John,

Several issues here.

1 - There is some scuttlebutt that the Chinese have taken one of the Soviet submarine designs and made enough technical advances and had designed a new 'killer sub'. See http://www.newsmax.com/showinsidecover.shtml?a=2001/4/5/105732 for the article.

2 - The Chinese have historically seen themselves as the center of mankind. Mao just about killed them all off with his Socialic clap-trap (about the only people who still believe this bilge are US college professors <g>) but they have 'evolved' into a more pragmatic kind of nation. However, they have never given up their desire to essentially rule the world. Call it what you will but they are indeed interested in projecting their power.

3 - It's time. You may recall that I have mentioned over time that I have studied Biblical prophecies on and off for some 30 years. I believe that Rev. 9:16, which says, "And the number of the army of the horsemen [were] two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them." refers to the CHinese which interestingly enough today boasts of their ability to field a standing army of 200 million. Coincidence? Nope, not when you start running the statistics on this and other like passages.

You are correct - the US plane was in international waters. You are also quite correct that the Chinese have violated a few treaties by entering the plane. It is considered sovereign US territory. Additionally, it is said that the plane had to have permission to land. I believe that most likely the pilot, who allegedly had a reputation for flying very closely to other planes, more than likely was underneath the US plane and got pulled into it as a result of some aerodynamic physics.

Bush will not be over a barrel if he uses his head rather than his emotions. Those folks who flew that plane knew full well what the risks were. Henry Kissenger has a position that folks like this simply do not exist anymore in situations like this. I tend to agree - though I think we should do everything in our power to get them back.

I also think Mr. Bush should start playing the 'victim' card and turn the tables on the CHinese. Look, the longer those folks are there and the more belligerant the Chiese act the worse it will be for them - not that this will stop them.

This is not much more than the results of eight years of the Clinton administration essentially giving them our military secrets. Perhaps Mr. Clinton can ask that Chinese Lt. General who donated that dough or Maria Hsia to call some of her PLA buddies and straighten this all out. Gottaget something for all that cash... <g>


>Can someone explain this to me?
>
>US reconnaisance aircraft in international airspace. Gets harrassed by Chinese fighters. Someone swerves and -- boom -- damaged US aircraft and missing Chinese plane, pilot feared dead.
>
>AFAIK, the American plane was not doing anything in violation of international law. Second, IMHO, if the Chinese had not harrassed the plane in the first place, no collision would have occurred.
>
>So the damaged aircraft requests an emergency landing at the Chinese airfield. Again, this is OK by treaties. When it lands, the crew is forced off the plane by the Chinese military. By treaties this is *Not* OK. Satellite data indicates that the Chinese board and remove stuff from the plane. Again, according to treaty, NOT OK.
>
>Now they hold American personnel hostage, contravening international law in almost all facets. And they demand an apology.
>
>I see it this way: The Chinese have Bush over a barrel, the same barrel that Iran had Carter over with the embassy hostages. China should have ended this within 24 hours by releasing the crew and plane. That would have put the US in a defensive opinion-based position; now the Chinese are in a defensive position by violating international agreements.
>
>So this may well go on and on...
>
>So what to do? IMHO.....
>
>1) Revoke partner trade status. Yeah, right, with Bush president.
>2) Sell as much military hardware to Taiwan as they can pay for, and then give them loans.
>3) After a few months, threaten. Threaten BIG.
>4) Financially support all opposition groups in China, including the Falun Guag (sp?).
>
>Basically, bring them to their knees.