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Martin68

(27,033 posts)

94. It is highly unlikely it was carrying a weaponized payload.

Sun Feb 5, 2023, 12:01 PM

Feb 2023

That would be an act of war. Spy satellites, balloons, and planes are common, and we fly over Chinese territory with our spy planes from time to time.

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US downs Chinese balloon, drawing a threat from China [View all] BumRushDaShow Feb 2023 OP

Once it leaves US airspace there is a legal issue in shooting it down. Sneederbunk Feb 2023 #1

It's a matter of where it is BumRushDaShow Feb 2023 #2

Or, if we're like China, we just claim ALL of the Atlantic. oldsoftie Feb 2023 #18

LOL It's down and they are doing a recovery operation now BumRushDaShow Feb 2023 #19

Langley AFB as well as many military options in Virginia alone underpants Feb 2023 #3

Not if they shoot it down before it reaches international waters, Liberty Belle Feb 2023 #4

12 mile territorial limit, 200 mile economic zone. tinymontgomery Feb 2023 #17

Who's gonna do something about it? Polybius Feb 2023 #36

The article says it was shot down over US waters, not international waters. Martin68 Feb 2023 #93

Do it ASAP. dalton99a Feb 2023 #5

yes, as soon as it is over our territory SouthernDem4ever Feb 2023 #7

Hell yes! hamsterjill Feb 2023 #9

+1. No foreign adversary should be allowed to to this dalton99a Feb 2023 #12

Thank you. hamsterjill Feb 2023 #25

+2!!! Wuddles440 Feb 2023 #28

Yep. calimary Feb 2023 #42

Hi hamsterjill, MarineCombatEngineer Feb 2023 #60

Thank you Marthe48 Feb 2023 #68

I'm anti war also given my experiences, MarineCombatEngineer Feb 2023 #85

Hey, there! hamsterjill Feb 2023 #70

+100. nt MarineCombatEngineer Feb 2023 #86

Did you lot ever see 'Amazing Grace and Chuck'? OldBaldy1701E Feb 2023 #100

I haven't seen the movie but I'll look for it. hamsterjill Feb 2023 #101

It came out in 1987. OldBaldy1701E Feb 2023 #102

+100 /nt spudspud Feb 2023 #82

This message was self-deleted by its author Chin music Feb 2023 #45

Not smithereens. Our security services can learn from recovered debris. wnylib Feb 2023 #48

I'm sure our security services have already been learning. hamsterjill Feb 2023 #67

Serious question: Why even bother???????? Ferrets are Cool Feb 2023 #6

To see what's on it. XorXor Feb 2023 #11

It's probably about 100 - 125ft ft long BumRushDaShow Feb 2023 #20

When I first read something about it, they had an image of a regular weather balloon XorXor Feb 2023 #56

One of the "run of the mill" weather balloons BumRushDaShow Feb 2023 #63

I wonder if we'll get any details on what payload this one had on it. XorXor Feb 2023 #69

They certainly won't tell us that BumRushDaShow Feb 2023 #73

I truly doubt we would be given that "right" to know what they found. Ferrets are Cool Feb 2023 #58

Curiosity. Only way to really tell what it's about... paleotn Feb 2023 #29

Ummmmm, probably they were intruding on US airspace, MarineCombatEngineer Feb 2023 #66

There is no reason to bother. Unfortunately the electorate doesn't harun Feb 2023 #71

One reason i can think of is bluestarone Feb 2023 #76

China is not our enemy. harun Feb 2023 #89

Yea ok. bluestarone Feb 2023 #90

LOL. MarineCombatEngineer Feb 2023 #104

Wonder if Chinese satellites are keeping track of Chinese balloon. Sneederbunk Feb 2023 #8

The balloon is maneuverable and receives commands from a satellite dalton99a Feb 2023 #10

Round balloons are only maneuverable in altitude (which can be used to catch different winds) NullTuples Feb 2023 #14

This message was self-deleted by its author Firestorm49 Feb 2023 #16

Good. Do it! Owl Feb 2023 #13

Apparently the Chinese are actually stupid enough to ......... Firestorm49 Feb 2023 #15

Should've done it on the WEST coast. oldsoftie Feb 2023 #21

The trajectory took it over Canada before dipping into the U.S. BumRushDaShow Feb 2023 #22

Then it must've gotten close to Alaska, right? intrepidity Feb 2023 #40

Accuweather had an estimated trajectory BumRushDaShow Feb 2023 #49

How could it get to the Canadian Arctic without passing Alaska? intrepidity Feb 2023 #51

The image at that OP is exactly showing what I said BumRushDaShow Feb 2023 #53

According to an article posted here intrepidity Feb 2023 #91

THank you for the updated article BumRushDaShow Feb 2023 #96

Thanks for all the info on this intrepidity Feb 2023 #97

From what I understand BumRushDaShow Feb 2023 #99

Mahalo, BRDS.. glad they Cha Feb 2023 #23

Diplomatic kabuki theater.... paleotn Feb 2023 #24

They can't think of another 'move' like 'stop buying Treasury Bonds' (to finance our ND) instead? Justice matters. Feb 2023 #30

They've been reducing their holdings in US debt for a while now. paleotn Feb 2023 #44

They're buying real estate and farmland. All legal. Hekate Feb 2023 #61

I hope it contained no biohazards and they wore suits and masks just in case judesedit Feb 2023 #26

I'm betting it was a "commercial" venture backed with full cooperation of the china gov yaesu Feb 2023 #38

Why do people keep underestimating Joe Biden? Especially -- why do DUers? Hekate Feb 2023 #27

AP is driving me nuts BumRushDaShow Feb 2023 #31

Good question. wnylib Feb 2023 #50

Moment the #ChineseSpyBalloon was shot down. #Balloon riversedge Feb 2023 #32

I figured President Biden would wait till it got to the Atlantic Ocean. roamer65 Feb 2023 #87

I'm sure it wasn't fast enough for the Fascists RussBLib Feb 2023 #33

Of course not Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Feb 2023 #35

And China had the Pukes sitting up and begging and Happy Dancing for the treat it offered them. NBachers Feb 2023 #34

it sure made the extremist conservatives look stupid lees1975 Feb 2023 #37

Hold my beer Traildogbob Feb 2023 #39

Likewise the people on the other far-side of the political spectrum. We had an unbearable... Hekate Feb 2023 #55

25 years ago, a rogue weather balloon wouldn't come down after fired at TomWilm Feb 2023 #41

I am very happy to be proven wrong moniss Feb 2023 #43

This message was self-deleted by its author Chin music Feb 2023 #46

thank God it is over. republianmushroom Feb 2023 #47

It's not. The Chinese were making a point -- and then we were making one back. ... Hekate Feb 2023 #52

Yep. Look at the shinny object (everywhere, on TV and online)... Justice matters. Feb 2023 #54

I don't really see what china gains from this XorXor Feb 2023 #57

Meanwhile, psy-ops Hekate Feb 2023 #62

It's called testing our response and resolve to Chinese provocations. MarineCombatEngineer Feb 2023 #75

I wonder how much a balloon that size costs to make. XorXor Feb 2023 #59

It's cheaper than a satellite BumRushDaShow Feb 2023 #65

After it went all the way across the country IronLionZion Feb 2023 #64

And if it did have a chemical or biochemical payload BumRushDaShow Feb 2023 #72

Much of the mountain west is sparsely populated forests IronLionZion Feb 2023 #74

That doesn't mean it can't drift BumRushDaShow Feb 2023 #77

Except if it did have a chemical or biological payload *for dispersal* Igel Feb 2023 #78

That's only assuming that it is actually found to be "disbursing" BumRushDaShow Feb 2023 #79

It is highly unlikely it was carrying a weaponized payload. Martin68 Feb 2023 #94

Now there is a little can do to the Chinese here. republianmushroom Feb 2023 #80

Hey China: Stop stealing and stop trespassing on other people's property dalton99a Feb 2023 #81

If the Chinese Government is mad as us than we are probably doing something right. nycbos Feb 2023 #83

Is the second balloon reported to be in "Latin America" confirmed and what is the status? Evolve Dammit Feb 2023 #84

The Court of Public Opinion Roy Rolling Feb 2023 #88

China is sticking to their weather balloon story. Just a face-saving and misinformation campaign. Martin68 Feb 2023 #92

Message auto-removed Name removed Feb 2023 #95

Best comment True Dough Feb 2023 #98

The Defense Dept. used two U-2 spy planes to intercept and surveil the balloon! machoneman Feb 2023 #103

I actually saw a mention of that earlier BumRushDaShow Feb 2023 #105