Chinese balloon shot down

[Great American United States]

https://apnews.com/article/politics-uni ... 59934c4cfb

A Chinese balloon had been in the skies above the U.S. and Canada since February 2nd, tracked by NORAD. The U.S. and Canada claims it was a reconnaissance aircraft that was deliberately violating their airspace for purposes of surveillance. China claims that it was a meteorological balloon that was inadvertently carried over the U.S. and Canada by prevailing winds. Around an hour ago, the balloon was shot down by a USAF aircraft.

Do you think that Biden was right to order the shootdown?

I do, surprisingly. I never thought that I'd agree with anything Biden has done, but this was justified. It might be a meteorological balloon, but China isn't to be trusted. It sends a message.

[United Bongo States of America]

The decision was not made by Biden. It was from the Department. Despite the fact that he may have approved it.

[Durius]

Do you think that Biden was right to order the shootdown?

Is it controversial? It was a unmanned and unknown foreign device flying over American skies. Even if it was a meteorologic balloon, why would the US just left it be?

[Rakhalia]

lmao they used like a $30,000 missile to take out a big balloon. hilarious

[Grenartia]

I definitely think it should have been shot down earlier, perhaps over flyover country. But every Faux News commentator or domestic terrorist with a political office and an (R) after their name calling for Biden's blood makes me only want to support Biden even harder.

[Grenartia]

lmao they used like a $30,000 missile to take out a big balloon. hilarious

That balloon definitely cost more than $30k. The helium alone probably cost twice that much.

[Raskana]

I would have used the cannon, much cheaper, and more fun.

[United Bongo States of America]

Biden 2024

[Great American United States]

The decision was not made by Biden. It was from the Department. Despite the fact that he may have approved it.

Whatever, I didn't read into it that much. I'd heard that he ordered it.

Do you think that Biden was right to order the shootdown?

Is it controversial? It was a unmanned and unknown foreign device flying over American skies. Even if it was a meteorologic balloon, why would the US just left it be?

It seems to be controversial enough to spark a diplomatic incident.

lmao they used like a $30,000 missile to take out a big balloon. hilarious

The balloon probably cost a ton. $30k is small potatoes.

Biden 2024

I wouldn't go that far.

[North Macaronesa]

I definitely think it should have been shot down earlier, perhaps over flyover country. But every Faux News commentator or domestic terrorist with a political office and an (R) after their name calling for Biden's blood makes me only want to support Biden even harder.

It wasn't shot down earlier because the debris would've damaged infrastructure or smth

"Biden concluded that the U.S. would not shoot down the balloon because debris from it could cause damage on the ground, a Pentagon official said." -https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/04/us-military-prepares-to-take-down-suspected-chinese-surveillance-balloon.html#:~:text=The%20decision%20was%20made%20in,ground%2C%20a%20Pentagon%20official%20said.

[Rakhalia]

lmao they used like a $30,000 missile to take out a big balloon. hilarious

That balloon definitely cost more than $30k. The helium alone probably cost twice that much.

it's just silly considering it's very unlikely it was actually spying on people lol

[Frisemark]

I would have used the cannon, much cheaper, and more fun.

These balloons fly high above the effective range of any ballistic weapon.

[United Bongo States of America]

I definitely think it should have been shot down earlier, perhaps over flyover country. But every Faux News commentator or domestic terrorist with a political office and an (R) after their name calling for Biden's blood makes me only want to support Biden even harder.

It wasn't shot down earlier because the debris would've damaged infrastructure or smth

"Biden concluded that the U.S. would not shoot down the balloon because debris from it could cause damage on the ground, a Pentagon official said." -

I'm sure Donald Trump would have shot it all down.

[Raskana]

I would have used the cannon, much cheaper, and more fun.

These balloons fly high above the effective range of any ballistic weapon.

I mean the ones on fighter jets, they have 20mm cannons.

[Great American United States]

That balloon definitely cost more than $30k. The helium alone probably cost twice that much.

it's just silly considering it's very unlikely it was actually spying on people lol

Anything that disadvantages China, save for unprovoked warfare, I'm fine with.

[AquilaJordyn]

I mean, I highly doubt this balloon was half as interesting as some commentators made it seem but yeah I guess it's worth shooting down as a precaution.

However, why did we just use a missile? America has so many historic, high-tech, and peculiar weapons we could have used. Why not get out one of our space lasers? We have those right?

I was told we can't have Universal Healthcare because America needs a military capable of Solo-fighting half of the world. I *expect* if we're going to have such an insanely funded military that they entertain me.

[Regnum Alea Spaceflee]

Why would a chinese weather balloon even being an American airspace? They should keep it in their borders.

[II Soviet state]

It's a pity that this show is over. "China caught red-handed lying about a huge spy balloon over Montana" made my 10 am.
Although the decision was justified in principle, if I were an American I would like to see this balloon shot down.

[Rakhalia]

it's just silly considering it's very unlikely it was actually spying on people lol

Anything that disadvantages China, save for unprovoked warfare, I'm fine with.

this is also v. silly because the only reason China could've done this on purpose is to see how you dudes would react. like china probably has a gajillion satellites peeping down at you and ur losing ur shit over a Big Balloon, it's just absurd and quite funny

[Senkaku]

The decision was not made by Biden. It was from the Department. Despite the fact that he may have approved it.

The decision to announce its presence at all was from DoD lol, this whole circus has been a Pentagon production from start to finish. This is a very simple story of DoD taking a convenient excuse (suspicious-looking but probably harmless balloon) to rain on State’s parade— kill Blinken’s summit, give the China hawks in Congress a bunch of free airtime, and give themselves a photo op.

[Great American United States]

Anything that disadvantages China, save for unprovoked warfare, I'm fine with.

this is also v. silly because the only reason China could've done this on purpose is to see how you dudes would react. like china probably has a gajillion satellites peeping down at you and ur losing ur shit over a Big Balloon, it's just absurd and quite funny

Yeah, I don't doubt that either.

Besides, if China did this, they would no doubt be celebrating it as well. There's no harm done, aside from the balloon being destroyed.

[Durius]

Is it controversial? It was a unmanned and unknown foreign device flying over American skies. Even if it was a meteorologic balloon, why would the US just left it be?

It seems to be controversial enough to spark a diplomatic incident.

The very existence of the balloon and the possibility of it being a spying tool was what triggered the diplomatic incident. You are making it sound like shooting it down was the actual problem.

[Dylar]

Why would a chinese weather balloon even being an American airspace? They should keep it in their borders.

you see, there's this strange atmospheric phenomena called wind

[Grenartia]

I would have used the cannon, much cheaper, and more fun.

Missile is instakill, guns would only pass through the balloon and cause a slow leak. You might be able to swiss cheese it instead, but that'd require multiple passes and would make you look incompetent to people on the ground.

[Grenartia]

I definitely think it should have been shot down earlier, perhaps over flyover country. But every Faux News commentator or domestic terrorist with a political office and an (R) after their name calling for Biden's blood makes me only want to support Biden even harder.

It wasn't shot down earlier because the debris would've damaged infrastructure or smth

"Biden concluded that the U.S. would not shoot down the balloon because debris from it could cause damage on the ground, a Pentagon official said." -https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/04/us-military-prepares-to-take-down-suspected-chinese-surveillance-balloon.html#:~:text=The%20decision%20was%20made%20in,ground%2C%20a%20Pentagon%20official%20said.

I know that, but when it was over the Dakotas or something, it had to have passed over some relatively empty farmland that could be cleared of people ahead of time.

That balloon definitely cost more than $30k. The helium alone probably cost twice that much.

it's just silly considering it's very unlikely it was actually spying on people lol

Then why was it over America? You don't actually think it was a weather balloon, do you?