that to gain useful experience for future flights. But I still think they will be fine. Fingers crossed!