"As a matter of fact, I guess I would commend them for the way they've handled the news of that sale to Taiwan ... I think they handled it in a professional and diplomatic way -- and we appreciate that."
China successfully pressured us into refusing to sell new F-16s to Taiwan. We dressed up the necessary but clearly consolation prize of updating their older F-16s as a superior deal. And when the Chinese are quiet over their partial victory over us, what do we say about that defeat?
Now we count it as a success that our foes don't rub our nose in their victories. Wonderful.
But hey, as long as we're taking the views of spies, let's get the final word on whether our Taiwan arms sale was a success:
Let's 86 the appreciation talk, shall we?
