Icarus,
Hey, we Americans are glad you weren't born here too. It's obvious you are jealous of America and, as a result, openly hostile toward it. No need to defend yourself on this one - you will only embarrass yourself further... America's foreign policy is irrelevant - it is easy to hide behind anti-American views. Icarus takes the easy route and slams America versus debating the true issue - whether Wang Wei is culpable - and we know the answer to that - he is 100% responsible.
In any case, back to the main point of this ridiculous post. Wang Wei had a self-inflated ego and enjoyed "showing off." In one example, he waived a sign from the cockpit of his close-flying fighter showing his email address (is that either professional or diplomatic?). He was too reckless and too aggressive.
Smith - I know that fighter pilots tend to be aggressive, and interceptions are all about "intimidation," but flying within 3-5 feet of the P3's wing is a bit too close - it's dangerous and stupid. The P3 had already initiated a departure from the area and shouldn't have been perceived as a threat (it was leaving the area and was far beyond any Chinese boundaries). Why continue to "hotdog" like that? The P3 was on autopilot and was not aggressive - the collision was caused by Wang Wei. I don't care what Wang Wei's wingman had to say about it - he would be unlikely to implicate his wild wingman - it's better to glorify him from his standpoint so that he himself is not implicated. Is that too difficult to understand? Any rational people out there disagree?
I am finished commenting on this post. The pervasive irrationality is beginning to tire me. How blind and/or stupid can people be? The Chinese government continues to dispense misinformation about a lunatic pilot who endangered the lives of 24 Americans who were legally flying in international waters. Wang Wei's reckless history has been documented - there can be no argument over that (I have seen the videos - most Chinese people will never see them). People who can't understand this issue are either misinformed, stupid, or drug-induced. Bringing in ideas related to America's foreign policy just obscures the point - a reckless pilot caused the collision - that's the point. If you disagree, just consider what the result would have been had Wang Wei flown 15 feet off the wing versus 3-5 feet - nothing would have happened and we
would be welcoming China into the WTO - like brothers... We should thank Wang Wei for demonstrating his "cool" flying skills and derailing US-China foreign relations in the process. Increased trade between the two countries would benefit both sides significantly - Wang Wei has ended up hurting his own country's opportunity to accelerate economic improvement. Great job!
People are entitled to their own opinions. But, as Clint Eastwood used to say, "Opinions are like a$$holes, everybody's got one..."