China Incident
* It is quite probable that this generation and a few others do not understand the situation of being totally unprepared. In view of the recent touchy incident with China and other developments around the world, it might be a better idea for President Bush to junk his tax proposal for the moment. Instead of returning money to the taxpayers, let’s build our military back to something worthwhile.
Bill Clinton has said that our military is the most powerful in the world. We also thought that prior to World War II. Again, in view of developing situations around the world, it just might be the right thing to consider.
GEORGE FRENCH
Torrance
*
Navy Lt. Shane Osborn, EP-3 pilot, should get the Medal of Honor for what he did to save 24 people from certain death (April 13).
RAY P. KEESLER
La Crescenta
*
Revelatory indeed was David Pesci’s faux missive to Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan (“Mr. Tang, Who’s Sorry Now?” Commentary, April 12). This is where conservative patriotic thought wallows nowadays. That the Red menace must inevitably buckle to capitalism’s superiority is not in doubt. But to what do we owe the advantage? Pesci exults that “we’ll be broadcasting Ricky Martin, LeAnn Rimes and the Backstreet Boys 24-7” on Radio Free China, and that the Middle Kingdom must give way “under the weight of Levis, Starbucks, Krispy Kremes, Nikes, Julia Roberts movies and Keanu Reeves CDs.” What vision!
Think of what we could have saved in arms programs over the postwar decades if we had only known the irresistible force of our own lowbrow cultural output.
STEPHEN SICILIANO
Los Angeles
*
While I appreciate political cartoon humor, I feel the creator sometimes goes too far with the caricature. In the April 12 cartoon by Michael Ramirez, Bush refers to the Chinese as “a bunch of jerks” while expressing regret over the air collision and the loss of the Chinese pilot. To portray Bush uttering such contemptible words does not help our relationship with China. Further, it insults the Chinese people who are victims of the political structure. Such depictions fuel the distrust between nations and further our image as the bully.
GERRY ELDRED
Los Alamitos
*
I don’t think either China or the U.S. has anything to be sorry for, as spying is a fair but risky game where each side will always try to get as much information as possible. If someone were monitoring my home from the sidewalk using high-tech equipment, you bet I would do everything to stop it even if he were on public property.
WEN CHAO
Rowland Heights
*
In the beginning of the China problem, Bush and company were showing what they knew how to do--rattle their sabers and make belligerent demands. Then people with bigger (not necessarily better) brains stepped in.
Anyone who thinks that Bush finalized the China deal hasn’t been watching the news. Tens of billions of dollars annually were at stake (in both directions) if the actions between China and the U.S. were not resolved. The people making the agreements between China and the U.S. are the same people who have been removing environmental safeguards. Very quickly they told Bush and company to shut up and do what they were told to do.
GARY COYNE
South Pasadena