Why Haven't We Shot Down Spy Balloon?

[mossrose]

SHOT down?

Apparently. I was watching it live. It was there and then all of a sudden the balloon deflated and started to fall. They showed a wider shot and there was a contrail quite nearby, so I think it much have been.

Unless it was deflated by the Chinese because they had what they wanted from it. And knew if it was over the ocean it would be hard to retrieve.

[Cow Poke]

Maybe. It is a little cynical for me.

I do think it does behoove us to investigate Biden's China activities more closely. There seems to be enough smoke to make sure there isn't a fire.

At the risk of turning this into an OMB thread, I think history will give Trump points for pointing out that China isn't our friend.

That would be an OMG thread.

[Cow Poke]

Apparently. I was watching it live. It was there and then all of a sudden the balloon deflated and started to fall. They showed a wider shot and there was a contrail quite nearby, so I think it much have been.

Unless it was deflated by the Chinese because they had what they wanted from it. And knew if it was over the ocean it would be hard to retrieve.

I've heard several experts say they needed to fire ONE bullet into the balloon, and it would begin a slow descent with a limited supply of helium to replenish. Had this been done as it entered from the west, there would have been PLENTY of time for a gradual descent.

[Gondwanaland]

But I think one of the major reasons they weren't effective is because the news media cooperated in a hush campaign, because they were supposed to be a psychological attack - bring fear and panic.

Can you even IMAGINE the media today cooperating like that? (and, obviously, even if they tried, every person with a camera on a phone is a "journalist")

Well, on the other side of the coin, the only reason those 6 people died a terrible death was because the news media cooperated in a hush campaign. They had no clue what had been laying on the beach for weeks because of that campaign - had they known they very well might not have touched it - indeed that hush campaign was ended shortly after precisely because of that...... So actually one of the two major successes of the bombing program was precisely because of that hush campaign.

[Gondwanaland]

It's down. It looks like the techie stuff beneath it dropped off and fell faster then the balloon itself. And now they think there won't be much to collect because it's over water and the thing probably sank like a rock. And if they manage to get it, they think the salt water will have an adverse effect on it.

It's like they insist on shooting themselves in the foot.

How.... convenient.

[Cow Poke]

Well, on the other side of the coin, the only reason those 6 people died a terrible death was because the news media cooperated in a hush campaign. They had no clue what had been laying on the beach for weeks because of that campaign - had they known they very well might not have touched it - indeed that hush campaign was ended shortly after precisely because of that...... So actually one of the two major successes of the bombing program was precisely because of that hush campaign.

So true! This almost deserves its own thread. And I'm sure all of that was considered as they (the powers in the US) wrestled with how to proceed.

[rogue06]

It's down. It looks like the techie stuff beneath it dropped off and fell faster then the balloon itself. And now they think there won't be much to collect because it's over water and the thing probably sank like a rock. And if they manage to get it, they think the salt water will have an adverse effect on it.

It's like they insist on shooting themselves in the foot.

That there weren't multiple scuba teams already in position in front of any trajected pathway causes it to appear like we weren't all that interested in retrieving it.

[Cow Poke]

That there weren't multiple scuba teams already in position in front of any trajected pathway causes it to appear like we weren't all that interested in retrieving it.

Yeah -- "shucky darn - we tried, but gosh --- it's gone".

[Cow Poke]

So sleepy Joe is claiming he told the military on Wednesday to shoot it down.

[Cow Poke]

So, SecDef says it was too dangerous to shoot it down, but actually references a "surveillance payload" - at least they acknowledge it was a spy mission, and he only sounds like he's running interference for POTUS.

[Stoic]

So sleepy Joe is claiming he told the military on Wednesday to shoot it down.

And so they did.

https://apnews.com/article/politics-...cde059934c4cfb

[Gondwanaland]

And so they did.

https://apnews.com/article/politics-...cde059934c4cfb

On Saturday......

[Stoic]

On Saturday......

Biden said he wanted the balloon downed on Wednesday, but was advised that the best time for the operation would be when it was over water. Military officials determined that the bringing it down over land from an altitude of 60,000 feet would pose an undue risk to people on the ground.

The balloon was spotted Saturday morning over the Carolinas as it approached the Atlantic coast. At about 2:40 p.m. EST, an F-22 fighter jet fired a missile at the balloon, puncturing it while it was about 6 nautical miles off the coast near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Pentagon officials said.

Officials said the debris landed in 47 feet of water, shallowed than they had expected. It was not immediately clear how long the recovery would take. The Navy is taking the lead, supported by the Coast Guard.

[Gondwanaland]

Biden said he wanted the balloon downed on Wednesday, but was advised that the best time for the operation would be when it was over water. Military officials determined that the bringing it down over land from an altitude of 60,000 feet would pose an undue risk to people on the ground.

The balloon was spotted Saturday morning over the Carolinas as it approached the Atlantic coast. At about 2:40 p.m. EST, an F-22 fighter jet fired a missile at the balloon, puncturing it while it was about 6 nautical miles off the coast near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Pentagon officials said.

Officials said the debris landed in 47 feet of water, shallowed than they had expected. It was not immediately clear how long the recovery would take. The Navy is taking the lead, supported by the Coast Guard.

Lol, if you believe that, I've got some land in Florida that would be some prime real estate you can buy.

(hint: it was over the water for quite some time after being detected on January 28th over the Aleutian Islands)

[Stoic]

Lol, if you believe that, I've got some land in Florida that would be some prime real estate you can buy.

(hint: it was over the water for quite some time after being detected on January 28th over the Aleutian Islands)

Sure, there should be a standing order to shoot down any balloon approaching US airspace.

I'm sure that wouldn't cost much.