US halts Blinken China visit after spy balloon row

[Scott]

 

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has postponed his trip to China after a Chinese spy balloon flew across the US.

A senior State Department official said conditions were not right at this time for what would have been the first high level US-China meeting there in years.

A Chinese apology was noted, the official said, but described the balloon as a clear violation of sovereignty and international law.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64516218

[Tug]

Approiate imo there should be a consequence for such a blatant violation of a country’s space 

[bendejo]

Maybe that Tesla whatsisname shot into space will collide with it. 

Doesn't China already have spy satellites?  Maybe this is just a psych-out to throw Blinken off on his visit, which he cancelled -- and rightly so IMO.

 

 

[pegman]

3 hours ago, Tug said:

Approiate imo there should be a consequence for such a blatant violation of a country’s space 

 Outrageous , who do the Chinese think they are? Acting like the Americans 

 

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hainan_Island_incident

[Social Media]

Even before America's top diplomat Anthony Blinken postponed his visit to Beijing, the US-China relationship was at an all-time low.

Just how low became painfully evident when a day before his departure, an apparent Chinese spy balloon over the state of Montana roiled the tensions he was trying to address.

Eventually, the Chinese foreign ministry claimed the unmanned airship was used for weather research and had blown off course.

The accompanying expression of regret suggested Beijing did not want the incident to mar the secretary of state's visit - the first of its kind in five years.

But the damage was done.

[vandeventer]

They are worried over a Spy or weather balloon? Shoot it down, or don't shoot it down? Yet there are so many people crossing the Southern border who may be spy's. Wake up and smell the roses, Chinese have a foothold in America and they need to be weeded out.

[Tug]

2 hours ago, pegman said:

 Outrageous , who do the Chinese think they are? Acting like the Americans 

 

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hainan_Island_incident

Not a good analogy Imo the us aircraft was in international airspace beeing harassed by a Chinese military aircraft that collided with it they were extremely lucky not to lose control and be killed as it turned out they nursed their aircraft to a safe landing and survived a major incident though 

[placeholder]

2 hours ago, vandeventer said:

They are worried over a Spy or weather balloon? Shoot it down, or don't shoot it down? Yet there are so many people crossing the Southern border who may be spy's. Wake up and smell the roses, Chinese have a foothold in America and they need to be weeded out.

Not so long ago, Michael Flynn claimed that there were signs in Arabic directing Islamic terrorists who had illegally crossed the border from Mexico, where to go. Now it's Chinese spies. 

[IAMHERE]

And how do we know that it is a weather balloon?  It could be carrying a 500 pound fake bomb as a test run to get an EMP bomb over USA at some future lost wayward weather balloon incident. Trust the Chinese with you life isn't my motto. There was plenty of time (it flew over the Pacific) for the Chinese to warn America the balloon was out of control and headed Montana way.

Perfect place to let off an EMO bomb though. What would China do if it was an American balloon over China missile field?

[Tug]

53 minutes ago, IAMHERE said:

And how do we know that it is a weather balloon?  It could be carrying a 500 pound fake bomb as a test run to get an EMP bomb over USA at some future lost wayward weather balloon incident. Trust the Chinese with you life isn't my motto. There was plenty of time (it flew over the Pacific) for the Chinese to warn America the balloon was out of control and headed Montana way.

Perfect place to let off an EMO bomb though. What would China do if it was an American balloon over China missile field?

Lots of easier and by far more reliable and accurate ways to deliver a weapon I think it’s more of a warning or a statement of displeasure of our expanding military presence in the South China Sea 

[Bkk Brian]

Why the US hasn’t shot down the suspected Chinese surveillance balloon, according to officials

A US official added on Friday to CNN: “This isn’t like ‘Top Gun’ where it just explodes and doesn’t go anywhere. It’s large and it’s metal, it would put hundreds of Americans at risk.”

 

President Joe Biden was briefed on the balloon’s movements and requested options from his military advisers and while there was consideration to down the balloon while it was over Montana, the advice was to ultimately not to, the Biden administration acted “immediately” to protect against the collection of sensitive intelligence, an official said on Thursday.

 

But that’s not to say that it couldn’t be shot down eventually; the senior defense official said on Thursday that the US has “options to deal with this balloon” if the risk it poses changes.

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/02/03/politics/us-monitoring-chinese-balloon/index.html

 

However according to MTG who's having regular rants about this on twitter, any average person could shoot it down. Although she failed to mention how exactly any old Joe could shoot it down, an AR-15 does not have the capacity to fire up 55,000 feet............lol

 

https://twitter.com/RepMTG/status/1621626596581937152

 

[SunnyinBangrak]

This would NEVER have happened under Trump. The current regime's weakness is on full display to rogues worldwide. Quite disastrous.

[placeholder]

1 minute ago, SunnyinBangrak said:

This would NEVER have happened under Trump. The current regime's weakness is on full display to rogues worldwide. Quite disastrous.

Does Trump command the wind?

Who has been more confrontational with the Chinese? Trump or Biden?

[Bkk Brian]

10 minutes ago, SunnyinBangrak said:

This would NEVER have happened under Trump. The current regime's weakness is on full display to rogues worldwide. Quite disastrous.

Really?

 

"The balloon spotted this week over Montana was not the first time the US has detected Chinese balloons over their territory – with previous incursions occurring during the Trump Administration."

 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-02-03/high-flying-balloon-seen-as-part-of-broader-chinese-spy-program

[Jaybott]

5 hours ago, IAMHERE said:

And how do we know that it is a weather balloon?  It could be carrying a 500 pound fake bomb as a test run to get an EMP bomb over USA

Or, it could be carrying a virus.

[bangon04]

"A Chinese apology was noted, the official said"

pity that the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson usually blatantly lies about almost everything with a straight "FACE"

"Eventually, the Chinese foreign ministry claimed the unmanned airship was used for weather research and had blown off course."

 

and the other one?

[ozimoron]

8 hours ago, vandeventer said:

They are worried over a Spy or weather balloon? Shoot it down, or don't shoot it down? Yet there are so many people crossing the Southern border who may be spy's. Wake up and smell the roses, Chinese have a foothold in America and they need to be weeded out.

Remove all Chinese from America? Really? What about those with American citizenship? Them too I suppose. Don't allow Chinese tourists in either?

[bangon04]

"China has always strictly abided by international law and respected the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries," the (CCP) foreign ministry said in a statement.

 

you have to laugh...............

[John Drake]

2 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

Really?

 

"The balloon spotted this week over Montana was not the first time the US has detected Chinese balloons over their territory – with previous incursions occurring during the Trump Administration."

 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-02-03/high-flying-balloon-seen-as-part-of-broader-chinese-spy-program

Where? When?  That article isn't specific. I have heard that there were incursions near Hawaii and Guam. But in the past a spy balloon just taking its time and slowly passing over the US mainland and nobody bothered to mention it?

[metisdead]

An off topic trolling post about Trump and the southern border wall has been reported and removed.

[Hanaguma]

37 minutes ago, John Drake said:

Where? When?  That article isn't specific. I have heard that there were incursions near Hawaii and Guam. But in the past a spy balloon just taking its time and slowly passing over the US mainland and nobody bothered to mention it?

Not to mention it probably already flew over Japan, Alaska, and western Canada. Now over Kansas I think?

 

Maybe the plan is to wait until it drifts out to sea and then take it out.  But by then it will have drifted over some much more densely populated areas.  Not a good look at all for the Biden administration. 

[Bkk Brian]

40 minutes ago, John Drake said:

Where? When?  That article isn't specific. I have heard that there were incursions near Hawaii and Guam. But in the past a spy balloon just taking its time and slowly passing over the US mainland and nobody bothered to mention it?

No idea why nobody mentioned it at the time.

 

"The Pentagon says that this is not the first time that a Chinese surveillance balloon has passed over U.S. territory, including in the continental United States, and that the prior incidents predate Biden taking office in January 2021. Separate reports say that Chinese balloons previously passed over unspecified parts of Florida, Hawaii, and Guam."

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/chinese-spy-balloon-reaches-missouri

[Slip]

12 minutes ago, Hanaguma said:

Not to mention it probably already flew over Japan, Alaska, and western Canada. Now over Kansas I think?

 

Maybe the plan is to wait until it drifts out to sea and then take it out.  But by then it will have drifted over some much more densely populated areas.  Not a good look at all for the Biden administration. 

You've got MTG saying the citizens of Montana could and should shoot it out of the sky with their pew-pews, and you think it's Biden who should worry?  Hilarious.

 

I imagine, as you suggest, they will wait until it's no risk and then collect it.   The whole thing seems like a trolling action.

[Chomper Higgot]

10 hours ago, vandeventer said:

They are worried over a Spy or weather balloon? Shoot it down, or don't shoot it down? Yet there are so many people crossing the Southern border who may be spy's. Wake up and smell the roses, Chinese have a foothold in America and they need to be weeded out.

What has migration across the southern border got to do with this topic?

 

 

[LosLobo]

3 hours ago, placeholder said:

Does Trump command the wind?

Who has been more confrontational with the Chinese? Trump or Biden?

Apparently, he can command the wind! 

He was able to change the course of Hurricane Dorian!

 

Washington Post: Trump was the one who altered Dorian trajectory map with Sharpie | CNN Politics

[Bkk Brian]

“We are seeing reports of a balloon transiting Latin America. We now assess it is another Chinese surveillance balloon,” press secretary Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said in a statement to CNN.

 

It is unclear exactly where the balloon is over Latin America – but a US official tells CNN it does not appear to be currently heading to the United States.

 

https://edition.cnn.com/politics/live-news/suspected-chinese-balloon-over-us-02-04-23/h_3c1c5225c339fc04901fcebf655fde56

[Tug]

9 hours ago, LosLobo said:

Apparently, he can command the wind! 

He was able to change the course of Hurricane Dorian!

 

Washington Post: Trump was the one who altered Dorian trajectory map with Sharpie | CNN Politics

Well he certainly is a windbag and a master gaslighter also man’s a mighty sharpie lol hey they shut down 3 airports on the east coast in the vicinity of the balloon I think they are gonna pop it soon!

[Tug]

They popped it!

[LosLobo]

20 hours ago, placeholder said:

Does Trump command the wind?

Who has been more confrontational with the Chinese? Trump or Biden?

 

16 hours ago, LosLobo said:

Apparently, he can command the wind! 

He was able to change the course of Hurricane Dorian!

 

Washington Post: Trump was the one who altered Dorian trajectory map with Sharpie | CNN Politics

The very stable genius was also able to harness his scientific acumen to stop hurricanes.
 

 

Scoop: Trump suggested nuking hurricanes to stop them from hitting U.S. (axios.com)