China still holds an American airplane, but a divided Bush administration seems hesitant to send Beijing a message by selling Taiwan four destroyers equipped with the Aegis combat system, the U.S. Navy's most sophisticated radar. Let's acknowledge harsh facts. Beijing's dictators were willing to shoot students a decade ago.
Reports indicate that they have ordered the shooting of protesting villagers in recent weeks.
That's certainly not something I want. But we need 20-20 vision now if we are to forestall that scenario in the year 2020. Some folks there believe that war is an unnatural act, one preventable by astute diplomacy. The faithful there possess great faith in human goodness. They believe that leaders across the world naturally want to avoid war, but are forced into it through mistrust or institutional problems.