Blinken postpones trip to Beijing after Chinese spy balloon spotted over US, officials say

[catsudon]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by Lasher (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: cnn

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has postponed his upcoming trip to China in response to the flying of a suspected Chinese spy balloon over the United States, according to two US officials. The postponement marks a significant new phase in the tensions between Washington and Beijing.

The Chinese foreign ministry claimed Friday that the suspected Chinese high-altitude surveillance balloon flying over the continental United States is a "civilian airship" used mainly for weather research that deviated from its planned course.

The statement, by a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, is the first admission that the airship originated in China since the Pentagon revealed it was tracking the balloon on Thursday.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/03/politics/china-us-balloon-intl/index.html

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yeah, weather balloon my butt, it's checking for ski conditions over Montana?

Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said on Friday that the US Defense Department knows the suspected surveillance balloon floating over the northern US "has the ability to maneuver."

"The balloon is maneuverable, clearly it's violated US air space, and again we've communicated that fact to the [People's Republic of China]," Ryder said.
The spokesperson did not indicate any details on how it can be maneuvered.

time to move the goal post for china apologist "since usa spies on china, it is okay for china too!"

[packman]

1. Fox news is really beating the drum on this

Had a Repuke congressperson on discussing the wayward balloon and he brought up Biden, Afghanistan, Covid, Wuhon, the laptop and every other thing he could throw against the wall.

[efhmc]

2. What can really be the point of this, escept harraresment?

Which is eaily taken care of with a well place kaboom.

[roamer65]

3. Shoot it down.

[Ray Bruns]

4. It's aliens

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1CDGOYI_enUS1010US1010&hl=en-US&sxsrf=AJOqlzVOISHwSVAjHzGgUSGG9TAVRFFxQA:1675449516906&q=its+aliens+history+channel+meme&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwih_6zq__n8AhUsFVkFHT9yC7gQ0pQJegQIERAB#imgrc=n77zJ_NFfYfjWM

[IronLionZion]

6. I'm not saying it was the aliens

but it was the aliens

[Ray Bruns]

7. Ha!

[McKim]

5. So Just Ignore it!

So just ignore it and send Blinken to China. We need diplomacy not war mongering! Just stop it!
Hostilities do not lead to good ends. It this a trial balloon for the Pentagon which seems to be itching for a war on China? Bad stock market news solution: Let’s ramp up hostilities and sell some more war materials! ENOUGH ALREADY! Really, we can’t even feed and house our people!

[Ray Bruns]

8. It's aliens 👽

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/485403666065256267/

[otchmoson]

9. Let me straighten my tinfoil hat

Perhaps it isn't being shot down lest it release a payload of airborne viral particles?

[Owl]

10. A few small holes so comes down slowly?

[ancianita]

11. It's invaded our airspace, right? What's the military doing? When's the CiC press conference?

And why isn't it captured? Or even shot down?

Why are PTB just watching it even as it does its intel gathering?

WTF!

[Alexander Of Assyria]

13. Easy answer, it's a weather balloon! Military action isn't always the answer to everything.

Sacrilège, I speak!?

[ancianita]

14. That's what THEY say. Gen McCaffery gives them a little play, but leaned toward a spy vehicle they

got sloppy in controlling.

[Evolve Dammit]

12. Get the facts first. Then respond accordingly. If it is an errant balloon, let's not go nuts.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

15. Too late! The buttery has ballooned into the stratosphere and no coming back to earth for them!

Twitter has passed judgment and sentence on the balloon! No appeals!

[Lasher]

16. Locking as LBN duplicate.

Duplicate threads are not allowed in the LBN Forum. Please continue discussion in this earlier LBN thread.