How Bush Had to Calm Hawks in Devising a Response to China ‘Within his party, and even his administration, many chafed at China’s obstinacy,
and even at the administration’s decision to use the words “very sorry” to
describe Washington’s reaction to an incident that the Pentagon painted as
entirely China’s fault.

Yet in his first serious foreign policy challenge, Mr. Bush quickly suppressed his
initial instincts — which had led him to step out of his office and demand the
immediate release of the crew and the plane, with barely a nod to China’s
sensitivities.

He quickly took a more conciliatory approach that required tamping down some
of his administration’s hawks and many uniformed commanders. He even kept
Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld, whose troops were being detained,
from having any public role.’ New York Times