Posted on 02/03/2023 10:50:48 AM PST by Right Wing Vegan
GOP lawmakers are calling for the United States to shoot down the alleged Chinese spy balloon found floating over Montana on Wednesday.
The Pentagon said it would not shoot down the balloon, arguing it "does not present a military or physical threat to people on the ground at this time," and China blamed the incursion into U.S. airspace on a civilian aircraft that had deviated off course. Montana is home to sensitive nuclear military installations.
"It was a mistake to not shoot down that Chinese spy balloon when it was over a sparsely populated area," Sen. Marco Rubio (FL), the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, tweeted. "This is not some hot air balloon, it has a large payload of sensors roughly the size of two city buses & the ability to maneuver independently."
"President Biden should stop coddling and appeasing the Chinese communists," Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) tweeted on Friday. "Bring the balloon down now and exploit its tech package, which could be an intelligence bonanza."
A defense official said Thursday the intelligence value of the destroyed balloon would be minimal and that the Defense Department doesn't want to risk hurting people on the ground.
Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-MT) dismissed what he called "bowing" to China's "provocation."
"Shoot. It. Down. The Chinese spy balloon is clear provocation. In Montana we do not bow. We shoot it down. Take the shot," he tweeted on Thursday.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) emphatically agreed, saying the Pentagon's argument on safety "doesn't sell."
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) told Fox News the presence of the spy balloon is "disturbing."
Why hasn't the Biden administration shot this spy balloon down?" she asked. "It's very disturbing to know that it's still up there in the air near our military installations. The time is now. Let's get this thing out of the air."
Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said the U.S. government continues to monitor the balloon closely.
The F-15 has a service ceiling of 65,000 feet.
I’d say capture it and reverse engineer all the stolen technology
I recall when I entered the Air National Guard in 1972, we had a colonel in charge of 1300 men in a small ANG base. He was a rather eccentric WW2 veteran, and would chip golf balls over the admin building in the afternoon. No one would ask him not to do that; he was king so long as his units passed the ORI. Referred to the men as his "creatures", and that was a pretty true to life characterization. He was nothing like Jack D. Ripper, and had a kindly exterior demeanor, but had been through war and was tough as nails. I regret that at the time I did not truly understand the greatness of these heroes.
Yes, Curtis LeMay would not have tolerated this b.s.
Rhino Nancy Mace is getting a chance to act tough, when all she does is schmooze. Useless.
Jesse Waters on Fox News just reported there is supposedly another Chinese spy balloon over Latin America right now. And.. there was just a massive explosion in the sky over Billings, Montana. 🤔
one word, pussy
I'm glad that you also reject the notion (others have so meticulously repeated a million times on all threads on this topic) that the sheer fact the US has ever spied or entered another nation's airspace somehow negates our sovereignty and the right and duty to intercept or even destroy whatever infringes it.
Only human that has exceeded the speed of sound without an aercraft
aercraft = aircraft
"The F-15 has a service ceiling of 65,000 feet."
Nevermind. You don’t get it. Go have a steak.
"I’d say capture it and reverse engineer all the stolen technology"
Hm... What I don’t get is where our views collide on this topic. But I’m recalling now that you do not welcome replies from me. Sorry as it was quite some time ago since your last unwarranted hostility.
I don’t subscribe to the take that most Democrats are out to destroy the country.
Not physically, maybe. They want to destroy everything good and decent about our country. The insane communists have taken over the Democrat party. There are no “moderates” left. Some, like Joe Manchin talk a good game but when the rubber hits the road, they vote with the other lunatics.
for your condescending information, the rubes can process more than one issue at a time...
unlike you it seems
RE: Can’t something be tied to it and drag it down?
Jules Verne had that in the Africa section of the novel Five Weeks In A Balloon. (1863)
Elephant catches a line and pulls at the balloon for a few yards.
https://www.weslpress.org/9780819575470/five-weeks-in-a-balloon/
Trump....
Right.
But like most other stories that didn’t happen due to his reputation. Chicoms would have said to themselves “The balloon thing? Let’s not.”
Good one.
Yes.
We cannot allow a balloon gap.
Remember when Rush used this theme for condom discussions?
The Fifth Dimension.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKkNlwpajNk
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