Some straight talk about the China situation is the subject of this evening's Talking Points memo.

The United States had to bend a little, perhaps more than we should have, but it was necessary to get the 21 men and three women home and I congratulate the Bush administration for doing an effective job in extremely difficult circumstances.

By saying America was very sorry - twice - the U.S. gave China enough propaganda room for the incident to be closed. China can now tell its people that it humbled the United States.

But no matter what happened, China would have said that and since there is no free press the Chinese people were only going to get one story anyway. So the letter from President Bush really doesn't matter, in the big picture.

What does matter is that China has once again proved itself to be an enemy of America. The only reason the Chinese engage us at all is that they need our money. Trade between China and the U.S. runs seven to one in their favor. For every dollar we make over there, they make seven over here.

The Chinese leadership is smart enough to know that Americans were getting teed-off about the situation and boycotting Chinese products was in the air. They wanted to blunt that and so they settled happy with their propaganda victory.

But consider this, it is very possible that the American plane with 24 on board could have crashed after the collision. What would we have done if our service people had been killed instead of captured?

The Factor has reported that the Chinese have been buzzing our planes over international waters for months and both the Clinton and Bush administrations kept it quiet.

So what if 24 dead bodies were returning to Hawaii instead of two dozen very relieved service people?

Americans need to realize that there is a ferocious enemy on the other side of the Pacific an enemy that is capable of attacking us. We have nothing in common with Communist China except business. China is a police state that despises personal freedom of any kind and it is controlled by military people who will kill to achieve domination. Just ask the Tibetans.

So, there is a dangerous dragon on our flank and the Bush administration has to prepare for a confrontation even if one does not arise. The Chinese understand power and money. We've shown them the latter, now we have to demonstrate, in subtle ways, the former.

And that's the memo.

Most Ridiculous Item of the Day

The rapper Eminem has been sentenced to two years probation by a Michigan judge for carrying a concealed gun.

Marshall Mathers - no relation to Jerry - has been ordered to avoid excessive drinking, to undergo drug testing and to get counseling.

This because police arrested Mathers for pistol-whipping another man outside a nightclub.

Of course this whole rap genre is ridiculous. But I would pay good money to see Puff Daddy and Eminem pistol whip each other. Perhaps Snoop Dog could referee.

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