Update: China threatens US for popping balloon as American military begins recovery operation
By: Madeleine Hubbard - Just The News - 02-05-23
Re:
https://justthenews.com/government/s...very-operation
Video link on site:
1st Report: China on Sunday threatened to respond after the United States shot down a suspected spy balloon that flew over sensitive military sites while U.S. armed forces are currently recovering the aircraft.
"China will resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the company concerned, and reserves the right to make further responses if necessary," China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has insisted the balloon was a civilian research airship that went off course, said.
The agency also said China "strongly disapproves of and protests against the US attack," which it said "is a clear overreaction and a serious violation of international practice."
The U.S. military popped the balloon Saturday over the Atlantic Ocean after it traversed the continental United States for several days last week, including over sensitive military sites, according to The Associated Press.
The U.S. Navy and Coast Guard began a recovery operation for the balloon on Saturday, but it is unclear how long the mission will take. Officials plan on analyzing the recovered Chinese equipment in the balloon, which fell in about 47 feet of water about six miles off the coast.
"This surveillance balloon purposely traversed the United States and Canada, and we are confident it was seeking to monitor sensitive military sites," a senior Defense Department official said.
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2nd report: Comment by: 4-Star Gen. Jack Keane: (see below)
follows below;
Four-star Gen. Jack Keane blasts Biden over Chinese balloon:
Statements were made that we had plenty of time of opportunities to take it down'
while over the ocean!? Why did we wait? Good Question
(I thought about this to: - Boats)
President Joe Biden for not taking down the Chinese surveillance balloon when it was over the Pacific Ocean before it crossed much of the continental U.S. and flew over sensitive military sites.
"We've had all of our sensors watching this, you know, for some time," Keane told Fox News on Saturday.
He said he believes "it's not a complicated operation" for the U.S. military to take down a balloon moving at that speed.
"Nonetheless, we finally did what we should have done at the beginning. Remember, this was approaching the United States over water," he said.
"It was approaching the Aleutian Islands over water," Keane said, referring to the island chain southwest of Alaska. "We had plenty of opportunity to take it down then, and that's when it should have happened."
Comment by: Retired four-star Gen. Jack Keane
Retired four-star Gen. Jack Keane blasted President Joe Biden for not taking down the Chinese surveillance balloon when it was over the Pacific Ocean before it crossed much of the continental U.S. and flew over sensitive military sites.
"We've had all of our sensors watching this, you know, for some time," Keane told Fox News on Saturday.
He said he believes "it's not a complicated operation" for the U.S. military to take down a balloon moving at that speed.
"Nonetheless, we finally did what we should have done at the beginning. Remember, this was approaching the United States over water," he said.
"It was approaching the Aleutian Islands over water," Keane said, referring to the island chain southwest of Alaska. "We had plenty of opportunity to take it down then, and that's when it should have happened."
Keane predicted that the U.S. military had been tracking the balloon from mainland China and had "plenty of warning" to take down the aircraft. Planes are even stationed in Alaska that could have been capable of popping it, he said.
Regardless, taking down the balloon, even if it's later than ideal, "still sends a message to China that we’re not going to let you get away with this nonsense," Keane said.
The retired general made headlines late last month when he predicted that the U.S. military is underprepared to go to war against China.
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Personal note: A little missed advanced notice and discussion wasn't made it seems.
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I would imagin more will be posted or televised shortly. Seem's all the ducks weren't
in a row and all those who needed to know where not notified or advised?
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I wonder what elements of that ballon are salvageable and as to the electronics
and recordings be made may be of great importance to the War Dept!
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