Shooting down a weather balloon
February 10th, 2023 | 
Author: 
1. My pro-US friend said that the US military is justified to treat the wandering weather balloon as a security threat. He explained:
a) The weather balloon has equipment to measure the temperature, air pressure and other readings. It also has a high resolution camera to take photos of the landscape.
b) When the “harmless” weather balloon wanders all over the place, it will take high resolution photos along the way. These climate readings and photos are sent back to the server.
c) While 99.99% of the photos are useless from a military standpoint, perhaps 0.01% (maybe less) may have strategic value, as it is taken near a US military base. The AI algorithm will be able to pick out the photos that have strategic value.
2. After listening to his rational explanation, I can understand why the US military is concerned about the wandering weather balloon.
3. I am still not convinced that it is necessary to use an expensive missile to take down the balloon. After all, the US already had a large national debt. They should not spend money wastefully.
4. Anyway, the US has the right to shoot down any balloon or other aerial craft, that did not get official permission to fly into US air space.
5. Fortunately, I do not fly a private aircraft. I do not like, one day, to have my private aircraft drift into US air space (without prior permission) and be shot down by an advanced missile.
Tan Kin Lian
Posted in 
You said the balloon was taking photos as it traversed USA from the west coast to the east coast and sending the data collected back to China. In which case, they SHOULD HAVE shot the balloon down at the point of entry into USA territory. They shot the balloon down at the point of exit out of USA territory…after taking so many “intelligent ” photos and sent back to China. From Alaska to South Carolina. Many “spy” photos taken liao, too late!
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The balloon is clearly over US’s airspace, so US has every right to shoot it down.
Even if it was a passenger jet carrying hundreds of innocent people, they can still shoot it down and justify it with plenty of BS, like national security. It’s their perogative and right, like it or not.
In fact, the Soviets have done it, and I am sure the US did too (shooting down a passenger jet).
P/S: National security is, IMHO a bull of shit excuse to justify what the top echelons do and it is what they say it is. A kid swimming from Johor into Sinkieland with a rubber ducky is a national security issue, a Chinese bird flying into Chicago also qualifies as a national security issue, not forgetting a hungry refugee walking through the desert into US from Mexico also qualifies. lol
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@ 5. Fortunately, I do not fly a private aircraft. I do not like, one day, to have my private aircraft drift into US air space (without prior permission) and be shot down by an advanced missile.
1. Malaysia MH17 says otherwise. Perpetrators still free. In the end, coincidence or luck.
2. Private aircraft still need to and fro communication with whichever countries airport or control tower you intend to fly to.
3. You cannot afford it unless you are a magnate and biz as usual. Every month burn monies.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHBba0K2RIU
Quick. Come see. Virgins caught naked.
纳米比亚在附近海域发现美国“间谍船”？美方却称“用于科考”？
2月9日，外交部发言人毛宁主持例行记者会。有记者提问，有报道称，纳米比亚近期在其附近海域发现了一艘用于收集水下信息的美国无人艇，美方称系用于科考研究的私人艇，纳米比亚媒体普遍认为该无人艇为美国的间谍船，我们还注意到智库“南海战略态势感知”近日发布最新的数据指出，今年1月，美军共出动64架次侦察机到南海进行抵近侦察。中方对此有何评论？
毛宁表示，美国是全球最大的监控、侦察国家，长期在世界各地开展情报活动，美国频繁派舰机在中国周边抵近侦察，严重危害中国国家安全，破坏地区和平稳定。中方已经多次表示严重关切，美方应当立即停止此类挑衅行为。
Tech: US is certainly guilty as charged. Sheldon has confirmed that the US likes to poke its nose into everyone’s arsehole. lol
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Shooting down a weather balloon with expensive missile!
No wonder USA,mighty as it is,is the world’s BIGGE$T DEBTOR NATION and China is one of their BIGGEST CREDITOR?
Think there objects flying over the WHITE HOU$E,like flying leave debris or birds that may be attached with spying instruments?
Are the great americans going to fire more mi$$ile$ ?
This reminds me of old angmoh afage: MAKING MOUNTAIN OUT OF A MOLEHILL.
Like that,how to make America great again???
Tech: Ballons are filled with helium, i.e. air. So using bullets poke holes can liao, the US die die have to use a $1m sidewinder missile. With bullets, the ballon will glide into the sea and can still be recovered, how nice for evidence collection. Maybe the missile close to the expiry date liao? lol
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-Some Pentagon official acknowledged that
* there was minimal threat from the balloon
* China Spy satellite above has greater capability to snoop.
But but. . .
US is so divisive -
* accusation that Biden is weak for not shooting it upon first sighting
So, US got to show who is “Boss” { or cowboy } –
* draw the gun and shoot. . .
=
A US Journalist shares some history of balloons. . .
The spy balloon incident will only ratchet up tensions in U.S.-China relations, but in general, the vitriol will blow over, like the balloon itself. And high-altitude balloons with the potential for spying activities are nothing new in U.S.-China relations:
• In May 1974, a U.S. high-altitude reconnaissance balloon entered Chinese airspace and floated above Bohai Bay before being shot down by Chinese J-6 fighter jets.
• In September 2019, an unidentified reconnaissance balloon appeared high in the sky over Yunnan Province, and was shot down by a J-10C fighter (even though the balloon was floating above the surface ceiling of the jet).
• In July 2022, the Pentagon significantly increased the budget for high-altitude balloons for tracking and intercepting Russian and Chinese hypersonic missiles.
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There are more Hot Air in ChinaLover Boy, Wumao-Brainwashed, TKL posts than any HotAir balloon.
When you are Wumao-brainwashed, every sentence that you posts reeked of gullibility.
Just like his choice of Hi_Five symbol for his PE campaign.
Hot Air Weather balloon, indeed.
Luckily for Sinkiestan, he actually lost his deposit in PE 2011.
”’ A former member of the governing People’s Action Party (PAP) for 30 years,”
30 years in papig must have done irreparable damage to his critical thinking skill—YES SIR ,YES SIR ….for 30 years.
That is how gullible people are formed!
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TRE Tech: The balloon is clearly over US’s airspace, so US has every right to shoot it down.
Is this the real TRE Tech??? First time I see he speak logic and sense…Wow!!!
https://sg.news.bullshitter.com/chinese-spy-balloon-live-trump-075319516.html
China ‘spy’ balloons floated over Hawaii and Florida during Trump’s presidency, documents show.
National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters during a briefing on Monday that China’s claim that the airship was a civilian craft sent aloft for climate study purposes “strains credulity”, and said US officials have known that the Chinese military had “a measure of control” over the speed and direction of the balloon, which was surveilling “sensitive military sites” in the US.
No, the US can’t ‘scoop’ the balloon out of the air, congressman says.
Fyi, these Chinese balloons went to many countries in Asia and Europe.
Question: Why is it flying military sites especially? Any reason? The weather there special?
Whatever it is, now the balloon is being examined to check if it able to collect sensitive information.
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“No, the US can’t ‘scoop’ the balloon out of the air, congressman says.”
Bloody lame excuse so that they can pin any BS on the owner of the balloon, for example it is carrying a nuclear warhead, sensitive camera, bla bla bla.
If they scoop it and then realise it is really a weather ballon, then they got no bullets to cry mother cry father with the owner liao.
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TRE [email protected]
Unlike China who usually will deny everything, US is more accountable and transparent.
BS?
When a missile hit Poland and killed someone, US is the first to confirm the missile misfired highly from Ukraine. They do not try to misled or place the blame on the enemy.
Remember US is not China or Russia, they are more honest than these 2 biggest liars.
Tech: I beg to differ, it really depends on the gravity of the matter. Was US forthcoming on Bin Laden? Politics is complicated and dirty, no which one country is more honest than the others. Subjective I would say, depending on which angle you look at it?
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What if was USA’s balloon *accidentally* fly over China and China did exactly what Angmohs did?
Will Angmohs bash China even more?
I can tell you,they would !
Chow angmohs will always be right even when they are clearly wrong!
Any rational and fair person can tell that Angmohs not happy that China/Asia is catching up fast.
Angmohs probably think that they are far superior than God.
The ONLY THING Angmohs KOWTOW AND PRAY TO IS *$*.
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If it was China that SHOT DOWN such balloons with $1M missile,ANGMOHS will tell the world how bad China is and even propose to STOP CHINA FROM *NUCLEAR* proliferation???
Heads,Angmohs win.
Tail,also Angmohs win.
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Don’t be so thoroughly brainwashed. If US honest, why they don’t admit blowing up oil pipes?
Worst, why they cheat the UN and the world about Saddam?
So f**king stewpig!
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The Western governments are really smearing China.
Chinese-made security cameras to be removed from Australian War Memorial due to spyware concerns
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-02-08/chinese-made-cameras-removed-from-australian-war-memorial/101945414
“It’s not just in cameras … you’re pretty careful now with pretty well all your electronics,” Mr Beazley added.
No China made rice cookers. There’s a computer chip inside!
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It is good to see U$ fight China and China fight U$.
Now this is a more balance world …
Pro democracy supporters, please learn the language of your Americunt Grand Ma$ter of ALL CON/HYPOCRITE In God We Tru$t
“I am just not going into our private conversation”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lg8XvwobxbI
What the Whitehouse poke man means is I will not tell you. What is the point?
Don’t run away, Pro democracy supporters.
Let’s have an answer from you.
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You post in mandarin for fiack?
Singaporeans don’t understand Mandarin
The World don’t understand Mandarin.
Mandarin is not the world language.
Anglo Saxon language is still the world most widely used language.
That is why you are getting sexcited over Anglo Saxon news.
Even the Chinese are quickly turning to using names like Tiger Zhou, Scorpion Li and simi lanjeow Orange Gao.
Pre covid time when I check account I see these funny Chinese name and I go hahahahahaha for next 2 days until stomach pain. 笑到肚子痛
This is evidence that the Chinese has recognized Anglo Saxon language is King of World language.
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USA take the opportunity to test their weapon and billed it to China.
The balloon is no threat lah…Better to design better control of the balloon to avoid such costly mistake…
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Costly mistake? Has CCP China been a responsible cuntry in the first place?
Like the Americunts, CCP China also spy here and spy there.
Both are shit. 臭味相投。
Most likely CCP China has ran out of computer chips after Biden banned sales of chips to CCP China.
強國夢? 哈哈哈 no chips to control a ballon.
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@ 3. I am still not convinced that it is necessary to use an expensive missile to take down the balloon. After all, the US already had a large national debt. They should not spend money wastefully.
Well, Mr Tan you should worry more for China.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=J6fC5hlFfz4
武汉人反了：数万人市府前示威，沿江大道交通完全中断，现场高响国际歌，抗议武汉医保改革缩减医药费，更大维权行动筹划中；武汉婆婆言辞犀利，投诉习近平政府.
Tech: Protest is not entirely illegal in China, as long as it does not infringe upon national security and of course, the top echelons. Protest against policies is very common and most will result in some high-ranking government officials promising to look into the matter. At times, even Central will get involved to make a stand, if necessary. Some examples would be the forced vaccination policies by some cities, no jab no job, no jab no school during the initial C19 pandemic where overzealous city officials went overboard and mandated vaccination. In all these instances, central stepped in to stop the cities from the ridiculous policies, and the matters were resolved. Generally, China has very tolerant policies on protest (not rioting), normally closing one eye, as long as violence is not involved. Some may be arrested if they are too aggressive and resorted to vandalism, but these people are normally just detained for a few days, fined, and released.
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Poor old pappy. Cannot understand Chinese. Lost in simple IT consumer technology. Have to rely on video of old lovebirds.
Here’s Google translation for you.
Namibia spotted a US “spy ship” in nearby waters? The United States claims that it is “used for scientific research”?
On February 9, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning presided over a regular press conference. A reporter asked a question. It is reported that Namibia recently discovered an American unmanned boat used to collect underwater information in its nearby waters. The U.S. said it was a private boat used for scientific research. As the spy ship of the United States, we also noticed that the latest data released by the think tank “South China Sea Strategic Situational Awareness” pointed out that in January this year, the US military dispatched a total of 64 reconnaissance planes to the South China Sea for close-in reconnaissance. What is China’s comment?
Mao Ning said that the United States is the world’s largest monitoring and reconnaissance country, and has long carried out intelligence activities around the world. The United States frequently sends ships and planes to approach China for reconnaissance, which seriously endangers China’s national security and undermines regional peace and stability. China has expressed its serious concern on many occasions, and the US should immediately stop such provocative actions.
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Berak makan buyak orang?
Kapala dia suda masuk kencing?
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@Singaporeans R Free Riders
Just a quickie here on spying, if I may. Sending spies into other countries and the spied country reciprocating is not entirely illegal, per se. In fact, these spies are KNOWN and technically registered with the spied country, it’s a quid pro quo arrangement and has been going on since politics came into existence. Normally such spies can be found in consular or embassy due to their immunity status.
However, there are some countries that tried to be funny and sent ‘unregistered’ spies and these spies are normally sentenced when caught and/or banned and deported. So when one country catches an ‘unregistered’ spy, the caught country will also go catch one, then they barter their releases. It’s really an interesting game that countries play, a political merry go round.
Caveat: I cannot confirm or verify the above-posted information but it was revealed to me by a reliable person whom I trust. He is also a Sinkie and was formerly a ranking officer from ISD (1 batch after director Yoong), he is currently my neighbor in China, his estate is less than 1km away from where I live, a 10 minutes walk and we drink and talk c**k sing song often. I, therefore, have no reason to doubt what he said since he was from the right department dealing with “national security” and spying is a “national security” issue.
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Sure you can’t read Mandarin. You simi lanjeow race.
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Mr. Tan, you like Goh Meng Seng love to shoot from the hip without making any thorough investigations.
FYI, the balloon had fins, a rudder and also solar panels, and antennae! A civilian balloon will have different features from that of a spy balloon. If the PRC govt wants to learn about atmospheric weather, why go all the way to America? And if it is a runaway balloon, why didn’t they inform the world that their ballons had drifted off-course?
Hope you have drank too much of the Akhbar tea that has affected your thinking abilities!
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Too many western sheep think they are balloon experts. Yes, read western media, and you become a balloon expert.
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”A former member of the governing People’s Action Party (PAP) for 30 years,….He also served as the party’s branch secretary at Marine Parade for three years and was picked by Goh Chok Tong in 1977…”
Ah Tan spent 30 very long years in papigs…a lot of brain-cell damage would have resulted from such ”long, loyal service”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tan_Kin_Lian
Now he spent his retirement years posting weekly in one of the most anti-papig site.
Go figure!
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It is plastic waste cause by evaporation.
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He always against “Chinese” or “Americunts” So one can figure. Scolds old man for listening to China news in MRT. But sweet China meimei listening to Beijing opera, crossing and uncrossing legs opposite him; he taps his fingers & joined in the repertoire. CB race lah!
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A bit of demo, and the writer said 武汉人反了. Video shows a few hundred, writer said a few 10,000. One mosquito blown into a swarm of Pteranodon.
The publisher is from US, and it ran away from HK in 2021. It could survive China’s test of patriots and traitors. haha.
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If suspect SPY balloon,WHY BLASTED IT WITH A MISSILE?
Shud just down it *securely* and EXAMINE THE CONTENTS to confirm SPYING ACTIVITIES?
STRANGE TO NOTE SO MANY DEFENDING THE ANGMOHS EVER SO QUICKLY.
Are we Asians or are we Angmoh subjects or lickers?
Real suckers many among us.
Angmohs openly look down on Asians and are compulsive *ENCLAVE-BUILDERS* even at work-places.
Sgs xenophobic?
My foot!
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I don’t know which rocks TKL and his friend live under. Let me just say theere is this invention called a ‘satellite’ that they may not be aware of. This ‘satellite’ is operated remotely and from earth orbit provide you with details of a 10 cent coin from a distance of 160 km (Low Earth Orbit).
To say that the information from a balloon is needed by China means either TKL and his friend are living under rocks or that China does not have any satellites that can do this job. Which one is more likely? You decide.
As for atmospheric activities – any person can tune in the meteorological stations in the US and other countries to find out this data. There are global weather maps 24 hours on the internet – FFS.
Yes by all means be very concerned of what TKL and his friend say – because all it means is that some village somewhere is missing two of its idiots.
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How balloons started WWIII – old music video (for our China viewers)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fpu5a0Bl8eY
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Now is critical period. We all overseas ethnic Chinese must together with greater China Chinese unite and fend off the imperialistic west from continue control the world, invade/kill millions of innocent lives, loot resources, create chaos everywhere, ruin other countries (which could be ours one day) to achieve their political and economical gains. Very inhuman imperialism.
Thank you.
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Dak guna lah!
Orang ini makan berak buyak!
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@ @free rider:
Better you go China town, stand in public and recite aloud 滿江紅 better. And please cry with tears as well.
Definitely suits you.
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One of my military enthusiast friend told me this.
Think about these long range, long time endurance ‘spy’ balloons as relay stations just like your mobile relay stations.
Can understand how it works?
Earth is round… or oval… whichever, that means curved.
And satellites travel at 11,300 km/h , cannot always stay at ‘same’ location.
How does Hypersonic missiles fly accurately? Some (actual very critically important) signal relay facilities are needed. Sending plenty satellites into the space is extremely costly and space-X is still trying to make back its investments. The only way for space-X to recoup its invested money is to make space-X commercially viable.
Other than that, China wouldn’t want such thing to be commercially available or else its past investments in building great wall of china will be all wasted. This ‘cheaper’ alternative is balloons. And sending balloons up in the skies is definitely way cheaper than sending satellites. Relaying balloons signals between satellites and/or ‘secret’ ground stations is very workable.
It’s the money. Silly.
Hypersonic missiles need ‘something’ to guide its flight path. Current known hypersonic missiles flying altitude is below 30km and above 20km. While military grade balloons can fly around this height up to 47km. One china ‘commercial’ balloon maker claimed that its balloon can flew over 48km. This claim is current being ’404′.
That explains these flying ‘relay stations’ need power storage and power generator such as solar panels. It needs to be up there as long as possible. Spying is simply by the way, on the way.
Upset when you are in some remote area and your phone signal is no bar?
How you wished you can use space-X service, if not, hoped that relay stations can fly in the air, just above you.
All that said, one still need super fast computation, transmit and receive of data. It is limited by size. Unfortunately the chip capabilities embargo on China will only worsen. Perhaps even producing 45nm will be a challenge. Not to say the advanced is going towards 1nm. Sending a relay station as big as our parliament house under the balloon is not like the animation movie ‘Up’.
Why US is always ahead in projecting its military might? A lot of credits need to be given to its ears and eyes up in the sky.
Russia is obviously not there isn’t it?
Limiting 5G influence by China hurts its military growth dream. But chips embargo will seal its grave.
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Your enthusiast friend is Americunt CIA ?
Did he tells you this and how it works?
American U-2 spy plane shot down over Soviet Union
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/american-u-2-spy-plane-shot-down
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Ah yes, yes, yes it’s all about money…In Money We Tru$t
Quote – Unknown True Native American
When your people came to our land, it was not with open arms,
but with Bibles and guns and disease.
You took our land. You killed us with your guns and disease, then had the arrogance to call us godless savages.
If there is a Heaven and it is filled with Christians,
than Hell is the place for me.
Facts#1
Americunt exploit EU by selling LNG gas at 4 time the price…
https://saharareporters.com/2022/10/11/ukraine-war-us-taking-advantage-energy-crisis-exploit-eu-selling-gas-four-times-price
…………………….In Money We Tru$t…………………
Quote – Desmond Tutu
When the missionaries came to Africa,
they had the Bible and we had the land.
They said “let us close our eyes and pray.”
When we opened them, we had the Bible, and they had the land.
b) instigating others to go to war to get killed so that Americunt$ profit from arms sale$ killing million$ of people?
Facts#2:
We paid only 66 billion for Ukrainians to die for US interests in the war with Russia. US’ $66 billion investment in Ukraine is well worth it.
https://bit.ly/3DlJeEb
…………………….In Money We Tru$t…………………
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Yes, yes, yes… the Chinese always like to talk BIG, exaggerate and over state their claim.
Got Small penis but talk BIG until like their penis super BIG.
btw, We Singaporean don’t use term like 404… you Americunt ?
Yes, yes, yes… how I wish our great PAP free [email protected] is everywhere and is not just MRT and foodcourt only.
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Yes, yes, yes.. A lot of credits need to be given to its ears and eyes up in the sky.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/american-u-2-spy-plane-shot-down
But I have to add that on top of ears and eyes up in the sky, you forgot to add that Americunt ears and eyes are everywhere..
US spy on Angela Merkel and European allies
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/31/denmark-helped-us-spy-on-angela-merkel-and-european-allies-report
the Hong Kees are the real stupid canon fodders who carries U$ flag and support kleptocracy?
Hong Kong protesters held American flag, sang US national anthem
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOwID54DBl0
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Yes, yes, yes… China is finished.
China is now on its knee begging Americunt to sell them chips.
Americunt also commanded China not to sell US Debts or else …
Let’s get our popcorn and watch who go down first..
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@ Western Propaganda:
If Wuhan authorities ignore retirees plead, will there be a crowd at 15 feb 中山公園 as the video reflected ?
Lets KIV.
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Suddenly China also claiming 10 US spy balloons…. LOL
https://news.bullshitter.com/china-says-more-10-us-104706295.html
Probably worried that the balloons shot down to be examined by US and Canada will show details of its spying engineering.
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Some people will feel ashamed and stfu. Others will shamelessly continue another angle of rubbish accusation.
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WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. military said on Monday it had recovered critical electronics from the suspected Chinese spy balloon downed by a U.S. fighter jet off South Carolina’s coast on Feb. 4, including key sensors presumably used for intelligence gathering.
“Crews have been able to recover significant debris from the site, including all of the priority sensor and electronics pieces identified as well as large sections of the structure,” the U.S. military’s Northern Command said in a statement.
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You forgot to add, they also found Xi Jinping’s thumb print and photograph on the sensor.
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China claimed 10 US balloons flew into China and did not provide any evidence…. tic for tac… as usual, throw smoke.
Now China claimed for how US handled the spy balloon, China will take revenge on US entities.
Wow… fly spy balloons into US and now want to take revenge on US entities.
This kind of authoritarian style you guys not familiar? Do shix but still want to act as if it is the victim.
Wait for US evidence or Chinese evidence la, don’t jump the gun, we here want to see evidence not smoke before you decide. Unless you got something to hide.
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Follow your own advice. Why you jumping the gun?
One thing you are right. US is so authoritarian, shoot multiple missiles at harmless balloons. Do sh.t and act like a victim. You so smart.
Latest downed objects could well be ‘benign,’ US says
AP News
https://apnews.com › article
1 day ago — WASHINGTON (AP) — The three still-unidentified aerial objects shot down by the U.S. in the past week likely had merely a “benign purpose,” …
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