"Object" just shot down over Alaska

[The Sultan]

The fact that you're not worried, or the majority of Americans aren't worried, isn't relevant to this discussion or Goose's point.  And if you are not concerned atxall Fluffy why are you constantly replying in this thread?

Why should people be worried?  And I reply to topics because I enjoy the banter.

[pbiflyer]

[MuggsyB]

Why should people be worried?  And I reply to topics because I enjoy the banter.

Maybe there are people that are concerned with geopolitical issues and the state of the world. 

[Uncle Rico]

Maybe there are people that are concerned with geopolitical issues and the state of the world.

Muggsy, are you concerned?  You don't strike me as someone that is easily concerned

[Skatastrophy]

Muggsy, are you concerned?  You don't strike me as someone that is easily concerned

Some tv news stations get people's emotions up. It's their whole business model.

[Goose]

Rico

Unless the government advises the USA citizens that using missiles over the continental USA is not unusual, I do think it is fair to question why they are now? I do not believe that missiles have ever been utilized over the USA in our history. Now, if people are not concerned, do not care or have an interest I respect that, but some, like myself, are interested in why it is happening.

My personal opinion, I believe the government, and it it's agencies, quite possibly are baffled and no have idea what the hell is going on. While that would be troubling, but it might be something they have never seen or confronted before. I know Fluff thought if the government stated that it would cause more questions to arise, but I would appreciate the transparency.

[4everwarriors]

I wouldn't be as concerned if I have confidence in the president and congress. My confidence level is deep in negative numbers. Frankly, money talks and bullchit walks, aina?

[tower912]

So, if we pay you, you will go away?

[Hards Alumni]

I wouldn't be as concerned if I have confidence in the president and congress. My confidence level is deep in negative numbers. Frankly, money talks and bullchit walks, aina?

I'll get Biden the hotline to your office so he can consult you on matters of national security.

[Goose]

Hards

Is this matter one of national security?

[dgies9156]

We have an obligation as a country to protect our borders, regardless of from where the threat comes. Just look at how nuts the Soviet Union went in the late 1950s and 1960 when the United States sent U2 spy planes into Soviet airspace. Like the Chinese, we lied through our teeth until the USSR presented evidence confirming what we were doing.

The Soviets made it clear any future border incursions would not be tolerated. In their view at the time, they didn't know whether the plane overflying their airspace was a U2 taking pictures or a B52 sending a "goodbye present" to millions of Soviet citizens. They underscored that view in 1983, when a Korean Airlines B747 overflew their territory and was sent to the sea.

I don't favor shooting down unarmed civilian aircraft but I would note that in the late 1950s and early 1960s, Air Force One was equipped with a reconnaissance capability in its forward landing gear bay and many thought civilian airliners might have photo reconnaissance capability. Had that been known, I hesitate to imagine what would have happened!

To the core point, our country must protect itself. Do we know unquestionably that those balloons don't have a toxic biochemical substance to be released? Or, that they're carrying some type of weapon of mass destruction on board? I don't think any of us wants to find out the hard way. Perhaps the reason the USAF didn't want to shoot the balloons down over populated areas was the concern that there could be something seriously harmful on board the balloons.

I'm not a Biden fan politically but at some point, you have to believe his interests, mine and our nation's are aligned.

[cheebs09]

I'm not worried. Just fascinated by the whole thing. I'm sure we will hear more as they do the analysis. I'm guessing the powers that be aren't too worried about it, but also not exactly sure what to make of it until doing a deep dive.

[MuggsyB]

We have an obligation as a country to protect our borders, regardless of from where the threat comes. Just look at how nuts the Soviet Union went in the late 1950s and 1960 when the United States sent U2 spy planes into Soviet airspace. Like the Chinese, we lied through our teeth until the USSR presented evidence confirming what we were doing.

The Soviets made it clear any future border incursions would not be tolerated. In their view at the time, they didn't know whether the plane overflying their airspace was a U2 taking pictures or a B52 sending a "goodbye present" to millions of Soviet citizens. They underscored that view in 1983, when a Korean Airlines B747 overflew their territory and was sent to the sea.

I don't favor shooting down unarmed civilian aircraft but I would note that in the late 1950s and early 1960s, Air Force One was equipped with a reconnaissance capability in its forward landing gear bay and many thought civilian airliners might have photo reconnaissance capability. Had that been known, I hesitate to imagine what would have happened!

To the core point, our country must protect itself. Do we know unquestionably that those balloons don't have a toxic biochemical substance to be released? Or, that they're carrying some type of weapon of mass destruction on board? I don't think any of us wants to find out the hard way. Perhaps the reason the USAF didn't want to shoot the balloons down over populated areas was the concern that there could be something seriously harmful on board the balloons.

I'm not a Biden fan politically but at some point, you have to believe his interests, mine and our nation's are aligned.

It's conceivable that they have our nation's best interest while simultaneously have no idea what's actually going on brother dgies.  In light of various decisions Milley, Austin, and Blinken have made I'm not particularly confident in their actions or their foresight regarding future potential geopolitical catastrophes. 

[Jockey]

It's conceivable that they have our nation's best interest while simultaneously have no idea what's actually going on brother dgies.  In light of various decisions Milley, Austin, and Blinken have made I'm not particularly confident in their actions or their foresight regarding future potential geopolitical catastrophes.

Unreal.

[JWags85]

Rico

Unless the government advises the USA citizens that using missiles over the continental USA is not unusual, I do think it is fair to question why they are now? I do not believe that missiles have ever been utilized over the USA in our history. Now, if people are not concerned, do not care or have an interest I respect that, but some, like myself, are interested in why it is happening.

My interest in all of this is no more than curiosity and wonder.  But to Goose's first point, I don't think people realize how infrequent actual in-air engagement is these days.  I posted following the first balloon that it was the first time EVER that the F-22 had shot something down in over 20 years of service.  So regardless of it being NBD geopolitically or otherwise, US military aircraft shooting down airborne objects, especially domestic adjacent, is not a common occurence.

[Goose]

One thing that I find interesting is that there has been virtually no crazy comments from the usual suspects in either party. It almost seems that there is a gag order on this topic. The fringe of both parties live to be in the news and I am not finding click bait from the whack jobs. That is very interesting to me.

[MUBurrow]

My interest in all of this is no more than curiosity and wonder.  But to Goose's first point, I don't think people realize how infrequent actual in-air engagement is these days.  I posted following the first balloon that it was the first time EVER that the F-22 had shot something down in over 20 years of service.  So regardless of it being NBD geopolitically or otherwise, US military aircraft shooting down airborne objects, especially domestic adjacent, is not a common occurence.

This makes sense to me.  I'm currently of the opinion that these objects are fairly common, that they aren't thought to do much harm so are generally allowed to just float around, and that the sudden interest in blasting them is mostly a PR decision with a dash of hawkish posturing to avoid looking weak to the public and China, respectively.

Or aliens.

[Hards Alumni]

Hards

Is this matter one of national security?

Yes, of course.  It isn't a national emergency though.

There is so much noise from both sides about what our response should or should not be.  Sometimes no response is the correct one.

Depending on a person's point of view or political leanings:

China is so backwards they are using balloons to spy on us?
China is so far ahead of us technologically they've managed to evade our countermeasures
Biden is big brained because he waited for the balloon to fall over open water to shoot it down to prevent damage
Biden is dumb as a rock because he allowed a spy balloon to traverse the US unabated
China was just doing pen testing
China can easily fool our military we spend trillions on

Look guys, a stupid balloon is insignificant in terms of espionage.  Tower was right pages ago when he said something to the effect of, "I just assuming everyone is spying on everyone all of the time". 

Should Biden get in front of a podium and calm the nation?  I mean, I guess.  Most people have already forgotten.  Sometimes being slow and methodical in a fast paced world won't satisfy the desires of our ape brains that demand to know everything instantly.  Instead, let's just be a little bit patient and figure out what exactly the equipment involved is.  There doesn't seem to be an actual imminent threat to national security.  Cooling our jets is the best way forward.

I don't see what any sort of tangible retaliation against China would even look like.  Plus the blowback from it would be immense.

Let cooler heads prevail.

[Hards Alumni]

It's conceivable that they have our nation's best interest while simultaneously have no idea what's actually going on brother dgies.  In light of various decisions Milley, Austin, and Blinken have made I'm not particularly confident in their actions or their foresight regarding future potential geopolitical catastrophes.

What decisions are you referencing, specifically.

[The Sultan]

Yes, of course.  It isn't a national emergency though.

There is so much noise from both sides about what our response should or should not be.  Sometimes no response is the correct one.

Depending on a person's point of view or political leanings:

China is so backwards they are using balloons to spy on us?
China is so far ahead of us technologically they've managed to evade our countermeasures
Biden is big brained because he waited for the balloon to fall over open water to shoot it down to prevent damage
Biden is dumb as a rock because he allowed a spy balloon to traverse the US unabated
China was just doing pen testing
China can easily fool our military we spend trillions on

Look guys, a stupid balloon is insignificant in terms of espionage.  Tower was right pages ago when he said something to the effect of, "I just assuming everyone is spying on everyone all of the time". 

Should Biden get in front of a podium and calm the nation?  I mean, I guess.  Most people have already forgotten.  Sometimes being slow and methodical in a fast paced world won't satisfy the desires of our ape brains that demand to know everything instantly.  Instead, let's just be a little bit patient and figure out what exactly the equipment involved is.  There doesn't seem to be an actual imminent threat to national security.  Cooling our jets is the best way forward.

I don't see what any sort of tangible retaliation against China would even look like.  Plus the blowback from it would be immense.

Let cooler heads prevail.

Yep.

[Dr. Blackheart]

My interest in all of this is no more than curiosity and wonder.  But to Goose's first point, I don't think people realize how infrequent actual in-air engagement is these days.  I posted following the first balloon that it was the first time EVER that the F-22 had shot something down in over 20 years of service.  So regardless of it being NBD geopolitically or otherwise, US military aircraft shooting down airborne objects, especially domestic adjacent, is not a common occurence.

Agree.  That's a lot of money for just four balloons. I found it odd a laser couldn't do the trick? 

[Uncle Rico]

Agree.  That's a lot of money for just four balloons. I found it odd a laser couldn't do the trick?

Jewish space lasers or sharks with lasers?

[dgies9156]

It's conceivable that they have our nation's best interest while simultaneously have no idea what's actually going on brother dgies.  In light of various decisions Milley, Austin, and Blinken have made I'm not particularly confident in their actions or their foresight regarding future potential geopolitical catastrophes.

Again, I'll reiterate that I'm no fan of Joe Biden. However, he is our President and at the core of his job is his willingness and ability to protect us (that's you and me and 330 million other Americans) from foreign threats.

While there are lots of people who think they can do a better job, until January 20, 2025, they aren't sitting in the seat that matters.

Mr. Biden is my President and I'll have to trust that my President and the military leaders around him will do their jobs. Period. End of discussion.

[Jockey]

Now NORAD is taking interest in things it might previously have automatically filtered out of the data it looks at. "We have been more closely scrutinizing our airspace at these altitudes, including enhancing our radar, which may at least partly explain the increase in objects that we've detected over the past week," Melissa Dalton, assistant defense secretary for homeland defense and hemispheric affairs, said at a Sunday evening news conference.

[Pakuni]

Charlie Kirk has it figured out.

"Could this all just be a false flag operation to fake an alien invasion or fake a UFO hysteria crisis to try to justify more power — lockdowns — control?" he suggested.
"These are all rational questions, but I do believe this. I feel like I'm being lied to," Kirk said boldly.

https://www.mediaite.com/podcasts/charlie-kirk-baselessly-suggests-balloons-over-us-are-false-flag-operation-to-fake-alien-invasion-and-enforce-lockdowns/