Do you think the Chinese actually sent a spy balloon to the US or is it just an over reaction from our Government?

[Texaskid1]

We spy on you round eye!!!

It was a spy balloon

Over reaction

[AviatorTom]

Here's what "Morning Brew" news says about the balloon...

Nearly a decade into its combat service in the US military, the F-22 Raptor fighter jet finally completed its first air-to-air strike. It took out a balloon.

As excited onlookers watched from Myrtle Beach, the jet climbed to 58,000 feet and downed a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon over the Atlantic Ocean on Saturday. The balloon’s debris was scattered across seven miles of the sea—but the geopolitical fallout from its doomed voyage is much wider.

Here’s what you need to know about balloongate.

Why wait to shoot it down? The US knew that the balloon had entered its air defense zone on Jan. 28, well before it floated across North America. President Biden wanted to shoot the balloon down last Wednesday, when it was hovering above Montana, but military leaders recommended waiting until no Americans were in harm’s way when its remnants came crashing down.

Biden was attacked by Republicans, who wanted him to destroy the balloon much earlier and called it a “projection of weakness” to allow a Chinese surveillance tool to enjoy unfettered access to our amber waves of grain. But the Pentagon actually thinks the balloon played into the Americans’ hands—they were able to study the balloon as it floated, and an analysis of the debris will teach them even more about Chinese espionage tactics.

What is China’s response? The foreign ministry called the balloon pop a “clear overreaction” and suggested it could retaliate. China never admitted the balloon was intended for spying—claiming instead it was a meteorology research airship that got blown off its course. The US isn’t buying that.

Were there other Chinese spy balloons? Yes, and pretty recently, too. Chinese surveillance balloons entered US airspace at least three times during the Trump administration and once previously while Biden was president, a senior defense official said. And there’s also one currently floating above Latin America, the Pentagon revealed on Saturday.

What happens next? The balloon drama will only deepen the distrust between rivals US and China—it already led Secretary of State Antony Blinken to call off his planned meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. But China’s relatively muted response to the balloon downing suggests it may let the hot air blow over... just like the US did.

[Inbox]

As someone who has been studying this new Cold War over past few years, I can tell you a lot of opinions posted are not accurate: 1) this isn’t the first time a Chinese balloon entered US airspace, 2) the US reacted militaristically because the US public found out about it (citizens in Montana could see it from the ground level and once it became public, politicians had to go react to not look weak), 3) the size of these balloons are massive (3 Greyhounds combined) and the debris field extended well over 11 miles after it was shot down over the Atlantic.

Lastly, if you study CCP behavior, you will understand that it overreacts to ANYTHING or ANYONE that criticizes or interferes with the “do what we say or else be prepared to be trolled LOL.”

These balloons are all type of Grey zone type of warfare tactics - testing the situation to get an idea of how an enemy will react in certain situations. The CCP have employed this approach with India, Taiwan, Philippines, Japan, Vietnam, Australia, etc in an effort to stay a few steps ahead.

So yes, they’re the ones who overreacted LOL - if we sent a balloon over China, you think they wouldn’t shoot it down?

[Gummy_Cluster]

All I know is, the government doesn't reveal to us what's happening. Remember when the Covid virus was discovered in America? All of the government-sponsored left-wing media knew for a fact that it came from a wet market next door to the Covid lab that we were sending money to. And people believed it.

When my dad told me people are getting dumber by the day, I wasn't sure what he meant.

[DaisyM23]

i think it was probably a spy balloon sure but i don't understand why they would do it? i don't know where it landed exactly but surely in this day and age of technology and hacking etc you can spy on someone pretty easily without sticking a balloon in the sky?

[libsaretards]

Most likely a spy balloon. The Chinese government's reaction is too strong for it to be a mere "civilian weather balloon". No people were on board so it is not like anyone was killed.

If it was just a mere weather balloon blown off course, the Chinese government would have told the U. S. in advance to avoid any miscommunication. That is what most rational governments would do.

Also, as advanced as Chinese tech is, they could easily have given a "weather balloon" steering capabilities. Also, if you track the path of the balloon, it went over major military training areas. No way that is just a coincidence.

[lucasnabizada]

That question makes no sense- Asking if it's a spy balloon OR if the government over reacted... If it wasn't a spy balloon why would the government over-react?

If anything sleepy Joe should have reacted quicker not lost it go all the way up the coastline. It's not over reaction to not want to get spied on in our own country.

Just imagine the US doing the same thing over China and what those hypocrites would be throwing a tantrum that is FAR worse than the supposed "over-reaction" that they claim we are having.

[RolandCuthbert]

I am sure nations spy on each other all the time. I am sure they catch each other. They imprison each other's spies. They do prisoner exchanges for spies, etc.

It is just that for some reason, it was made public and then turned into an American political debate.

That is just stupid and dangerous.

Keep American intelligence operations out of politics.

[exitseven]

It was a spy balloon and everyone knows it. A civilian was the first to notice it. If nobody outside of government noticed it you can bet that Biden would not have said a peep about it. He let the balloon do what the Chinese wanted then shot it down over the ocean after the damage had been done so people would not think that he is on China;s payroll. He does not fool anyone.

[TrueConfection]

I disagree with your last sentence. 👀

[exitseven]

@TrueConfection yes he has fooled half the country

[TrueConfection]

Sadly

[Guy13]

No matter what anyone says. Citizenry and Bill of Rights of USA has been under attack. Two things will survive as the work in covert. They being Business and Government.
My portfolio mirrors Congress “people” so I’m not worried. Defense Contracting is soon to “BALLOON”. 🎈
💵 💵💵💵💵. 💰

[D_Bone_Steak]

It's already been confirmed it was a spy balloon. Some 4 star admiral was putting Biden on blast for trying to play it off as a non-threat and not shooting it down before it even entered our air space. Notice how it flew directly over all the areas we are known to keep nukes... I wonder what they're looking for?

Now on the other hand, letting them see it could have been a strategic move to scare them... but I doubt it... Biden is a fucking pussy.

[D_Bone_Steak]

https://youtu.be/mUOnxhCEEI8

[jshm2]

The Canadians didn't react to it, so it obviously isn't a threat. It's more likely the US overreacting more than anything.

The USA is 200% invested in Russia and Ukraine. China needs only fart on the USA to topple it over right now. So it's right the CIA and NSA are shit scared.

[Miristheiss]

I don't even have to think it was as spy balloon.

It is entering United States airspace. It isn't a craft that has been granted permission to enter our airspace. You shoot it down. This is just basic common sense.

I'm shocked they let it float across a couple of states. It should have been intercepted and shot down before it reached the coast.

I'm shocked again that ANYONE considers shooting down things coming into our airspace controversial.

[Keishio]

I think they were hesitant to shoot it down over populated areas because there'd be no guarentee where it'd land

[Inbox]

@Keishio that’s exactly what it was - this balloon is the size of 3 Greyhound buses and the debris field after being shot down extended over 11 miles!

[genericname85]

i think it was just a media spectacle made by US propaganda to slowly ease people into accepting an upcoming war with china. i think it is very unreasonable to assume that a technologically advanced nation like china would use low level crap like balloons.

[Inbox]

No because it was used during the first Cold War and older technology isn’t always anticipated. The height of the balloon was well beyond most aircraft capability to be shot down. Also, this isn’t the first time Chinese balloons have cross our airspace - the reason why the Biden administration acted was because it could be seen by US citizens on the ground in the state of Montana.

[genericname85]

you don't think a few years have gone by since the cold war? you don't think the chinese have access to sophisticated satelite surveillance technology? why would they need a balloon?

[Inbox]

Having access to the newest tech doesn't guarantee victory - the US learned this from the Vietnam war. The first Cold War ended in 1991, but you seem to be relying solely on looking at the external, then judging the internal. In other words, it doesn't seem you know Chinese culture of CCP behavior.

Chinese culture is all about indirection (I just finished a 64 page paper about this for my law school regarding the Sarbanes Oxley Act). In other words, it's much easier to deny that it was a weather balloon by using older tech because who could possibly believe that someone would use a balloon as in your POV? It's a fair assumption to make, but you don't think that sending something over another country's airspace won't be questioned by that nation?

In other words, they knew that by sending "weather balloons" over the US, it would evoke some kind of response either publicly or behind close doors. More specifically, these balloons are all type of Grey zone type of warfare tactics - testing the situation to get an idea of how an enemy will react in certain situations. The CCP have employed this approach with India, Taiwan, Philippines, Japan, Vietnam, Australia, etc in an effort to stay a few steps ahead.

You can't test an enemies reaction through satellites bud.

[genericname85]

@Inbox schools and universities are part of the indoctrination and propaganda machinery. just saying inc ase you're unaware.

[Inbox]

Well my law school never brought up China not once nor any political debates since I have been at the school since 2018 (they're actually trying to avoid fights or reputational damage). When it comes to universities in undergraduate, they're actually more likely to be dominated by Liberal ideology.

Also, for my paper and my own sources, most of them aren't from US sources. (see below) L

www.youtube.com/watch

- This is but one of many , but this is from a Indian and Filipino source :)

Lastly, I am well aware that in war time, both sides are capable of distributing propaganda as it was during the first Cold War, however, considering how most of the major US media companies are split: 1) Left (CNN, Washington Post, NY Times, etc) vs 2) Right (Fox, Hill, NY Post, etc), I have to disagree with your claim of US propaganda because your claim would seem to imply that it is all being controlled by the US government when in reality that there is no unified source.

Moreover, US government data from their websites are vastly different in approach compared to the news media outlets and the fact that my sources around 4 different continents point in the same direction as my analysis does, it is highly unlikely that the US is at least in 2023, not spewing out propaganda.

Lastly, I come from the position that did not want to believe that the CCP is the monster most of the world makes them out to be because I LOVE Chinese food and culture and I do not want any conflict or war, so I decided to do my own research and unfortunately, US "propaganda" has so far been accurate.

[Inbox]

*spewing out propaganda.

[captain_voidwalker]

It was a reaction test. Did China expect to gather any data that a satellite couldn't gather, no they didn't save on one thing. They got to see how we would react to them violating our airspace. And by howdy they must be laughing thier asses off because we did nothing until it passed over basically the entire United States.

I I was living in Taiwan I'd be real nervous about the next few months.

[TallAnon]

Yes, but calling it a spy balloon sounds a bit reductive.
It's definitely a high detail terrain recorder, it was a means to measure the U. S. defense against drones, their response time and to see what they could get away with.

It being civilian or not does not matter in China, the government decides what happens in the company, they can easily replace a the CEO, for example. They have done so in multiple instances in recent years for high profile companies.

[Pudsmucker]

Why would it be a weather balloon they have no need to see what the weather is like here in the United States. The balloon stalled over the United States in the central part. There are several military installations throughout the Midwest. Chinese really got upset when their super balloon was destroyed. I'm totally surprised either the Canadians or the United States didn't destroy the balloon before it entered into our airspace.

[monorprise]

You really don't know what it is until you shoot it down and look at it.

Regardless we control air space of sensitive areas denying all air traffic because we don't know what any given aircraft could be caring.

[Jessica405]

I have no doubt it was a spy balloon. I believe the proof will come when the wreckage is examined. I have no doubt that the one over Latin America is also a spy balloon.

China knows that they can get away with it.

[Sixgunsound]

With the weakness abd questionable loyalties of the current resident, I would believe that he was humiliated by China flying a spy balloon over his territory and the weak sauce impotence he responded with.

[ohioman56]

The Chinese are doing what the ussr did during the cold war, the cccp is challenging the president how far they can go, think about it, he could shot it out of the sky before it got to Alaska, but he allowed it to fly across Canada and the USA, for 7 days, so if they were getting intelligence info they got it, he say he did not want to hurt anyone. It shows the world how weak we are.

[andreasderjuengere]

When it's 'made in China' , then it won't last long, and functions in an unreliable way.

Why worry?

[purplepoppy]

It's not a spy balloon it's a reaction balloon. What they were watching is how you reacted.

[NewsReader]

We won't know until China does something else. The more they do, the clearer their intentions will become.

[InsecureLivesMatter]

I don't watch the news and I block everything that is news or political related especially on YouTube and TikTok. Period. and I'm much happier without it. To answer your Q though, it was an overreaction