The top U.S. military commander in the Pacific said he’s “perplexed and concerned” by China’s last-minute decision to deny a U.S. aircraft carrier entry to Hong Kong for a previously scheduled port visit.
The USS Kitty Hawk and its escort ships were due to dock there for a four-day visit Wednesday until they were refused access. Hundreds of family members had flown to Hong Kong to spend Thanksgiving with their sailors.
“It’s hard to put any kind of positive spin on this,” Adm. Timothy Keating told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Thursday while flying back to the U.S. after visiting troops in Iraq. “I’m perplexed and concerned.”
With families ashore, too – for Thanksgiving!
Looks like the world’s hosts for the 2008 Olympics still have a thing or two to learn about hospitality. And I’ll bet the corporate suits from Joe Bananas are perplexed and concerned too, what with all of that product brought in and no thirsty throats to help ‘em guzzle it.
China later reversed its decision and said the ships could enter on humanitarian grounds, but the notice came while the vessels were already on their way back to their home ports. The vessels chose not to turn around.
Sorry, Lucy – ain’t going to try to kick that football twice. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice…
Petty-bureaucratic, small-chub, commie prix.
And we’re suprised at the Chinese lying and playing games because?
Supposedly the Chines said that we were late getting the request in. That I very much doubt since this has been on the C7F schedule for months and those things go out like clockwork.
What is really sad is that this would have been the last time Kitty Hawk was to visit Hong Kong……..
Guardian and Patriot had already been there when I was there 2 weeks ago.
I’m with Bomber Guy. This surprises whom? Having said that, my heart goes out to those poor sailors and the families that went all the way to HK to be with them.
Most of the spouses I know here would have been sad……..for a while.
And then they would have said, “Screw it! I’m here now, I am damned well going to have a good time. Which way to the MTR?”
Having had a number of HK visits (including a post-war-cruise reunion), when I read this my heart really went out to both the sailors and their families ashore – it sucks on a number of levels.
But I agree with Skippy – bet there was some serious shopping going on…