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

Question

AviatorTom · Accepted Answer

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 · Accepted Answer

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 · Accepted Answer

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.

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

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

DaisyM23 · Accepted Answer

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 · Answer

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 · Answer

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 · Answer

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 · Answer

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.

Guy13 · Answer

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 · Answer

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.

jshm2 · Answer

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 · Answer

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.

genericname85 · Answer

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.

Pudsmucker · Answer

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.

captain_voidwalker · Answer

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 · Answer

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.

Jessica405 · Answer

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 · Answer

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 · Answer

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 · Answer

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

purplepoppy · Answer

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

Anonymous · Answer

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.

NewsReader · Answer

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

InsecureLivesMatter · Answer

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

cryscrys1 · Answer

It’s for them to see if we are still fools so they celebrate knowing how ignorant and dumb we are

Subarugirl · Answer

Has no one ever heard of weather balloon before? Come on, if china wanted to spy, they wouldn’t be using balloons haha

BeMuse · Answer

It was meant to distract you from what was really happening...

Surely · Answer

A news report just said that there are more than one of these out of control balloons currently in the air over other countries.  And NO! It wasn’t Fox News. So it has to be true!

Wise4myage · Answer

Yes I sure do, because they purposely went of their way to direct it over 5 USAF bases. If Biden had any balls, he would have had it shot down over Alaska.

TopTier · Answer

I think it's a clever way for the Chinese government to announce that they are spying on us, that they don't like us, and that we are a target for a future war.

GoodGuyBreakingBad · Answer

It was a spy balloon

Chad345 · Answer

It's a spy balloon. But even more than that, it's an attempt at bullying.

Dargil · Answer

They sent it to humiliate us. They know Biden is a sheep.

LiamJHayden · Answer

Underreaction. In US Airspace over ICBM sites. Should have been either retrieved or destroyed.

Mangospacho · Answer

If it wasn’t sent by China, they seem to be very upset over a balloon that was shot down that wasn’t even theirs.

douride2 · Answer

They said it was a weather balloon. Why would they lie.

Echosoul · Answer

It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if they were spying. Their government isn't exactly ethnically driven.

ChefPapiChulo · Answer

i doubt most people have the IQ to balance their checkbook let alone what to do in a situation like this.

Anonymous · Answer

An overreaction from the PUBLIC, especially on social media.

BJP21 · Answer

Every country is spying on another whether we want to acknowledge it or not.

Pterodon · Answer

It doesn’t matter why. The fact is it was a violation of our airspace and Biden allowed it

OddBeMe · Answer

If it’s indeed from China, it’s from spying. But I’m not in the situation room.

Anonymous · Answer

It might have been an overreaction, because if they want to spy, on us they are already doing that with satellites

Cassie88 · Answer

A silly over-reaction. Obviously.

EmmaMary · Answer

Only in America! 🤣

Anonymous · Answer

It was a Baloon to track tv ratings

dophix · Answer

I don't know. How would they know it's China?

Iron_Man · Answer

We’ll find out soon probably

driven159 · Answer

As a test of America

In_Trance · Answer

It's a a satellite. They fucked up.

katiesmuff · Answer

It was a spy balloon

ChooChooHaha · Answer

Neither.

Anonymous · Answer

Nothing the American government ever says is true.

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