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US Recovering Balloon Debris, Won't Return it to China
Channel News Asia ^ | 07 Feb 2023

Posted on 02/06/2023 1:21:47 PM PST by nickcarraway

The United States is recovering debris from the downed Chinese balloon in the Atlantic for analysis by intelligence experts and there is no plan to give the remains back to Beijing, officials said on Monday (Feb 6).

China says the balloon was an errant weather observation aircraft with no military purpose, but the United States says it was a sophisticated high-altitude spying vehicle.

"They have recovered some remnants off the surface of the sea and weather conditions did not permit much undersea surveillance of the debris field," US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said two days after a US fighter jet shot down the balloon.

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


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
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1 posted on 02/06/2023 1:21:47 PM PST by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

That’ll show ‘em.


2 posted on 02/06/2023 1:22:28 PM PST by Interesting Times (This space for rent.)
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To: nickcarraway

well... not unless they buy a Hunter Biden painting!!!


3 posted on 02/06/2023 1:22:37 PM PST by TexasFreeper2009
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To: nickcarraway

Don’t you believe it.


4 posted on 02/06/2023 1:24:31 PM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: nickcarraway

The only thing that would float are pieces of the balloon envelope.

They payload and associated framing and the solar panels would all sink.

There’s nothing of value to retrieve anyway, after being blown up by an AIM-9X Sidewinder, then plummeting 65,000 feet and slamming into the ocean surface.


5 posted on 02/06/2023 1:25:29 PM PST by Yo-Yo (Is the /Sarc tag really necessary? Pray for President Biden: Psalm 109:8)
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To: nickcarraway

But... but... but. What will they do without that valuable weather information?


6 posted on 02/06/2023 1:26:14 PM PST by jerod (Nazi's were essentially Socialist in Hugo Boss uniforms... Get over it!)
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To: Yo-Yo

1) Sidewinder had an inert warhead.

2) Sidewinder hit the balloon, not the payload.

Still, a long drop.


7 posted on 02/06/2023 1:26:49 PM PST by NorthMountain (... the right of the peopIe to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed)
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To: TexasFreeper2009

Why bother?

They bought Hunter Biden......................


8 posted on 02/06/2023 1:27:17 PM PST by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegal aliens are put up in hotels.....................)
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To: dfwgator

No kidding! Since when did surface conditions prevent the Navy from viewing stuff just 47 feet down? There aren’t prevailing conditions that would prevent surface vessels, and its divers, from being on location.


9 posted on 02/06/2023 1:27:21 PM PST by GingisK
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To: nickcarraway

10 posted on 02/06/2023 1:29:24 PM PST by plain talk
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To: nickcarraway

WE WON'T GIVE IT BACK


11 posted on 02/06/2023 1:29:47 PM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: nickcarraway

Fact that it is around 2,000 pounds is evidence that the Chicoms meant business. First reports sounded like a youth’s remote control plane size. Not at all.


12 posted on 02/06/2023 1:30:44 PM PST by frank ballenger (You have summoned up a thundercloud. You're gonna hear from me. Anthem by Leonard Cohen)
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To: dfwgator

Don’t stop believing!!!

😂


13 posted on 02/06/2023 1:34:57 PM PST by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold ......)
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To: NorthMountain
1) Sidewinder had an inert warhead.

False.

2) Sidewinder hit the balloon, not the payload.

Again, false.

14 posted on 02/06/2023 1:38:24 PM PST by Yo-Yo (Is the /Sarc tag really necessary? Pray for President Biden: Psalm 109:8)
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To: TexasFreeper2009

actual lol moment!


15 posted on 02/06/2023 1:40:33 PM PST by When do we get liberated? (A socialist is a communist who realizes he must suckle the breast of Capitalism.)
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To: nickcarraway

Since it was a simple weather balloon launched by someone TOTALLY not the government, China shouldn’t WANT it back. RIGHT?


16 posted on 02/06/2023 1:42:06 PM PST by FrankRizzo890
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To: nickcarraway

Just return it to Walmart.


17 posted on 02/06/2023 1:42:13 PM PST by outofsalt (If history teaches us anything, it's that history rarely teaches anything.)
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To: nickcarraway
Hey man, that balloon was made out of some really nice genuine Chinese silk. That stuff can be sold off to the right person for a few bucks, who can repurpose it into some really cool neckties, handkerchiefs, and high-markup lingerie, enough to gross a few million bucks if it's retailed the right way.

Ten percent for the big guy, of course.

18 posted on 02/06/2023 1:42:58 PM PST by OKSooner (War is a racket. COVID-19 is a racket.)
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To: NorthMountain
Sidewinder hit the balloon, not the payload.

Unless the videos are edited, the grey explosion puff on video below the envelope appears to be a hit on the dangling payload since it had a radar cross section that the envelope didn't, maybe.

Shootdown vid closeup

19 posted on 02/06/2023 1:43:07 PM PST by redcatcherb412
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To: NorthMountain

Both of your bullet points are disputed in many other sources around the net. What source do you have to support your points? Just askin’ ...

IMO Xi called Xiden and asked that the payload be destroyed, something Xi would do if Xi knew the payload was an espionage unit and fully expected that the payload would not be returned to China. Mr Cabbage-head in the White House would be only happy to oblige.


20 posted on 02/06/2023 1:43:16 PM PST by ByteMercenary (Slo-Joe and KamalHo are not my leaders.)
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