In November, 700 Intercontinental Weapons Were Launched Against the USA?

Hey, didn't China return our EP-3 pretty much that same way?

 

yes, exactly

 

one commenter to the ny times thought that china made this one as obvious as possible because the others weren't getting any reaction

 

looks like we were able to intercept some data flow as the balloon crossed the country:

Spy balloon part of a broader Chinese military surveillance operation, US intel sources say

 

Why?

 

Yes, of course they do.

 

Or the US made a fuss about this one and not the others, because making a fuss served a purpose this time.

 

Worst remake of Up! ever.

 

In Scotland, the speculation is that this was not a balloon, but just the continued trajectory of Harry Kane's penalty miss against France in the World Cup.



As a Scotland fan, this was possibly my favourite moment of the whole World Cup.

 

because if they hadn't flown over, we wouldn't be going through all this

 

OK. So all countries should shoot down all surveillance craft that go into their airspace, and then bill the country that owns the surveillance craft for the shooting down and the "recovery"?

Assuming that this is actually enforced and that all payments are made, how do you think the balance of payments there would work out for the US?

 

i didn't say they should shoot them down

 

Riiiight. So they should bill them for what, exactly? There'd have been no costs incurred by the US if they hadn't shot it down.

 

This NORAD Commander admits it:

Gen. Glen VanHerck, Commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command, Holds an Off-Camera, On-The-Record Briefing on the High-Altitude Surveillance Balloon Recovery Efforts > U.S. Department of Defense > Transcript

"Q: Thank you. And on the prior balloons, was NORTHCOM involved in tracking the balloon that was at the early stage of the Biden Administration and also the three that transited during the Trump Administration, and what can you tell us about those that were different? ...

GEN. VANHERCK: So those balloons, so every day as a NORAD commander it's my responsible to -- responsibility to detect threats to North America. I will tell you that we did not detect those threats. And that's a domain awareness gap that we have to figure out. But I don't want to go in further detail.

The intel community, after the fact, I believe has been briefed already, assess those threats to additional means of collection from additional means and made us aware of those balloons that were previously approaching North America or transited North America. I hope that answers your question. "


So did some "senior defense official" reported on by a reporter posting to "An official website of the United States Government":

F-22 Safely Shoots Down Chinese Spy Balloon Off South Carolina Coast > U.S. Department of Defense > Defense Department News

"The official said Chinese balloons briefly transited the continental United States at least three times during the prior administration."

 

There's a well-written article about the whole s---tshow in the Guardian today. The spy balloon saga says far more about Biden’s political weakness than China’s strength | Yu Jie | The Guardian

 

Made in China.

Bob Wilson

 

Bill them for the recovery, since they did shoot them down

 

'ccording to this article, a pilot of a US U-2 (which can operate to 70,000 feet, Wikipedia tells me, so would even be able to view the balloon from above),

"... took a selfie in the cockpit that shows both the pilot and the surveillance balloon itself, these officials said – an image that has already gained legendary status in both NORAD and the Pentagon."

I've yet to find that image online, but if it's classified, I kinda hope it gets downgraded or leaked ....

Chinese balloon timeline: Initial classified report wasn't flagged as urgent, drawing criticism | CNN Politics

 

what is intelligence for 500 - please Alex