For years, there have been concerns about Joe Biden’s extensive business ties to communist China, and just what they could mean for his time leading our nation through turbulent international crises.
This week, those fears were stoked once again, after a Chinese spy balloon appeared over the United States, leading to a rather tepid response from the White House.
Former President Donald Trump is calling for the Chinese spy balloon floating over the United States to be shot down.
“SHOOT DOWN THE BALLOON!” Trump posted on Truth Social Friday morning, after the Pentagon confirmed Thursday evening that a Chinese spy balloon had been floating over the U.S. for several days.
The concept, while appearing to be a rather simple, common-sense solution, was not gaining much favor with the military’s upper brass.
The official said President Joe Biden was briefed on the situation and had asked for military options, but that “it was the strong recommendation by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. [Mark] Milley and the commander of NORTHCOM, Gen. Glen VanHerck, not to take kinetic action due to the risk to safety and security of the people on the ground from the possible debris field.”
“Currently we assess that this balloon has limited additive value from an intelligence collection perspective. But we are taking steps, nevertheless, to protect against foreign intelligence collection of sensitive information. We are also tracking what abilities it could have in gaining insights, and continue to monitor the balloon as it is over the continental United States,” the senior defense official said.
The official said the military was looking at whether there was an option on Wednesday to shoot it down over sparsely populated areas in Montana, but that “we just couldn’t buy down the risk enough to feel comfortable recommending shooting it down yesterday.”
The spy balloon is said to be heading east at this time, after spending time above US ICBM sites in Montana and other northern states.
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