So that "Spy balloon" was shot down

[User 180565 is taking donation]

Given America has every right to shoot down foreign objects in airspace I believe we freaked out over this way too much. I guess people only believe what they see but it's not like their are other methods other countries use to spy on each other. 😔

www.nytimes.com/live/2023/02/04/us/china-spy-balloon

[wildmaven]

Feb 4, 2023 15:32:32 GMT -8 User 180565 is taking donation said:

Given America has every right to shoot down foreign objects in airspace I believe we freaked out over this way too much. I guess people only believe what they see but it's not like their are other methods other countries use to spy on each other. 😔

www.nytimes.com/live/2023/02/04/us/china-spy-balloon

Satellites sweep over a country, but a maneuverable balloon such as this one can hover for longer periods of time over a particular area, which they probably already did. I'm glad they shot it down, and should've done so sooner. Most of our missile sites are in the Montana and South Dakota areas, where it was floating around. Plus, it was originally seen over Alaska, home of military bases that would be first responders to any Russian aggression, something a Communist country would love to get more info on. At 60,000 feet, they can obtain a lot of very secret information.

[User 180565 is taking donation]

Feb 4, 2023 15:47:59 GMT -8 wildmaven said:

Feb 4, 2023 15:32:32 GMT -8 User 180565 is taking donation said:

Given America has every right to shoot down foreign objects in airspace I believe we freaked out over this way too much. I guess people only believe what they see but it's not like their are other methods other countries use to spy on each other. 😔

www.nytimes.com/live/2023/02/04/us/china-spy-balloon

Satellites sweep over a country, but a maneuverable balloon such as this one can hover for longer periods of time over a particular area, which they probably already did. I'm glad they shot it down, and should've done so sooner. Most of our missile sites are in the Montana and South Dakota areas, where it was floating around. Plus, it was originally seen over Alaska, home of military bases that would be first responders to any Russian aggression, something a Communist country would love to get more info on. At 60,000 feet, they can obtain a lot of very secret information.

The reasoning they didn't do it sooner was because of the damages it could've inflicted on cavilian roads. They wanted to wait until it was in US ocean territorial bounds. They said it was the length of 3 school buses. Still feel as if their was over reaction though. Hopefully it just rests at that and no need for a war with China over it.

[Inkjet]

Feb 4, 2023 16:36:14 GMT -8 User 180565 is taking donation said:

Feb 4, 2023 15:47:59 GMT -8 wildmaven said:

Satellites sweep over a country, but a maneuverable balloon such as this one can hover for longer periods of time over a particular area, which they probably already did. I'm glad they shot it down, and should've done so sooner. Most of our missile sites are in the Montana and South Dakota areas, where it was floating around. Plus, it was originally seen over Alaska, home of military bases that would be first responders to any Russian aggression, something a Communist country would love to get more info on. At 60,000 feet, they can obtain a lot of very secret information.

The reasoning they didn't do it sooner was because of the damages it could've inflicted on cavilian roads. They wanted to wait until it was in US ocean territorial bounds. They said it was the length of 3 school buses. Still feel as if their was over reaction though. Hopefully it just rests at that and no need for a war with China over it.

I’m literally speechless that you think a foreign country potentially spying on us and us shooting their technology down is an over reaction.

[User 180565 is taking donation]

Feb 4, 2023 17:06:13 GMT -8 Inkjet said:

Feb 4, 2023 16:36:14 GMT -8 User 180565 is taking donation said:

The reasoning they didn't do it sooner was because of the damages it could've inflicted on cavilian roads. They wanted to wait until it was in US ocean territorial bounds. They said it was the length of 3 school buses. Still feel as if their was over reaction though. Hopefully it just rests at that and no need for a war with China over it.

I’m literally speechless that you think a foreign country potentially spying on us and us shooting their technology down is an over reaction.

Other countries spying on us really isn't anything new we just don't have the public eye for it. Also I don't see where I said shooting it down was an over reaction? Just the fact that's what we're assuming it automatically is.

[Knightly Celt]

It was first tracked while still over the Bearing Sea but it was a political decision not to shoot it down at that time, according to some newscasts. So I ask the question, why didn't they do it then? The political ramifications would have been the same as they will be after it being shot down in the Atlantic I would think.

[User 180565 is taking donation]

Feb 4, 2023 18:26:18 GMT -8 Knightly Celt said:

It was first tracked while still over the Bearing Sea but it was a political decision not to shoot it down at that time, according to some newscasts. So I ask the question, why didn't they do it then? The political ramifications would have been the same as they will be after it being shot down in the Atlantic I would think.

Their definitely could be more going on it's all about the questions now. I'm the type to not over think these things knowing about all the other ways they have to track us. Could it be a threat yes? The question I'm plundering is how could they or want it to make a public appearance across travels if it was that huge of a threat, could it be a hey what are guys going to do type of pledge to other countries? I'm sure politicians had no idea what it was at the time or would've shot it down quicker if they actually saw it as a huge threat at the timr. It could just be a weather balloon that had malfunctions that's why I don't want to overreact about it. I'm just really hoping this doesn't cause any unneeded blood shed to happen across the states and China. I did think I read something about it being pretty fast and going over the Canadian grounds during it's travel?

[Patrick [ASE]]

The other thing to consider is other aircraft, although it was at 60,000 ft which is above most aircraft, a lot of resources were tracking it incase it came lower
Most weather balloons go up to a particular height and burst.
And yes, there are satellites that can do the spying, one in the news atm is Maxar when it flies over Ukraine

[📚 Dianne 📚]

Feb 4, 2023 18:26:18 GMT -8 Knightly Celt said:

It was first tracked while still over the Bearing Sea but it was a political decision not to shoot it down at that time, according to some newscasts. So I ask the question, why didn't they do it then? The political ramifications would have been the same as they will be after it being shot down in the Atlantic I would think.

And isn't that the actual question? I, too, would like to know why they didn't.  

[wildmaven]

There is also speculation that this is a dry run for an EMP delivery system, the technology of which is completely plausible. I'm not tin foil hatting here. The science is real.

[Linette]

I'm glad they shot it down and should have done it sooner.

[📚 Dianne 📚]

Feb 5, 2023 13:49:36 GMT -8 Linette said:

I'm glad they shot it down and should have done it sooner.

It should have been done while it was still near Alaska.

[Scott]

I would like to think we are 'smarter than the average bear' - and weren't just pointing to sky saying "oh look a pretty balloon." For all we know the military could have used the TikTok app to hack it. Seriously thou, could have been strategic reasons it was not shot down sooner, and any counterintelligence on our part should not be made public.

[Forever Sunshine]

It's certainly plausible that this could've been carrying any number of detrimental things such as virus, nuclear, etc. It should've been shot down over the Pacific before reaching land. Personally, I'd like to see them be able to "rope it in" so to speak and not destroy it but "lasso" it and drag it to the ground to investigate.

[User 180565 is taking donation]

Feb 6, 2023 10:42:15 GMT -8 Scott said:

I would like to think we are 'smarter than the average bear' - and weren't just pointing to sky saying "oh look a pretty balloon." For all we know the military could have used the TikTok app to hack it. Seriously thou, could have been strategic reasons it was not shot down sooner, and any counterintelligence on our part should not be made public.

Exactly why an over reaction could do more harm than good.