Zone1 Consequences of Chinese Balloon Shoot Down

[Winston]

The overflights was clearly not accidental.

But the Communist Chinese aren’t playing chess or even Chinese checkers. They are simply using relatively inexpensive methods to continue their endless spying on us.

In practical reality, a U.S. satellite orbiting above the earth’s atmosphere in a geosynchronous orbit over a part of China is engaged in spying on them every bit as much as the Chinese lower tech balloon method. But actually putting an object in our airspace is obviously a lot more immediately threatening.

Our mistake (President Potato’s mistake, that is) was not shooting their balloon down before it made its overhead journey across the nation.

Let's just be real here. Had Biden shot it down immediately I am sure FOX news and others would have found something to complain about. Why did he shoot it down when we could have watched what it was doing? Now we will never know where it was headed. Could they not have just poked a hole in it and let it come down slowly so we could examine it intact.

 

[Dekster]

I believe it is possible that it wasn't a balloon sent specifically to spy on the US. It may have been spying on their own people and escaped; could have been used to guide their massive fishing fleet; could have been being used to look for underwater pockets of concentrated rare earths. Who knows.

As for consequences, who cares. If China escalates, then it is an admission it was a government balloon and it was a spy balloon--two things they are denying. If the US wants to escalate, they are gonna need to find all the itty bitty pieces AND be able to pull data off the remains that conclusively shows what they were snooping.

 

[BackAgain]

What can we think when unlike America there's no track record to say that China will invade. Do we discount China's track record of peaceful relations?
China has even acted with Kid gloves on the Tibet extremist element.

I recognize that a lot sounds stupid to Americans who have witnessed it's country starting 40 wars of aggression since the end of WW2.

Would America tolerate similar interference in Puerto Rico?

Yeah, those bombs on Vietnam civilians had love and pacifism written all over them.

If you're going to get angry and start with the same tactics as C.A. the pissant, then you will be cut off. Reconsider your choice of behaviour if you want to talk to me.

You’re a joke. Repeating that empty phrase “40 wars of aggression” only serves to stamp you as a cheap and transparent propagandist for the irrational progressives.

As for reconsidering my choice of behavior, go suck a dick. I talk to you pathetic retards as I please.

Taiwan is a discreet national entity; not a renegade part of Communist China. Xi should just leave them the hell alone. And you should give a try at minding your own business. Go take a double looney to Tim Hortons and gobble down a back bacon and greasy donut, eh? You stupid worthless arrogant Canuck Fuck.

 

[BackAgain]

Let's just be real here. Had Biden shot it down immediately I am sure FOX news and others would have found something to complain about.

Not likely. And I (apparently unlike you) don’t take marching orders from any alleged news service.

Why did he shoot it down when we could have watched what it was doing?

Maybe to prevent them from gathering the Intel they were seeking? Duuuurrrrrrr.

Now we will never know where it was headed.

Out to sea, you joke. Who cares? They’d already stolen our Intel by then.

Could they not have just poked a hole in it and let it come down slowly so we could examine it intact.

I don’t think those massive balloons work like your party balloons.

 

[Nobody911]

It seems to me US Deep State plays the win-lose game, but CCP plays the win-win. lol.

Which one does the world prefer then? I don't think most people like wars. Did you see Iraq? Or what about Ukraine now? Heaven or Hell?

I think equal partnership between countries is the best foreign policy. NO ONE CAN NOW DESTROY DEMOCRACY OR COMMUNISM.

If US Deep State keeps playing the zero-sum, just prepare yourself for the nuclear Armageddon!

Edit: Not sure if Washington wants to wag the dog. lol.

 

[Winston]

Not likely. And I (apparently unlike you) don’t take marching orders from any alleged news service.

Maybe to prevent them from gathering the Intel they were seeking? Duuuurrrrrrr.


Out to sea, you joke. Who cares? They’d already stolen our Intel by then.

I don’t think those massive balloons work like your party balloons.

You most certainly get your marching orders from right wing media sources. You don't have the intelligence to think for yourself. I mean seriously, what "intel" could they have gathered from a flippin ass balloon that they couldn't get from a satellite? Did you ever think about that? And second, what the fawk were they going to do with it? They going to hit us with a nuclear strike based on information from a flippin ass balloon?

I mean this shit is moronic. I have said it before, China's military is not as competent as Russia's, and they obviously suck ass. In a conventional war we would devastate them, they sure as hell aren't thinking about invading. And a nuclear war, well they would glow in the dark for the next two hundred damn years. If they thought they had half a damn chance they would have invaded Tawain years ago. They know they don't have a snowball's chance in hell.

 

[BackAgain]

You most certainly get your marching orders from right wing media sources.

Nope. Not certainly. Not at all. You’re just projecting because the liberal msm spoon feeds morons like you.

You don't have the intelligence to think for yourself.

Lol. You don’t have the brain power to make such an assessment. You apparently don’t realize how no their ally stupid you are.

I mean seriously, what "intel" could they have gathered from a flippin ass balloon that they couldn't get from a satellite?

What a stupid question. Lol.

Did you ever think about that?

Yes. And there are so many answers it would make your little pinhead spin. If you only had a brain.

And second, what the fawk were they going to do with it?

That depends on what specific info they gathered and what they view as their contingencies, you moron.

They going to hit us with a nuclear strike based on information from a flippin ass balloon?

You probably don’t comprehend that they can do more within tl than just target their missile strikes. Damn. I bet it must have hurt like hell when someone sucked your brains out with a straw through an ear.

I mean this shit is moronic.

You are moronic shit.

 

[jwoodie]

Is there no one on this board who can discuss this issue in an intelligent manner?

 

[otto105]

That was debunked quickly.

No, no it wasn't

 

[badbob85037]

Have any of you considered the likely consequences of the US shooting down the Chinese balloon? Here is a logical thought sequence:
1. Was it accidental that the balloon flew over the US? NO
2. If not, what was its purpose?
a. to spy on US military installations in plain sight? NO
b. to provoke a reaction from the US? YES
3. What US reactions would be beneficial to China?
a. Hysterical saber rattling showing the US to be a war mongering nation? YES
b. Providing China with a pretext for shooting down foreign objects over its claimed territory? YES
4. Which external territories are claimed by China? TAIWAN and South China Sea
5. Would shooting down foreign objects aid a Chinese invasion of these territories? YES
6. With the US so invested in the war in Ukraine, would it willing and able to stop a Chinese invasion? NO
7. Given these circumstances, will the Chinese invade these territories? YES
8. What would be the consequences of a successful Chinese invasion?
a. Loss of a truly democratic and faithful ally of the US? YES
b. Chinese domination of the world's computer chip manufacturing capability? YES
c. Loss of free shipping routes and US military influence in Eastern Asia? YES

Please comment and/or provide your own analysis. It seems that the Chinese are playing chess while the US is playing checkers.

Shooting that balloon

Let's just be real here. Had Biden shot it down immediately I am sure FOX news and others would have found something to complain about. Why did he shoot it down when we could have watched what it was doing? Now we will never know where it was headed. Could they not have just poked a hole in it and let it come down slowly so we could examine it intact.

Shooting that balloon down as it was leaving our air space was just adding insult to injurie. Allow that thing to be known as it crossed the entire United States and only shoot it down after it started to crossing the Atlantic where it was sunk to clear Joe of his treasonous actions. Stupid Americans, most already believe Trump had those balloons flying over every day. Bring back the draft to give the kids the basic learning of which end is up. Ignorance is one thing but stupid can not be cured.

 

[otto105]

Shooting that balloon

Shooting that balloon down as it was leaving our air space was just adding insult to injurie. Allow that thing to be known as it crossed the entire United States and only shoot it down after it started to crossing the Atlantic where it was sunk to clear Joe of his treasonous actions. Stupid Americans, most already believe Trump had those balloons flying over every day. Bring back the draft to give the kids the basic learning of which end is up. Ignorance is one thing but stupid can not be cured.

Wow, so all the Ghina satellite workers were off last week.

I bet that balloon stole some free Hulu...

 

[badbob85037]

Fwiw, we learned yesterday that there were 3 balloons from China during the Trump regime.

Now that is what I'm talking about! There was no 3 balloons. Who said that? Some Joe's White House dip shit, flack. Then the same old liars as Joe, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS come along and ad on to a total bogus out right lie to begin with. Watching you just suck that shit in then go back for seconds with a smile on your face. All the totally stupid, way to stupid to ever be ignorant key up to show their support for the most inept, treasonous, branch bait, idiot, shit pants, fool, showing everyone 'Yes, you are that much of a waste of good dirt.
'

 

[Donald H]

Now that is what I'm talking about! There was no 3 balloons. Who said that? Some Joe's White House dip shit, flack. Then the same old liars as Joe, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS come along and ad on to a total bogus out right lie to begin with. Watching you just suck that shit in then go back for seconds with a smile on your face. All the totally stupid, way to stupid to ever be ignorant key up to show their support for the most inept, treasonous, branch bait, idiot, shit pants, fool, showing everyone 'Yes, you are that much of a waste of good dirt.
'

Your rage has reached a point of being alarming.

 

[Pellinore]

Now that is what I'm talking about! There was no 3 balloons. Who said that? Some Joe's White House dip shit, flack. Then the same old liars as Joe, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS come along and ad on to a total bogus out right lie to begin with. Watching you just suck that shit in then go back for seconds with a smile on your face. All the totally stupid, way to stupid to ever be ignorant key up to show their support for the most inept, treasonous, branch bait, idiot, shit pants, fool, showing everyone 'Yes, you are that much of a waste of good dirt.
'

That would be the Commander of NORAD.

Four other balloons—three during Trump, and one during Biden—floated over, but the intelligence community didn't detect them at the time. They only pieced together their existence from later information. This one, though, was kind of hard to miss.

It's all there in the General's statement.

Gen. Glen VanHerck, Commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States

The commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command held and off-camera, on-the-record briefing on the Chinese surveillance balloon recovery effort.

www.defense.gov

 

[Pellinore]

Is there no one on this board who can discuss this issue in an intelligent manner?

I thought that, too. Things have a tendency to break down here fairly quickly into insult ping-pong.

Personally, I don't think the balloon itself was a big deal. If China deliberately set it on its way, it was either a bad attempt at provocation (since it doesn't qualify for the section of international law that would protect it as a peaceful piece of equipment) or a tremendously clumsy and cartoonishly short-sighted attempt at spying. Once we saw it up there, we did the right thing: Shooting it down over land would have endangered people and property on the ground, our military could limit what little it could collect, and we got the pieces.

What makes it notable is the reaction to it. The right wing is acting as if it was Red Dawn, screaming as loud as it can that it proves that Biden is in league with China (even though we have taken steady anti-China measures for two years), or that it shows the USA is weak (even though our standing in the world is strengthening). MTG showed up at the State of the Union with a white balloon, supposedly as a ... taunt? Joe Wilson (the "You Lie" guy, R-SC) has demanded that President Biden and VP Harris both resign because of it. Even people who don't like either of them have to admit, that is a bit much.

I think that is the part that will go down in history as being sad, and more than a little pathetic. That's not reasoned discourse or debate over issues. That's name-calling and diversion from what's important just to try and sling mud at your opponents, and it's not even very good at that.

 

[otto105]

Now that is what I'm talking about! There was no 3 balloons. Who said that? Some Joe's White House dip shit, flack. Then the same old liars as Joe, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS come along and ad on to a total bogus out right lie to begin with. Watching you just suck that shit in then go back for seconds with a smile on your face. All the totally stupid, way to stupid to ever be ignorant key up to show their support for the most inept, treasonous, branch bait, idiot, shit pants, fool, showing everyone 'Yes, you are that much of a waste of good dirt.
'

The military fuckup

 

[Dagosa]

Have any of you considered the likely consequences of the US shooting down the Chinese balloon? Here is a logical thought sequence:
1. Was it accidental that the balloon flew over the US? NO
2. If not, what was its purpose?
a. to spy on US military installations in plain sight? NO
b. to provoke a reaction from the US? YES
3. What US reactions would be beneficial to China?
a. Hysterical saber rattling showing the US to be a war mongering nation? YES
b. Providing China with a pretext for shooting down foreign objects over its claimed territory? YES
4. Which external territories are claimed by China? TAIWAN and South China Sea
5. Would shooting down foreign objects aid a Chinese invasion of these territories? YES
6. With the US so invested in the war in Ukraine, would it willing and able to stop a Chinese invasion? NO
7. Given these circumstances, will the Chinese invade these territories? YES
8. What would be the consequences of a successful Chinese invasion?
a. Loss of a truly democratic and faithful ally of the US? YES
b. Chinese domination of the world's computer chip manufacturing capability? YES
c. Loss of free shipping routes and US military influence in Eastern Asia? YES

Please comment and/or provide your own analysis. It seems that the Chinese are playing chess while the US is playing checkers.

Little to no problem. It did make a routine occurrence a little more spectacular and give the ufo fans a little pleasure.

 

[Dagosa]

The military fuckup

The military will get blamed for something regardless. That’s their job; taking responsibility.

 

[Pellinore]

Well, we have our answer ... it was a particularly stupid Chinese plot.

US says China balloon could collect intelligence signals

WASHINGTON (AP) — China’s balloon that crossed the United States was equipped to collect intelligence signals and was part of a huge, military-linked aerial spy program that targeted more than 40 countries, the Biden administration said Thursday, outlining the scope and capabilities of the huge...

apnews.com

China’s balloon that crossed the United States was equipped to collect intelligence signals and was part of a huge, military-linked aerial spy program that targeted more than 40 countries, the Biden administration said Thursday, outlining the scope and capabilities of the huge balloon that captivated the country’s attention before the U.S. shot it down.

A fleet of balloons operates under the direction of the People’s Liberation Army and is used specifically for spying, outfitted with high-tech equipment designed to collect sensitive information from targets across the globe, the U.S. said. Similar balloons have floated over five continents, according to the administration.

So throw it onto the pile of Chinese bear-poking, I suppose.

 

[jwoodie]

So throw it onto the pile of Chinese bear-poking, I suppose.

It is dangerous to believe that the Chinese are nothing more than bumbling idiots.