U.S. Missile Plan

* Re “Cohen Departs China With a ‘Framework,’ Little Else,” July 14:

So, Secretary of Defense William Cohen had to fend off vociferous objections from the Chinese Communists over U.S. policy to develop a missile defense shield and continued arming of Taiwan. They expressed anger at Israel’s decision to cancel the sale of a radar system to the PRC.

Red Chinese officials arrogantly brushed aside U.S. concerns about Chinese missile systems that can decimate the entire western United States. Excuse me? Negotiator Sha Zukang told Cohen that “China will not sit on its hands doing nothing while seeing its security seriously damaged.” What about our security being seriously damaged? It is not in the interest of the U.S. to have its foreign policy dictated by a potential enemy who has already threatened to annihilate Los Angeles. Cohen’s reply to Sha should have been “Pshaw!”

The U.S. must maintain its own lead in national defense in a ballistic missile age. This will ensure that the Chinese Communist army can never, ever blackmail us or attack us with its nuclear arsenal.

JOSEPH LEA

Mission Viejo