comment: >
  
  Oh really? How come lol. No clue why it's not down already, no clue why we are behind on SuperSonic missiles either, I think the Democrats and Republicans just fight while the rest of the world hates us and builds up there. Arsenals
context: I suspect that plan is already formulated and in process.
  Friday:
  republicans: Biden is weak he didn't shoot it down.  I would have already shot it down
  Saturday:
  Biden shot it down and the Chinese are now angry at us.  Biden shouldn't have shot it down. >
  
  I mean, the Republicans are currently bitching about a  Congressman who was pursued by Chinese spy, reported it and was investigated and cleared by the FBI 10 years ago...
  All while curiously overlooking that a former President just a few years ago had lied about having  a secret Chinese Bank account, then lied about closing it when he was caught, or the Chinese spy caught with multiple USBs wandering around Mar-a-Lago where classified material was insecurely and openly stored, or the former Senate Majority Leader and his wife former Secretary of Transportation who's received millions from her high-level CCP family members like her father who was right hand man to the previous Chinese Premier and her sister is responsible for building the CCP Navy. >
  
  Yeah these people make no sense in a rational world.  They don't work based on rational thinking.  Its all just no position criticism. >
  
  It flew over the Yukon, BC, Alberta and Saskatchewan.
  Apparently as it flew over Canada, the Canadian defense department said it launched a second object / vehicle which can pose a problem to lower altitude aircraft
  
  A statement from the Defence Department also mentioned it was monitoring a "potential second incident" but did not elaborate further. Sources told CTV News that a smaller object may have been released from the balloon that might pose a risk to planes. A flight advisory was issued to pilots in Alberta and Saskatchewan in response.)
  
  I wonder what they’re planning to do about this 2nd object it may have launched into Canada, and what will become of it (assuming it’s not heading towards an ocean).
  This thing is now turning into a little b@itch >
  
  Been wanting to see the capabilities of the Jewish space lasers for a while now LETS GOOOO
  /s >
  
  Shoot the fucker down when it's safe to do so. >
  
  They just announced that they did. >
  
  We've got a tracking megathread here >
  
  I like you, thanks. >
  
  You'd think with all the republicans believing the China released covid on purpose, that they would be wary of an overly obvious balloon that's begging to be shot down. Great way to make your enemy release a bioweapon in their own country. >
  
  2nd time seeing this wacko bio weapon theory.
  You understand that would be an overt act of war, deploying a wmd over another nations territory, right? Why would China do that? What benefits are there for China to intentionally start ww3? >
  
  I realize it, but I guess I needed to add the /s. >
  
  I mean they prob got all the intel they could from the balloon and since it would be over the ocean makes sense they would shoot it down now. >
  
  And let’s take it out with a vintage WWII plane just for the flex. >
  
  60000 feet is above the operational height of WWII aircraft - all of them. >
  
  That's the flex part >
  
  “In the meantime, the relationship will not improve in the near future ... the gap is huge.” >
  
  At least from a map I saw on reddit yesterday, the Balloon did a remarkable job mostly AVOIDING the pacific ocean and crossing instead over the Baring Strait, across Alaska, Canada and to the 48 States of the US.
  So don't be so sure its gonna go over the Atlantic >
  
  The thing can obviously navigate if it paralleled half the DEW line and then headed south like a goose with a mission. >
  
  I don’t accept the idea that there’s no way the U.S. military couldn’t intercept it and bring it down without it risking hitting people below. It’s a slow moving weather balloon. If we can pit people on the moon I’m sure there’s a way to engineer this problem. >
  
  So you don't accept that judgement based on what information other than "its a weather balloon"? >
  
  It’s as I said — this isn’t shooting a rocket or plane out of the sky, it’s a slow moving object. If America had set the priority to destroy this thing as quickly as possible I don’t have doubts it would already be done. 
  And if that’s truly outside of the realm of its military capabilities, then America is in a lot more trouble than many might realize. >
  
  It isn't they can't shoot it down.  They can't control where is falls. Additionally maybe they are studying it and also it isn't worth shooting it down.  Maybe there are a ton of other answers you haven't considered.
  See there are actually other possible options, thoughts and conclusions you might have considered. >
  
  Cool, and meanwhile America has made it clear China can enter restricted airspace with no consequences. >
  
  So really... Yet another statement which is only your observation.  The US knew about the balloon before it entered Alaska airspace. 
  Maybe you only think what you know. >
  
  I played enough Bloons to know we've only got 39 more rounds until the M.O.A.B. >
  
  spite? I am sure all info has already been transmitted, next time shoot it down before entering airspace >
  
  Right after it finishes transmitting all it’s critical data about our infrastructure….. >
  
  Tell me how a balloon is more effective than spy satellites? >
  
  It’s very likely not. Most likely this was just taunting  America and the fact they let it hang around for a few days projects weakness that we know a nation like China would not reciprocate if the same thing happened on their soil
  If the tables were reversed that thing would have been shot out of the sky in minutes. >
  
  No, it doesn't project weakness. It says to China "we dont care about your silly little balloon, we are secure enough in our methods to value American lives over your silly little stunt"
  Shooting it down would send the message "oh shit, we must react right away because a balloon is a definite threat to our national security."
  It also shows how weak China is because it tells the world that they are relying on a balloon to do their spy work. >
  
  This balloon wasn’t sent to do their spy work..: >
  
  Then shooting it down wouldn't serve a purpose to protect any American intelligence secrets.
  If it's only purpose was to taunt the US, then not shooting it down but still acknowledging its existence is America saying "oh, that's cute China, be sure to try harder next time" >
  
  The purpose would be to make clear that America still cares to secure its airspace, which China just deliberately and openly violated without consequence. >
  
  And America is giving a big middle finger to China by not taking obvious bait.
  Our airspace is secure, what threat does this balloon pose?
  Let's say we did shoot it out of the sky? That would give away tracking methods and response time. Plus the Chinese government would have ammo to say that the USA is scared of an obvious weather balloon.
  We aren't ignoring it, in fact we are probably learning lots of counter intelligence from its existence.