08 Feb 23
1 edit
@metal-brain saidPopping the balloon wouldn't destroy the payload, unless the actual payload was inside the balloon.
You mean what was reported to be "completely destroyed" by the pilot?
08 Feb 23
@kilroy70 saidThey could have shot the balloon with a bullet instead of a missile for a slower drop from the sky. A lot cheaper too. I suppose they don't fit guns on high altitude jets, but it would have helped determine who was right.
Popping the balloon wouldn't destroy the payload, unless the actual payload was inside the balloon.
People made a big deal out of it going over a missile silo. What is to see? It isn't going anywhere. The location was no secret. Kind of silly.
08 Feb 23
@metal-brain saidIts job was to gather electronic data presumably in an effort to develop a way of interrupting the passage of those communications in the event of a nuclear exchange especially handy for a first strike option.
They could have shot the balloon with a bullet instead of a missile for a slower drop from the sky. A lot cheaper too. I suppose they don't fit guns on high altitude jets, but it would have helped determine who was right.
People made a big deal out of it going over a missile silo. What is to see? It isn't going anywhere. The location was no secret. Kind of silly.
The US and any other country likely to fall foul of the CCP should shoot these balloons down at the earliest safe opportunity anytime or place they appear.
08 Feb 23
@kevcvs57 saidThat is a conspiracy theory because you have no evidence of that.
Its job was to gather electronic data presumably in an effort to develop a way of interrupting the passage of those communications in the event of a nuclear exchange especially handy for a first strike option.
The US and any other country likely to fall foul of the CCP should shoot these balloons down at the earliest safe opportunity anytime or place they appear.
That is a paranoid conspiracy theory.
When Israel bombed unfinished nuclear power plants under construction it was because they had a paranoid conspiracy theory that they were going to be used to make plutonium for nuclear weapons. Since they were not operational there was no evidence of that.
Stop making assertions that have never been proven as if they have.
08 Feb 23
@metal-brain saidStop being an idiot if at all possible.
That is a conspiracy theory because you have no evidence of that.
That is a paranoid conspiracy theory.
When Israel bombed unfinished nuclear power plants under construction it was because they had a paranoid conspiracy theory that they were going to be used to make plutonium for nuclear weapons. Since they were not operational there was no evidence of that.
Stop making assertions that have never been proven as if they have.
If you are stupid enough to believe that these are civilian weather balloons without any evidence then it’s perfectly reasonably to assume that they are not until we do have proof.
You’re so obviously a Russian / Chinese mouthpiece, shouldn’t you be a bit more subtle though?
You’d have us believe that the Gate’s are microchipping vaccines but find the idea that the CCP might be using high altitude balloons to gather intelligence on the oppositions nuclear capabilities and weaknesses to ridiculous to even discuss as a scenario 🙄
08 Feb 23
@kevcvs57 saidNo, it is you that do not have evidence.
Stop being an idiot if at all possible.
If you are stupid enough to believe that these are civilian weather balloons without any evidence then it’s perfectly reasonably to assume that they are not until we do have proof.
You’re so obviously a Russian / Chinese mouthpiece, shouldn’t you be a bit more subtle though?
You’d have us believe that the Gate’s are microchipping va ...[text shortened]... on the oppositions nuclear capabilities and weaknesses to ridiculous to even discuss as a scenario 🙄
Is China spying on Columbia and Venezuela too? Explain that if they are not weather balloons.
08 Feb 23
@metal-brain saidYeah you dolt they are spying on everyone.
No, it is you that do not have evidence.
Is China spying on Columbia and Venezuela too? Explain that if they are not weather balloons.
Are you suggesting that all these wayward balloons are weather ballon’s they are everywhere and they are collecting, if you choose to believe the Chinese are concerned about weather conditions over the American interior then fine you be your usual halfwitted self.
They are spy balloons and a way of telling the world that they claim the right to monitor what they like, where they like, whenever they choose.
If one is spotted over the English Channel or the North Sea I wold expect my government to shoot it down, you can only fly weather balloons over you own airspace.
08 Feb 23
@metal-brain saidWhy would China send up a balloon that was very easy to spot and identify. It's as though they wanted us to see it and know it came from them. And they had to know it could (or would) pass over parts of the U.S. Maybe China wanted to make Biden look good by giving him an easy target to identify and bring down.
They could have shot the balloon with a bullet instead of a missile for a slower drop from the sky. A lot cheaper too. I suppose they don't fit guns on high altitude jets, but it would have helped determine who was right.
People made a big deal out of it going over a missile silo. What is to see? It isn't going anywhere. The location was no secret. Kind of silly.
As crazy as this sounds it makes sense for China to want Biden (or another weak Democrat) to occupy the White House for another 4 years.
08 Feb 23
@kilroy70 saidI’m sure they’d much prefer another 4 years of the idiot trump ripping the alliance that would face them if push came to shove.
Why would China send up a balloon that was very easy to spot and identify. It's as though they wanted us to see it and know it came from them. And they had to know it could (or would) pass over parts of the U.S. Maybe China wanted to make Biden look good by giving him an easy target to identify and bring down.
As crazy as this sounds it makes sense for China to want Biden (or another weak Democrat) to occupy the White House for another 4 years.
Biden has strengthened your alliances in Europe and the pacific culminating in negotiating another 4 or 5 bases in the Philippines.
Yeah I’m sure the CCP wants more of Biden and his weaknesses 🙄
Until we can know for sure the purpose of those balloons I'm inclined to believe it's a psychological ploy. Right now all we can do is speculate, but I believe ATYs thoughts on this come the closest to reality:
"My thoughts on the Chinese balloons is that they are intended to be seen so that the US and other countries get the feeling that China's reach extends to them. This is intended to increase Chinese prestige more than actually gather useful data."
I don't believe China wants to incite a physical conflict (an actual boots on the ground war) by sending a dangerous payload into U.S. airspace.
And if they wanted to spy on us they wouldn't use a big honking balloon (easy to see) for doing that. Satellites are reliable enough for secretly gathering useful images.
09 Feb 23
@kilroy70 saidBecause they are not trying to hide weather balloons.
Why would China send up a balloon that was very easy to spot and identify. It's as though they wanted us to see it and know it came from them. And they had to know it could (or would) pass over parts of the U.S. Maybe China wanted to make Biden look good by giving him an easy target to identify and bring down.
As crazy as this sounds it makes sense for China to want Biden (or another weak Democrat) to occupy the White House for another 4 years.
@Metal-Brain
They could have shot the balloon with a bullet instead of a missile for a slower drop from the sky.
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Not exactly.
The balloon is 20K feet higher than the jets fly.
EDIT: The missile cost $400K
09 Feb 23
@metal-brain said
No, it is you that do not have evidence.
Is China spying on Columbia and Venezuela too? Explain that if they are not weather balloons.
09 Feb 23
@earl-of-trumps saidF22s can fly that high but trying to shoot down a balloon at that altitude at those speeds with the plane's 20mm cannon risks crashing into it and losing the plane. Any 20mm shells that miss will fall to the Earth and potentially cause damage. Balloons can also be fitted with extra bouyancy, self sealing, even pressurized helium canisters to refill them.
@Metal-Brain
They could have shot the balloon with a bullet instead of a missile for a slower drop from the sky.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Not exactly.
The balloon is 20K feet higher than the jets fly.
EDIT: The missile cost $400K
09 Feb 23
@earl-of-trumps saidIt was shot down by a jet.
@Metal-Brain
They could have shot the balloon with a bullet instead of a missile for a slower drop from the sky.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Not exactly.
The balloon is 20K feet higher than the jets fly.
EDIT: The missile cost $400K
This is just anti China propaganda so racist republicans can continue to hate those slant eyed people for being different. They already got you used to blaming covid on China with Trump calling it the China virus, Kung Flu and every other racist anti Asian names.