Biting the bullet

When you here phrases like this you know some serious denial is in action:

This is why, despite the damage caused by the efforts so far, Japanese officials have little choice but to continue down the feed-and-bleed path. “The worst-case scenario is that a meltdown makes the plant’s site a permanent grave,” said Tetsuo Iguchi, a professor in the department of quantum engineering at Nagoya University. “In a small island nation like Japan, that’s just not an option. That is why the government is trying to prevent a meltdown at any cost.” 

Unfortunately, in cases like this you cannot always control your 'options'. Avoiding a 'permanent grave' may be a laudable intent, making things worse, and killing people, before accepting the inevitable can be just kidding yourself and the public.

Small island nation or not, if the cores have been breached, they won't be able to get the genie back in the bottle. Then what, if not a permanent grave?