Please, We Implore You, Don't Try to Shoot The Balloon

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Conservatives are fantasizing about taking their shot at bringing down the reported Chinese Spy Balloon floating over the Midwest. We cannot stress it enough: THAT IS A BAD IDEA.

The balloon is located at an altitude of about 66,000 feet (12.5 miles), high above the airspace where commercial airliners typically fly. It is way, way, way above the altitude where a bullet could reach it. The Department of Defense has indicated that while taking military-based action to shoot down the balloon is being considered, the concern of potential harm to civilians by falling debris has stayed their hand.

-snip-

Despite the clear danger posed by firing a gun at a target you absolutely will not hit, prominent conservative figures, second amendment advocates, and even gun manufacturers are encouraging their followers to take matters into their own hands.

Former First Son Donald Trump Jr. tweeted to his followers that if the government won’t take down the balloon “perhaps we just let the good people of Montana do their thing… I imagine they have the capability and the resolve to do it all themselves. “

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/please-we-implore-you-don-t-try-to-shoot-the-balloon/ar-AA175CBZ

The article goes on to give the reaction of several other RWNJs.

[Eliot Rosewater]

1. morons

[lapfog_1]

2. I think the military would be using a small air to air missile

off of a military jet. One that can reach the altitude of the balloon.

The concern by the military is not that they cannot hit the thing, it is only "where will it fall and what might it hit when it does".

As for anyone using any kind of gun to shoot from the ground... that is just laughable.

Then, whatever the mission of the balloon is or was... this is not the greatest platform to gather military intelligence. China and Russia, and probably a half dozen other nations have military spy satellites with very good cameras on board to take pictures of our military bases. Anything we really want to hide from a balloon is already hidden.

[speak easy]

9. The bigger concern is what sort of precedent we would be setting for our adversaries.

'We shot it down because it was over our airspace' could go a long way up.

[stopdiggin]

11. all correct. especially the latter.

"Please don't feed the animals"

[lees1975]

3. We're seeing just how stupid some Republicans

believe their base of supporters to be. What a bunch of crazies, and this makes them look idiotic and stupid.

[Raven123]

4. Wait till it reaches Mara Lago, then shoot it down

[sarcasmo]

5. Junior thinks citizens in Montana have weapons that shoot 60,000 feet. LMAO.

[icymist]

6. Maybe Margerie Taylor Green can shoot it down

with her Jewish Space Laser.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

7. That or fly up there on her broom and shoot it down with her Barrett 50 calibar

[LetMyPeopleVote]

8. "SHOOT DOWN THE BALLOON!"

Link to tweet

[roamer65]

10. I mentioned it in an earlier thread.

Yep, people are THAT stupid.

[keithbvadu2]

12. It would require a missile/ explosive that destroys the balloon all at once.

It would require a missile/ explosive that destroys the balloon all at once.

It is so low tech that it's that much tougher.

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https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/shooting-down-chinese-spy-balloon-a-lot-harder-than-it-seems/ar-AA174Kwo?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=884c6a5c1a354ee4a79880e5ce166cf7

Shooting Down Chinese Spy Balloon a Lot Harder Than it Seems
Story by Aleks Phillips • 7h ago


A suspected Chinese spy balloon may be harder to shoot down than it would appear because of their "survivable" nature, according to military research. However, analysts say hitting one is easy but the difficulty stems from controlling its crash landing.

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'Inherently Survivable'
The key issue is that high-altitude balloons, by design, are able to stay in the air for a long time, even if punctured. Massie wrote that airships are "inherently survivable," usually containing inert helium which prevent them from turning into a "flaming wreckage."

Equally, balloons of this kind have an internal pressure of less than one pound per square inch, Massie said. "Holes created by damage result in slow leaks and slow descents," he added.

Massie noted an example from 1998, in which Canadian F-18s shot at a wayward 100 meter weather balloon, which after being hit by 1,000 rounds managed to stay airborne for another six days.

[NCjack]

13. Maybe MTG could shoot it with an Italian space laser. Burn holes into it

until it slowly descended unto Margeo Largo's golf course and be captured by TDG.

[Oneironaut]

14. Hahahaha. Donald Trump Jr. is dumber than rotted plank in a sunken ship.

[purr-rat beauty]

15. put more balloons on it and make it float up higher

is that possible?

[Hermit-The-Prog]

16. Mah granpappy's shotgun will take care of that there commy spy balloon!