Escalating Words Over Navy Plane

* Re “U.S. Meets With Detained Crew as Tensions Mount,” April 4: Why do I think the media are not helping the resolution by calling the EP-3 Orion a “spy plane”? Let’s use “reconnaissance” for now. Spying is a serious crime and the punishment can be severe. Sure, nations eavesdrop on each other. In a way it is a game. We got caught this time. Is it shades of Gary Powers and the U-2 all over again? Let’s not be naive. I hope President Bush isn’t.

The Chinese are all over the EP-3’s equipment. I hope we would do the same thing if the situation were reversed. With sensitive equipment on board, why did they land on Chinese soil rather than ditch the airplane? Did the crew destroy the monitoring equipment before they landed? Fear not, we’ll get the crew and airplane back. The question is what is it going to cost us.

LEWIS AARONSON

Culver City

*

* My genuine thanks to you for publishing “If Tables Were Turned, We’d Do the Same” (Commentary, April 4). “What if a supersecret Chinese plane unexpectedly landed on Okinawa or Guam or Hawaii?” (the highlighted quote) was an accurate synopsis of this thoughtful, well-informed article written by Dale Brown, a former captain in the U.S. Air Force.

Our mutual military organizations should be the only primary investigators of this incident. There is more than enough “real, daily” drama in our lives, without creating the old “Remember the Maine” media-driven outrage.

MICHAEL D. MC LEAN

Hsin-Chu, Taiwan

*

* It is outrageous how the Chinese government has behaved since the spy plane incident occurred. I hope politicians across the country will now see fit to withdraw most-favored-nation trade status from China, because it doesn’t deserve it!

TOMMY CHENG

Cypress

*

* Reports say the Chinese have gone through our downed spy plane and picked it clean of top secret technology and information. Things were so much simpler during the Clinton-Gore years; when the Chinese wanted U.S. secrets then, they could just write a check.

DENNIS SNEE

Wood Ranch, Calif.