Originally Posted by
Low average
Not sure how the US or Canada are at fault here? China is deliberately violating their airspace with reconnaissance balloons and then taking a page from the Russian playbook - Deny, cast doubt, mock. We've seen this exact tactic played over and over the last year. It's a sure sign they're up to no good.
I find it a worrying turn of events - why do they feel the need to do this now?
Perhaps to probe US Nuclear capabilities pre-Taiwan invasion, or to pass Intel to their Russian friends? All it takes is a satellite uplink. Maybe one day a balloon manages to get over the mainland with a bucket of sunshine.
I dont blame them for shooting them down.
I don't have an issue with shooting down a Chinese balloon, especially if there is suspicion that it is conducting surveillance, although I would suggest it is far better to down the balloon before it is able to trek all across the country taking pictures and hoovering up EW emissions.
But I do take issue at the shoot first policy which seems to be in place for UFO, because that is what they have so far admitted the second two objects are. As I said before, maybe they did know more than they are saying, and the use of force is justified. But the use of force should be a last resort, not the first, as seems to be the case here for, what seems to me, largely political reasons.