SPY PLANE MAY HAVE TO COME BACK IN CRATE

Speaking of the U.S.-China spat over the spy plane:

It should have come as no surprise that China would pout if the United States resumed its reconnaissance flights along the Chinese coastline. Sure enough, the day after an Air Force RC-135 resumed the spy missions, the Chinese expressed their concerns.

The objections came in the form of safety concern about the damaged U.S. spy plane we want back. U.S. officials deemed the plane flight-worthy, but Chinese officials said the plane wasn't up to the rigors of such a flight. But China didn't rule out letting the United States crate it up for shipment home.

For now, U.S. officials are attempting to show some backbone without irritating the Chinese too much.

In the realm of diplomacy, every nuance is important. Which is why those black berets figure prominently in our relations with the Chinese.