"Object" just shot down over Alaska

[🏀]

Re-elect Thomas J. Whitmore

[4everwarriors]

Hard to know, Goose. But, anything and everything is in play. Not that difficult to fool the U.S. at this point. Unfortunately, that's what its now come to, hey?

[Goose]

Doc

These are very interesting times, and I am not willing to dismiss the past week as being a non-event. China, or some other country, is testing the USA and I think it is a potentially dangerous situation. It is funny to me the number of experts on China have surfaced over the past three years. I would be willing to bet the vast majority of American's would struggle to name the last four Chinese Presidents, myself included, but now are experts on US-Sino relations.

For me, I am far from an expert on China or US-China relations, and would never underestimate what they are capable of or willing to do. Hell, they locked down a country from the outside world for three years and I thought that was beyond unbelievable. Granted, the US and other countries have intel on what has been going on, but they have pretty much had three years of unsupervised free time.

[The Sultan]

Hard to know, Goose. But, anything and everything is in play. Not that difficult to fool the U.S. at this point. Unfortunately, that's what its now come to, hey?

Why do you think the U.S. is being fooled here?  I don't understand how someone can be so deep into political nonsense that they come to the conclusion that China is playing chess while we are playing checkers.

[Pakuni]

Why do you think the U.S. is being fooled here?  I don't understand how someone can be so deep into political nonsense that they come to the conclusion that China is playing chess while we are playing checkers.

The narrative demands it.

[Uncle Rico]

The narrative demands it.

At least the Chinese know better than to come to downtown Milwaukee

[Goose]

Pakuni,

I have zero idea what is going on or what is going on behind the scenes, but again, not willing to write it off as being a non-event. My only issue is that it appears that some people 100% believe things are well in hand and nothing to see here. IMO, that might not be a logical thought process. As I stated in my previous post, I believe there are real experts on Russia, N. Korea and other potential enemies of the USA and I think we lack the same knowledge on China. That is my feeling, nothing else.

[Uncle Rico]

Pakuni,

I have zero idea what is going on or what is going on behind the scenes, but again, not willing to write it off as being a non-event. My only issue is that it appears that some people 100% believe things are well in hand and nothing to see here. IMO, that might not be a logical thought process. As I stated in my previous post, I believe there are real experts on Russia, N. Korea and other potential enemies of the USA and I think we lack the same knowledge on China. That is my feeling, nothing else.

On a serious note, I disagree with this assessment about the information we have regard to China.  It's been awhile but I've known people with a wealth of knowledge about the going-ons in China.  It was in the academic world but I feel pretty confident in saying if they knew as much as they did, those in the intelligence community do as well.

As for it being an event or non-event, what the hell am I going to do about?  Live my life in perpetual fear that my political opposites are not equipped to handle this?  Wish it was 1977 again like some people?

I'm just going to watch Fox News Sunday where they have expert Clay Travis talking about it

[tower912]

I start with the assumption that countries spy on each other 24/7/365.   I do not think for a nanosecond that these balloons had the ability to gather information that spies, hackers, and satellites can't.  Or traitors (see: FBI agent in the pocket of a Russian oligarch)

What fascinates me is the 'why'?   Why would China allow themselves to be so publicly humiliated by sending such pathetic data collecting devices?

A distraction?  A rope-a-dope?  A test?  Can we get away with under Biden what we got away with under Trump?

[Goose]

tower

A retired military expert on CNN last night did pose the question that China may have technology we did not know they had or more advanced than ours. 

[lawdog77]

Dumb question, as I am not following the stories too closely. Do you think we have the intel on where these balloons launched exactly? Were they all from the same exact location?

[tower912]

tower

A retired military expert on CNN last night did pose the question that China may have technology we did not know they had or more advanced than ours.

Of course.   I would go with 'different'.   I am more certain that the US has technology that is more advanced than China's and that they don't know about.   As we are learning about Russia, it is possible their militaries are not as powerful as they are in our fears.

[forgetful]

I start with the assumption that countries spy on each other 24/7/365.   I do not think for a nanosecond that these balloons had the ability to gather information that spies, hackers, and satellites can't.  Or traitors (see: FBI agent in the pocket of a Russian oligarch)

What fascinates me is the 'why'?   Why would China allow themselves to be so publicly humiliated by sending such pathetic data collecting devices?

A distraction?  A rope-a-dope?  A test?  Can we get away with under Biden what we got away with under Trump?

One possibility is to goad us into shooting it down, so in the future, if they want to, they can shoot down US or allied craft near or over Taiwan claiming it is part of their territorial waters/airspace.

It becomes a pretext for retaliatory strikes.

[tower912]

Fair.

[Jockey]

tower

A retired military expert on CNN last night did pose the question that China may have technology we did not know they had or more advanced than ours.

Maybe so and we also have technology they aren't aware of.

But the balloon was absolutely NOT a new technology. The Chinese are not stupid - they would not give us access to a new technology by putting it on a low flying balloon that they knew we would shoot down and recover.

[Jockey]

One possibility is to goad us into shooting it down, so in the future, if they want to, they can shoot down US or allied craft near or over Taiwan claiming it is part of their territorial waters/airspace.

It becomes a pretext for retaliatory strikes.

China does not need a pretext. Furthermore, we had every right to shoot it down and they knew in advance that we would. We have a real president who respects and listens to his military and intelligence advisors and will take action.

[Goose]

Object potentially over Green Bay, WI. FAA has restricted air space over part of Lake Michigan. Getting close to downtown MKE.

[Jockey]

Object potentially over Green Bay, WI. FAA has restricted air space over part of Lake Michigan. Getting close to downtown MKE.

It will be shot down.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

So now Canada is relying on mr Magoo to cover their arses now?  Don't they remember Afghanistan?

I'm curious...did you vote for the last guy?

[Dr. Blackheart]

It will be shot down.

It's gowne.  Threatened Cleveland

[tower912]

Flew too close to Marquette's campus.  Made 4evers blog.

[real chili 83]

Object potentially over Green Bay, WI. FAA has restricted air space over part of Lake Michigan. Getting close to downtown MKE.

I blame sultan

[MuggsyB]

Object potentially over Green Bay, WI. FAA has restricted air space over part of Lake Michigan. Getting close to downtown MKE.

Some crazy stuff going on Goose. 

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I've long believed that the only hope China has of replacing America as THE global superpower is if America tears itself apart.  We know China is willing to resort to non-traditional tactics to cause issues in the United States. Is it possible that the purpose of using such obvious spying technology is to stoke further division in the states? Cause I guarantee that if 45 was still President, and did the exact same thing as 46, we would have the exact same reactions...just who was making them would be inverted.

[tower912]

I've long believed that the only hope China has of replacing America as THE global superpower is if America tears itself apart.  We know China is willing to resort to non-traditional tactics to cause issues in the United States. Is it possible that the purpose of using such obvious spying technology is to stoke further division in the states? Cause I guarantee that if 45 was still President, and did the exact same thing as 46, we would have the exact same reactions...just who was making them would be inverted.

The same is true of Russia.    No one can really hurt the USA militarily.  Sure, nukes, but M.A.D.  We have the best stuff, more of it, the best troops, and lots of them,  and are protected by a lot of water.   Economically, though that would be short term while the US figured it out.  Terrorism, but you can't destroy the USA through terrorism, just hurt it and piss it off.     

The best way to destroy America is to sow lies and discord and let it tear itself apart.