U.S.-China Standoff Over Navy Spy Plane

* Isn’t it ironic that for years the Republicans have accused the Democrats of being too cozy with Communist China, so they harden our stance with the Chinese and what happens . . . the Chinese get their hands on one of our most secret airplanes (April 2-3). Brilliant policy and execution by Secretary of State Colin Powell, Vice President Dick Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. I wonder when the “independent counsel” will be appointed.

BOB HORNING

Los Angeles

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It is likely that if China had spy planes flying near the coast of California every day, as well as several warships cruising very close to U.S. lands, we would not be nearly so accommodating as we expect the Chinese to be to us.

BRIAN SHERIDAN

Oceanside

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If the Navy reconnaissance plane now in Chinese territory is so very top secret and hush-hush in its technology, why was it dangled before the Chinese defense establishment much as one dangles bait before hungry fish? I’d almost bet that the Chinese fighter pilot who rammed our plane will be praised (posthumously, of course) for his heroism and devotion to duty.

To be consistent, given the basic animosity between our government and that of mainland China, I’d think that our plane crew members should be eventually reprimanded (if not court-martialed) for failing to destroy the plane (and themselves) once they realized that they could not make it back to their home base.

HORACE GAIMS

Los Angeles

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Now that the Chinese have called the bluff of our tough-talking president, I guess the 2001 world tax cut fun tour is over. Less than 100 days and he’s talked down the economy, turned his back on the environment, offended our European allies and overplayed his hand with his Cold War rhetoric. But the worst thing of all is that he now has to work weekends. Guess things don’t always go as planned, do they?

MICHAEL HARLEY

Laguna Niguel