Spy ballons.

[-gg-]

Looks like we did shoot it down

https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/suspected-chinese-balloon-over-us-02-04-23/index.html

video here

https://twitter.com/SamGuichelaar/status/1621956931609845760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1621956931609845760%7Ctwgr%5E6d5ee0a5e89b09360849ddfde02f3329d6441717%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.godlikeproductions.com%2Fforum1%2Fmessage5352578%2Fpg1

[-gg-]

and the military is moving to recover the debris.

https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-china-antony-blinken-51e49202f2a0a50541cde059934c4cfb

[-gg-]

one observation.

To me it looks like they hit the balloon itself, and that there would be no "large" debris field. I'm thinking the "400 mile debris field" excuse was a lie.

[CptTrips]

Using balloons as spy platforms goes back to the early days of the Cold War. Since then, the US has used hundreds of them to monitor its adversaries, said Peter Layton, a fellow at the Griffith Asia Institute in Australia and former Royal Australian Air Force officer.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/04/politics/china-us-spying/index.html#:~:text=Using%20balloons%20as%20spy%20platforms,Royal%20Australian%20Air%20Force%20officer.


If it turn out to be a weapon system, then I will change my mind.

If it's just a surveillance balloon, I think the situation isn't worth the ord since we've done it hundreds of times with balloons and SR71 and U2.  You've certainly given them cover to shoot down a US recon plane that strays or is simply in airspace they "claim".  Like South China Sea or Strait of Taiwan.

Worse case is it was an intentional provocation and purposely filled with meteorological equipment.  They will have a publicity bonanza characterizing the US as an out of control war-mongering pariah shooting down unarmed weather balloons like gun-crazed madmen.


Shrug. 

 

   

[-gg-]

https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/04/politics/china-us-spying/index.html#:~:text=Using%20balloons%20as%20spy%20platforms,Royal%20Australian%20Air%20Force%20officer.


If it turn out to be a weapon system, then I will change my mind.

If it's just a surveillance balloon, I think the situation isn't worth the ord since we've done it hundreds of times with balloons and SR71 and U2.  You've certainly given them cover to shoot down a US recon plane that strays or is simply in airspace they "claim".  Like South China Sea or Strait of Taiwan.

Worse case is it was an intentional provocation and purposely filled with meteorological equipment.  They will have a publicity bonanza characterizing the US as an out of control war-mongering pariah shooting down unarmed weather balloons like gun-crazed madmen.


Shrug. 

 

 

Seems to be just the opposite effect.

also, how would you know it was a weapon system or not? Would you just allow them to continue floating balloons  over then? It looks like the people in charge acted to shoot it down, so I'm glad they didn't take your approach.

The Chinese are already making fun of the fact that the United States can't even defend against a balloon.

https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-china-antony-blinken-51e49202f2a0a50541cde059934c4cfb

Uncensored reactions on the Chinese internet mirrored the official government stance that the U.S. was hyping the situation. Some used it as a chance to poke fun at U.S. defenses, saying it couldn’t even defend against a balloon, and nationalist influencers leapt to use the news to mock the U.S.

[CptTrips]

The Chinese are already making fun of the fact that the United States can't even defend against a balloon.

Could that possibly goading the US into an over-reaction?

I hope it is recovered. I hope we'll find out if it is a weapons system.

Not all defeats are military.  Sometimes publicity is a weapon.  Cold Wars are mostly battles of winning hearts and minds.

If it was a weapon system, I will change my position. 

[-gg-]

I don't think that anyone believes protecting our airspace is an overreaction.

[RUSH1]

Older and wiser than you I suspect.

So again, you are admitting you have no evidence this balloon was armed, right?

I'm not sure why you have such a hard time admitting the obvious.  Ego?   How old are YOU?

So, old enough that you cannot comprehend my statements, yet young enough to resort to childish spin tactics. 

[CptTrips]

So, old enough that you cannot comprehend my statements, yet young enough to resort to childish spin tactics.

Annnnnnnnd you still haven't answered the original question.

Do you have evidence that this balloon carried weapons? 



You can try and squirm out of it, but you aren't fooling anyone.

[Dadtallica]

How refreshing to have some calm, steady leadership for something like this. Prez have the go ahead to shoot it down when it was safe. He didn’t need any all caps tweets all week long or outrageously nonsensical statements.

 

[RUSH1]

Annnnnnnnd you still haven't answered the original question.

Do you have evidence that this balloon carried weapons? 



You can squirm out of it, but you aren't fooling anyone.

I never said it did.  How many times do I have to tell you that.  I stated that your "open skies" approach might invite a weaponized craft disguised as a surveillance craft.  Let me copy this so I can paste it again for you later.

[RUSH1]

How refreshing to have some calm, steady leadership for something like this. Prez have the go ahead to shoot it down when it was safe. He didn’t need any all caps tweets all week long or outrageously nonsensical statements.

 

Is that the latest spin.  I haven't been watching? 

[CptTrips]

I never said it did.  How many times do I have to tell you that.  I stated that your "open skies" approach might invite a weaponized craft disguised as a surveillance craft.  Let me copy this so I can paste it again for you later.

Let me simplify it for you so you don't have to squirm so hard.

No, you don't have any evidence there were weapons on board that balloon.

You tried every other way to phrase it than that.

[Dadtallica]

Is that the latest spin.  I haven't been watching?

If by spin you mean reality then sure.

[AKIron]

Probably carrying equipment capable of detecting missile silos and their contents. No doubt transmissions relayed back to China in real time.