"I wish those experts would realize there is a real interest in Mars, and that it does not depend -- in any way -- on Mars being "earthlike." Nor does it depend on Mars being eerily alien. People are interested in Mars as it is. We're interested in learning as much as we can, and in understanding what the field is learning and speculating on. "Tell the truth and shame the Devil!" "

I hope you do realize that most asthetically pleasing astronomy pictures are given in false color and to the human eye would be rather bland (unless H alpha really excites you) or completely invisible. The goal can be to try to answer key fundamental questions about mars with specific instruments tuned to certain data sets as well as evolved to fit physical and financial constraints
OR

to send up a Mars Triana or land a rover at Cydonia with a hyperdimensional quantum resonance vortex detector (enterprise mission constructed of course) as PR placation every time someone directs a fax assault against NASA HQ.

I don't think anyone doubts that there is a REAL interest in Mars but with limited resources, where would YOU focus the effort?

et