Q&A of the Day – What’s the Real Story Behind the Chinese Spy Balloon?
Each day I feature a listener question sent by one of these methods.
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Today’s Entry: @brianmuddradio What I’m missing from the National conversation is what seems to be our military’s new policy that you can spy on the US from the air because stopping you might cause debris to fall.
Bottom Line: I can detect the skepticism in your tweet and you’re exactly right. If it seems absurd, it probably is. There was nothing about the Chinese spy balloon situation that was anything other than absurd. Let’s start with the timeline. For some reason we’re told this balloon, which originated in China, was able to fly clear across the Pacific where it was theoretically first detected by the North American Aerospace Defense Command on January 28th. It was on that day that it also first violated US airspace, crossing over the Aleutian Islands off Alaska’s coastline. From there it crossed over into in Canada and on January 30th, while still over Canada an official US government report cited the balloon’s purpose is surveillance. Among the findings of the report, the balloon had a “collection pod” and was solar powered. In the report, it was noted the balloon matched a fleet of spy balloons the US first learned the Chinese had developed in 2021. Here’s the rest of the timeline with key events on the dates:
- On January 31st, the balloon re-entered US airspace crossing over the Continental US for the first time near the Idaho/Montana border. The Defense Department made its first request to shoot the balloon down. Instead, President Biden opted for an approach which would limit activities which could be surveilled in its path.
- February 1st, the balloon crossed directly over Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana which is one of three sites where the US maintains a supply of intercontinental ballistic missiles. An emergency meeting of the US military command was called at the Pentagon. All flights were grounded at Montana’s Billings Logan International Airport during this time.
- February 2nd, the Biden administration first publicly discloses their awareness of the Chinese spy balloon. Amid Congressional inquiries as to why the balloon hadn’t been shot down as US protocol calls for, Antony Blinken postponed a planned diplomatic trip to China.
- February 3rd, the Chinese Government acknowledges ownership of the balloon stating it’s a weather balloon which had veered off course and that had limited maneuverability.
- February 4th, after the balloon exited South Carolina’s coastline, it was shot down by an Airforce Sidewinder missile. The balloon debris, which was said to be the equivalent of three buses, was recovered by the US military.
Now, in terms of the ability to have shot this thing down prior to the Chinese having been able to send it clear across the country, including over key military installations, was obvious well before Saturday. The total population of the Aleutian Islands is about 8,000 people across 300 islands. There were numerous opportunities to take it out which wouldn’t have placed people or property at risk as it made its trek across them. Next up Montana. The balloon first crossed into the state over a National Forest Reserve with no permanent population in the area. Given that it was clear the path was going straight over Malmstrom Air Force Base, it’s inexplicable that it wouldn’t have been shot down at that point. There would have been other opportunities as it made its way across the country from there as well, though none as optimal as when it first entered US airspace or reentered it from Canada.
Illustrating the facts associated with the balloon validates skepticism about what happened here. At face value, via President Biden’s decision making, the inference would be made, as you suggested, that US national defense protocol to shoot down invading aircraft no longer applies if there’s population in proximity. Which incidentally, and specific to our geography in South Florida, I suppose that would mean any potentially hostile aircraft are free to fly over us at will. After all, where could aircraft enter Southeast Florida without being exposed to population? Of course, there’s another read on this situation that’s specific to China – which is far and away our biggest threat.
As noted by the House Oversight and Reform Committee's James Comer, in his published findings September 20th of last year: Documents obtained by Committee Republicans show that the Biden family received millions of dollars from a Chinese business closely affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party, and therefore the Chinese government, to ship American natural gas to China. According to additional information provided by a whistleblower, Joe Biden was involved with this arrangement as a business partner, and documents reveal he even had office space to work on the deal.
The Biden family made promises to business associates that: (1) Joe Biden would run for President in 2020 and, (2) those who worked with the Bidens in 2017 onward would reap the rewards in a future Biden Administration.
There are Congressional records showing the Biden’s are bought and paid for by the Chinese. Assuming there’s validity to this report – which by the way is buttressed by material discovered on Hunter Biden’s laptop, wouldn’t allowing the Chinese to carry out the entire mission of the spy balloon before taking it out be consistent with that arrangement? Or is it just a coincidence – which it would have to be? As I mentioned yesterday... To the lightly informed, Biden can appear tough on the Chinese for having taken (the balloon) out. To the knowledgeable, it’s clear what happened here. China got everything they wanted, whatever it was, before we popped their balloon. Incidentally, this is another reason why a legitimate investigation into President Biden’s mishandled classified documents is important. It may well be interconnected, and it’s already known Hunter was the Chinese conduit.