It seems strange to me that the US needed to fire a missile at it just to bring it down (aside from it looking "strong" for the cameras). It could've been taken down with the machine guns and wouldn't have cost the tens of thousands of dollars that the missile costs. I hope that if they are able to get the sensors and computers from it all just turn out to be completely just the normal "boring" stuff that weather balloons always have. I also hope that if the US intentionally makes a point of having our own "blown off course" balloon enter China's airspace that China makes a point of handling it all better. Then the US loses its chance to point back and talk shit. Win win for China's image in being the more levelheaded nation that isn't trying to take over the world (as the US always claims it is).

[–] guojing@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)

These weather balloons fly very high so a missile is about the only way to reach it. And you can be sure that the US government will never admit that it was a weather balloon, because then it would be obvious that they are lying.

[–] dRLY@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 years ago

But I thought the weird part about it was that it was floating much lower than they are normally placed? I believe that some outlets were even saying it was in the same altitude as commercial aircraft. Though I am not sure at what level using canons on a fighter is completely pointless. So even if it was lower, you may still be correct.

[–] flag@beehaw.org 2 points 2 years ago

lmao relax it's only a balloon

[–] yogthos@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Even a neocon think tank admits this was almost certainly a weather balloon https://www.csis.org/analysis/chinese-spy-balloons-skys-limit

[–] flag@beehaw.org 2 points 2 years ago

yeah so what, better take it down, right? I wouldn't fault china if they did the same.