The Balloon and the failure to communicate with profound look of weakness.

[iamwhatiseem]

The U.S. government knew about the balloon well before it reached the continental U.S.
Yet the Biden administration apparently just hoped no one would see it, and certainly the Canadian government was complicit in not telling their own people.
Why would they do that? Fear?
We were not told until the story broke by NBC news when a civilian saw it from an office window.
Is it OK that the Biden Administration didn't tell us?

2) Projection of weakness.
What is China/Russia to think? Are they surprised we not only allowed them to fly a spy balloon over the continental U.S. - but the government apparently wasn't even going to tell anyone?? And here we are days into it and we still have done nothing? Biden is absolutely silent about it.
If this was a test by the Chinese to:
A) See if the Biden administration allows it to enter our airspace.
B) See what our response is.
The answer they received is the best they could have possibly hoped for.

 

[jknowgood]

They want to see how far their money will go.

 

[wamose]

They saw it coming for months. They should have warned Red China that it would be shot down as soon as it entered US airspace, out over the water. Not doing that, and especially keeping it a secret, makes it look like Biden is complicit. I wonder if the big guy is shaking his "10" out of Xi.

 

[JWBooth]

“The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by an endless series of hobgoblins, most of them imaginary.”​

― H.L. Mencken

 

[midcan5]

Repost:

Yesterday I had to turn to Fox OAN Newsmax to check out how they were praising Pres Joe Biden best job stats in fifty years. But what are they showing? A Chinese balloon and making all sort of ridiculous comments as is their usual fair. One wonders if they have ever used Google maps or thought of all the satellites circling the earth? No, of course not, they are propaganda tools for the easily played. Too funny.

Interesting piece on balloons.

'A Balloon Is Spying on the U.S. From the Sky. Here’s Why China May Be Using Old-Fashioned Surveillance Technology When Satellites Exist'

Why Would China Use a Spy Balloon When It Has Satellites?

On Wednesday, a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon was spotted floating above Montana. Here’s what to know

time.com

'A media scholar on the dangerous evolution of Fox News.'

How Fox News evolved into a propaganda operation

A media scholar on the dangerous evolution of Fox News.

www.vox.com

This thread was moved to badlands, but I feel it is relevant still.

https://www.usmessageboard.com/threads/are-newsmax-oann-and-fox-media-threats-to-american-democracy.893141/

 

[mamooth]

I'm sure China and Russia are watching US conservatives in their current state absolute pants-crapping hysterical meltdown over a stray balloon, and they're thinking "Wow, the US must be a nation of total pussies."

Republicans, please stop being such shrieking cowards. You're making the USA look really bad.

 

[shockedcanadian]

The U.S. government knew about the balloon well before it reached the continental U.S.
Yet the Biden administration apparently just hoped no one would see it, and certainly the Canadian government was complicit in not telling their own people.
Why would they do that? Fear?
We were not told until the story broke by NBC news when a civilian saw it from an office window.
Is it OK that the Biden Administration didn't tell us?

2) Projection of weakness.
What is China/Russia to think? Are they surprised we not only allowed them to fly a spy balloon over the continental U.S. - but the government apparently wasn't even going to tell anyone?? And here we are days into it and we still have done nothing? Biden is absolutely silent about it.
If this was a test by the Chinese to:
A) See if the Biden administration allows it to enter our airspace.
B) See what our response is.
The answer they received is the best they could have possibly hoped for.

Does American Intel still not understand Chinese culture? They are doing this to say "because we.can". Whether it's inviting people to illegal enter your country physically or through a spy balloon, the message resonates with America's allies. China is leading with strength and they aren't shy about it.

 

[JWBooth]

 

[shockedcanadian]

I'm sure China and Russia are watching US conservatives in their current state absolute pants-crapping hysterical meltdown over a stray balloon, and they're thinking "Wow, the US must be a nation of total pussies."

Republicans, please stop being such shrieking cowards. You're making the USA look really bad.

The symbolism of this balloon goes well beyond just a stray weather balloon. Even if they knew for certain it was an off course weather balloon the West would have to shoot it down to "save face". That is a core ideal in Chinese culture. To not save face sends a strong message to adversaries and allies alike, especially China. Does anyone believe China or Rusia would allow the same?

 

[1srelluc]

97 more to go!

 

[iamwhatiseem]

I'm sure China and Russia are watching US conservatives in their current state absolute pants-crapping hysterical meltdown over a stray balloon, and they're thinking "Wow, the US must be a nation of total pussies."

Republicans, please stop being such shrieking cowards. You're making the USA look really bad.

Stray balloon? Really?
They are steering it... you know that right? I mean you do know that?

You really don't believe China is testing waters here?
I am sure your reaction would be the same if Trump sent a spy balloon over China? Just a "stray balloon"?

 

[mamooth]

The symbolism of this balloon goes well beyond just a stray weather balloon. Even if they knew for certain it was an off course weather balloon the West would have to shoot it down to "save face". That is a core ideal in Chinese culture. To not save face sends a strong message to adversaries and allies alike. Does anyone believe China or Rusia would allow the same?

See? You just made Russia and China think all of the USA is composed of hysterical whimpering cowards, authoritarian losers who can only parrot idiot party propaganda. Please stop.

 

[mamooth]

Stray balloon? Really?
They are steering it... you know that right? I mean you do know that?

You really will fall for anything.

Again, please stop making the USA look like a nation of brainless weenies.

You really don't believe China is testing waters here?
I am sure your reaction would be the same if Trump sent a spy balloon over China? Just a "stray balloon"?

As the winds don't blow that way, I'd be wondering why Trump was sending our new top-secret balloon supertechnology to China. After all, that's that's what Trump does, sell out the USA to Russia, China and every hostile nation. And his followers always approve.

 

[occupied]

The right freaking out over this balloon is comical. Getting it in one piece would be a historic espionage coup and they just want to blow it up. Sometimes your partisanship gets in the way of your good sense.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

The right freaking out over this balloon is comical. Getting it in one piece would be a historic espionage coup and they just want to blow it up. Sometimes your partisanship gets in the way of your good sense.

China loves you for it

 

[occupied]

China loves you for it

China would prefer we have nothing but scattered debris to show for this.

 

[kyzr]

So if the US doesn't shoot the balloon down, and it loses altitude and flies into a jetliner killing everyone...
There is NO good reason NOT to shoot the wayward "weather balloon" down. None.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

So if the US doesn't shoot the balloon down, and it loses altitude and flies into a jetliner killing everyone...
There is NO good reason NOT to shoot the wayward "weather balloon" down. None.

Wayward weather balloon is the dumbest thing in the world. You got to be pretty lame brained to fall for that stupidity.
It looks positively nothing like a weather balloon. Not even remotely close.
We have known about the existence of these spy balloons for several years.
China just never had the balls to fly one over any allied country let alone the United States.

 

[Blaster]

The U.S. government knew about the balloon well before it reached the continental U.S.
Yet the Biden administration apparently just hoped no one would see it, and certainly the Canadian government was complicit in not telling their own people.
Why would they do that? Fear?
We were not told until the story broke by NBC news when a civilian saw it from an office window.
Is it OK that the Biden Administration didn't tell us?

2) Projection of weakness.
What is China/Russia to think? Are they surprised we not only allowed them to fly a spy balloon over the continental U.S. - but the government apparently wasn't even going to tell anyone?? And here we are days into it and we still have done nothing? Biden is absolutely silent about it.
If this was a test by the Chinese to:
A) See if the Biden administration allows it to enter our airspace.
B) See what our response is.
The answer they received is the best they could have possibly hoped for.

Our new WOKE military in action.

 

[JWBooth]

Balloon 1 Space Force 0