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What is a suspected Chinese spy balloon doing above the US?
wishtv.com ^ | Posted: Feb 3, 2023 / 05:39 AM EST / Updated: Feb 3, 2023 / 05:39 AM EST | by: Brad Lendon, CNN

Posted on 02/03/2023 3:33:41 AM PST by V_TWIN

(CNN) — News that the Pentagon is monitoring a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon in the skies over the continental United States raises a series of questions — not least among them, what exactly it might be doing.

US officials have said the flight path of the balloon, first spotted over Montana on Thursday, could potentially take it over a “number of sensitive sites” and say they are taking steps to “protect against foreign intelligence collection.”

(Excerpt) Read more at wishtv.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat
KEYWORDS: covid23dispenser
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To: RebelTXRose
Why isn’t it shot down?

Unknown payload (radiological, bioweapons, etc.)

Damage from falling debris
121 posted on 02/03/2023 6:28:09 AM PST by TexasGunLover
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To: dforest

Balloon may be from China;
but the hot air, definitely from DC.


122 posted on 02/03/2023 6:29:30 AM PST by V K Lee (Our CONSTITUTION. Written with DIVINE assistance by very wise men. A document unlike any other.)
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To: DNME

One thing for sure......no reaction is more proof of how weak this democratic administration really is.


123 posted on 02/03/2023 6:34:09 AM PST by V_TWIN (America...so great even the people that hate it refuse to leave!)
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To: V_TWIN

This is a pretty bold move on China’s part. Looks like they’re worried they won’t have their bought and paid for President much longer. It’s outrageous that our military hasn’t dispensed with it already.


124 posted on 02/03/2023 6:42:27 AM PST by liberalh8ter (The only difference between flash mob 'urban yutes' and U.S. politicians is the hoodies.)
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To: Fai Mao
If it is higher than 60,000 feet, I think it is international airspace.

I’ve read it’s 70,000 feet high.

125 posted on 02/03/2023 6:45:05 AM PST by Drew68 (Ron DeSantis for President 2024)
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To: Sirius Lee

I’m noticing that too. I guess the gov is cool with it. Meanwhile, the censorship bill passed in Canada.


126 posted on 02/03/2023 6:45:45 AM PST by Bulwyf
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To: Chad N. Freud

Amazing Coincidence!! Surely the balloon & Red Flag at the same time have no connection.

https://www.ang.af.mil/Media/Article-Display/Article/3275498/red-flag-nellis-23-1-kicks-off/

ublished Jan. 24, 2023
By Senior Airman Cydnie Williams
57th Wing Public Affairs
NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. — The first Red Flag-Nellis exercise of 2023 is underway. Close to 100 aircraft and 3,000 coalition service members have arrived to participate in the large force air combat training exercise centered on readiness and interoperability between joint and allied forces.


127 posted on 02/03/2023 6:46:21 AM PST by slorunner
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To: slorunner

fwiw...CNN;
“It is a civilian airship used for research, mainly meteorological, purposes. Affected by the Westerlies and with limited self-steering capability, the airship deviated far from its planned course. The Chinese side regrets the unintended entry of the airship into US airspace due to force majeure,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/suspected-chinese-balloon-us/index.html


128 posted on 02/03/2023 6:51:51 AM PST by SheepWhisperer ("For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding")
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To: JSM_Liberty

Where is it now?


129 posted on 02/03/2023 6:52:04 AM PST by Dust in the Wind (Vote anyway)
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To: Drew68

You are probably right. It has to be the edge of space. At any rate, it is higher than almost any plane could fly.


130 posted on 02/03/2023 6:53:09 AM PST by Fai Mao (Stop feeding the beast, and steal its food!)
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To: Drew68

Incidentally, balloons can get really, really high.

I think this man is now considered the first man to reach space. He did it in a balloon!

http://www.ltaflightmagazine.com/jk/


131 posted on 02/03/2023 6:55:55 AM PST by Fai Mao (Stop feeding the beast, and steal its food!)
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To: V_TWIN

Long range recon drone. Betting in China, “When will it be shot down?!”

When balloon gets over Open Water, see how serious Chinese effort is to keep others away.


132 posted on 02/03/2023 6:56:25 AM PST by linMcHlp
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To: V K Lee

Good one!


133 posted on 02/03/2023 7:07:47 AM PST by dforest (Joy Behar is a big mouth cow.)
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To: V_TWIN

Really? Well if true, why not just shoot it down?


134 posted on 02/03/2023 7:33:06 AM PST by Tommy Revolts
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To: V_TWIN

Apparently its doing whatever it wants. 😆


135 posted on 02/03/2023 7:51:30 AM PST by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose of a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped)
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To: Krosan

So if Chinese jet fighters are overhead they won’t shoot them down either for fear of falling debris? 🙄


136 posted on 02/03/2023 8:02:41 AM PST by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose of a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped)
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To: NorseViking
They are hard targets. No radar crossection and the cellular structure, immune to gunfire.

The instrument package hanging beneath the balloon is large and has what appears to be solar panels on it. This is a huge radar crossection.

137 posted on 02/03/2023 8:08:12 AM PST by cpdiii (CANE CUTTER-DECKHAND-ROUGHNECK-OILFIELD CONSULTANT-GEOLOGIST-PILOT-PHARMACIST)
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To: bert

“Having passed near Alaska, the probability is that it actually passed through eastern Russia.”

That’s why I first thought it might be Russia. It didn’t pass “near Alaska”; it passed OVER Alaska (the Aleutians).

Any any case ... we’re DOOOOOMED. ;)


138 posted on 02/03/2023 8:33:34 AM PST by MayflowerMadam (Stupid is supposed to hurt.)
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To: ReformedBeckite

But a balloon can be used to drop sensors into sensitive areas.


139 posted on 02/03/2023 9:19:07 AM PST by mep3
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To: 4Runner

Like we know the intel

However the actions of the administration suggest something hinky and Blinken cancelled his trip to China…first planned by SecState in 15 years

The possible use of balloons for WMD attacks is NOT unknown to the defense and intel communities, even though their priorities now are wokeness, propaganda about Russia and the Ukraine War, and ….


140 posted on 02/03/2023 11:26:06 AM PST by silverleaf (“Freedom ultimately means the right of other people to do things that you disagree with”. T. Sowell )
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