The lead sentence in the online NYT story this morning:  Good morning. The recent shootdowns of flying objects show how quickly tensions between the U.S. and China can escalate.  I truly think that’s one of the stupidest sentences I’ve ever read.  No.  Correction:  I truly think that’s one of the stupidest thoughts any of us have been asked to consider.

Who in the world would think that tensions would not escalate quickly if one world power (or one’s neighbor, for that matter) began shooting down objects right overhead.  AND, as we read on, we find that There is still a lot we don’t know about the Chinese spy balloon and the three other objects the U.S. military shot out of the sky in recent days and further that we have yet to learn what those objects were or what they were for.

Really??  I find that entire scenario just a tad beyond surreal.  However, I’m not a statesman or a politician or even a rocket scientist.  Probably more like a sitting duck.