So why don’t we shoot this f***er down?

[Tikiman]

Originally Posted by ptindall

This is fascinating. I agree with those saying there is nothing a balloon can really do as far as spying. So what is the point? I suspect it was not shot down over the US on the possibility it contained anthrax or some shit. Seems that's the only real threat it could possibly pose. So the Chinese motivation is mysterious, which makes this episode fascinating. Maybe it's true purpose was the record US air defense reaction times, radar wavelength, etc.

It was interesting to me that the report is it was shot down by an AIM-9X from an F-22. I wouldn't have used an F-22 on the chance it was recording F-22 radar signature at various ranges, wavelengths, and angles. I would have used an F-15 or F-16. AIM-9X is interesting as well. The only heat signature would be the ballon surface heated by the sun. A huge, but not a very hot target. Seems like it would be a far easier target for an AMRAAM, but the AIM-9X obviously did the job. I just hope all the debris is recovered instead of sunk and lost.

Supposed to only be in 70 feet of water, but I have to wonder just how well Navy divers can dive wearing leather dog masks.

[Aerovette]

If Whoopi can add another 5 or 10 lbs, she could be the next Victoria's Secret model.

[Mike Mercury]

I notice this a lot on national news:

China publicly stated that the balloon was a “civilian airship used for research, mainly meteorological, purposes”

China is a communist nation; there is nothing "civilian" owned. Do they think we don't know this

Originally Posted by JRD77VET

We are being fed a big line of bullshit on this.

and CNN & MSNBC are right there providing cover for that political party.

[Big bob]

It sole purpose was to collect information it worked as intended. It proved our chain of command is totally incompetent. Should have popped it over the Aleutian islands. But our bent over leaders just let it go untill some goat roper spots it in Montana. Oh can't shoot it down to dangerous might hit someone. Has he ever been to Montana? We are now being overrun from the ground and the air with the most low teach resources while protecting others more than ourselves.

[sublime1996525]

Originally Posted by Tikiman

Supposed to only be in 70 feet of water, but I have to wonder just how well Navy divers can dive wearing leather dog masks.

Fortunately that was an Army officer. Navy divers are pretty awesome, still.

[Bill]

[Big bob]

Originally Posted by Big bob

Did they win the big teddy bear?

Originally Posted by bill_daniels

Who could have seen that coming? Who says they don't have a sense of humor.

[JRD77VET]

The Biden administration is totally and completely inept. The second it was discovered it should have been shot down.

[JRD77VET]

They just intercepted a picture

[Bill]

[MadInNc]

Latest balloons meme’s found

[Aerovette]

Does Canada have the same "Let them spy while we look the other way" agreement with China, or did Canada just provide safe passage to the US?

[Jughead]

Originally Posted by Wathen1955

Biden just proved he and Hunter have backdoor dealings with China. They make a big announcement that they popped the balloon over the Atlantic Ocean where it won’t fall on someone’s house, as if we are supposed to believe he did this to show us he cares about our security and safety.

Doesn’t he and his joke of an administration realize that most educated Americans and children know that the balloon doesn’t record data, it sends it, real time, to a satellite that relays it back to China. Rather than down it as soon as it entered US air space Biden let it fly across the entire US, with China guiding it along the way over our air bases, ICBM silos and other national security installations.

China has everything they wanted from this balloons flight across the US. I’m sure Biden and Jinping worked out a secret deal so Biden would let Jinping fly it across the US and Jinping would let Biden shoot it down. China gets their data and the Biden’s keep their personal financial dealing with China.

10% to the big guy.

[Torqaholic]

[MadInNc]

Another sighting of a new Balloon!!!!!!

[Bill]

Originally Posted by aerovette

Does Canada have the same "Let them spy while we look the other way" agreement with China, or did Canada just provide safe passage to the US?

Balloons were spotted in Canada a while back, and nothing was done about them then, which certainly must have emboldened the Chinese:

[JRD77VET]

Was the balloon story just a distraction?

It seems at the exact same time, FTX ( the bankrupt crypto company) send out letters to both Democrats and Republicans requesting they return donations paid out.

list
https://unusualwhales.com/politics/article/senate_ftx

[Frankie the Fink]

The real sham is the administration and media making this "no big deal" because it happened multiple times under Trump, and yet, none of the leaders from that period know anything about it, not the Director of NORAD, not the DNI (Director of National Intelligence) nor does anybody recall even discussions of such incidents.

And yet, the lie is still promulgated; if you don't think the press is in this adminsitration's hip pocket - think again,

[MadInNc]

Guess what. Horrywood is making a movie

[Bill]

Originally Posted by aerovette

If Whoopi can add another 5 or 10 lbs, she could be the next Stacy Abrams.

Fixed.