[MrChip72]

Originally Posted by Tvflguy

To sum it up for me, I’m so mad at our inaction. We are projecting weakness. And I’m very afraid for our country’s future. Economically and militarily. Our poor kids…

What inaction? It was shot down when the military decided that it was safe to do so. Should the President override the expertise of the military just as an attempt project strength but put American civilians in danger? That's something that weak leaders like Putin have ended up doing at their own peril.

[Caymus]

Originally Posted by MrChip72

What inaction? It was shot down when the military decided that it was safe to do so. Should the President override the expertise of the military just as an attempt project strength but put American civilians in danger? That's something that weak leaders like Putin have ended up doing at their own peril.

Have you ever visited Montana?

[JGibson]

Originally Posted by MrChip72

What inaction? It was shot down when the military decided that it was safe to do so. Should the President override the expertise of the military just as an attempt project strength but put American civilians in danger? That's something that weak leaders like Putin have ended up doing at their own peril.

When it was over the Pacific Ocean it was safe to shoot it down we have air defense systems.
Waiting for it to make it across the country and to the Atlantic Ocean makes no sense and appears inept.

[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by MrChip72

What inaction? It was shot down when the military decided that it was safe to do so. Should the President override the expertise of the military just as an attempt project strength but put American civilians in danger? That's something that weak leaders like Putin have ended up doing at their own peril.

[tuccillo]

So, you are suggesting that we should have shot it down when it was over the Pacific Ocean (and over international waters)?

Originally Posted by JGibson

When it was over the Pacific Ocean it was safe to shoot it down we have air defense systems.
Waiting for it to make it across the country and to the Atlantic Ocean makes no sense and appears inept.

[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by tuccillo

So, you are suggesting that we should have shot it down when it was over the Pacific Ocean (and over international waters)?

There was plenty of time when it was first in US waters...

Or when it was over the middle of nowhere...

[tuccillo]

Within our 12 mile territorial waters is different as we have sovereignty there, although the International Agreements get complicated. That is not what the post I responded to said and I specifically mentioned international waters.

When it was over the Pacific Ocean it was safe to shoot it down we have air defense systems.

Originally Posted by JMintzer

There was plenty of time when it was first in US waters...

Or when it was over the middle of nowhere...

[tvbound]

Wow, the "I hate America" crowd is out in full force over the actions against these very different objects. It wouldn't have mattered if the reverse actions for these two objects had been taken, the same 'Hammer' (when you're a hammer, everything looks like a nail') crowd - would be attacking/complaining about our country's actions.

Waiting to shoot down the first balloon until we could gather as much info as possible, while blocking its ability to transmit, has turned out to be very smart. Especially since it did not have the capability of gathering anything, that isn't already being provided in much more detail with Chinese satellites. It's already resulted in 6 Chinese entities contributing to its construction in being blacklisted, which couldn't have happened had it not been allowed to continue to fly and then shot down in a recoverable location.

Taking action so soon on the second object, which was a totally different situation than the first, has also turned out to be a smart move and it too will be retrieved from a frozen Arctic Ocean.

Which simply infuriates the 'ready-shoot-aim' crowd even further.

All I can say is...USA, USA, USA. LOL

[Caymus]

Originally Posted by tvbound

Wow, the "I hate America" crowd is out in full force over the actions against these very different objects. It wouldn't have mattered if the reverse actions for these two objects had been taken, the same 'Hammer' (when you're a hammer, everything looks like a nail') crowd - would be attacking/complaining about our country's actions.

Waiting to shoot down the first balloon until we could gather as much info as possible, while blocking its ability to transmit, has turned out to be very smart. Especially since it did not have the capability of gathering anything, that isn't already being provided in much more detail with Chinese satellites. It's already resulted in 6 Chinese entities contributing to its construction in being blacklisted, which couldn't have happened had it not been allowed to continue to fly and then shot down in a recoverable location.

Taking action so soon on the second object, which was a totally different situation than the first, has also turned out to be a smart move and it too will be retrieved from a frozen Arctic Ocean.

Which simply infuriates the 'ready-shoot-aim' crowd even further.

All I can say is...USA, USA, USA. LOL

Would your views be the same a few years ago?

[phylt]

Originally Posted by Caymus

Would your views be the same a few years ago?

Precisely said. My view is to Keep America Great!

[tvbound]

Originally Posted by Caymus

Would your views be the same a few years ago?

Had the same decision(s) been made, for the same reasons - absolutely.

[JGibson]

Originally Posted by tuccillo

So, you are suggesting that we should have shot it down when it was over the Pacific Ocean (and over international waters)?

A certain distance into the Pacific ocean is US Territory, it's not international waters.

The lastest object was shot down in Pacific ocean waters.

Do really think we can't shoot down until it's over populated American land? C'mon.

They screwed up on the first balloon but trying to get anyone to admit is impossible.

[JGibson]

Originally Posted by tvbound

Wow, the "I hate America" crowd is out in full force over the actions against these very different objects. It wouldn't have mattered if the reverse actions for these two objects had been taken, the same 'Hammer' (when you're a hammer, everything looks like a nail') crowd - would be attacking/complaining about our country's actions.

Waiting to shoot down the first balloon until we could gather as much info as possible, while blocking its ability to transmit, has turned out to be very smart. Especially since it did not have the capability of gathering anything, that isn't already being provided in much more detail with Chinese satellites. It's already resulted in 6 Chinese entities contributing to its construction in being blacklisted, which couldn't have happened had it not been allowed to continue to fly and then shot down in a recoverable location.

Taking action so soon on the second object, which was a totally different situation than the first, has also turned out to be a smart move and it too will be retrieved from a frozen Arctic Ocean.

Which simply infuriates the 'ready-shoot-aim' crowd even further.

All I can say is...USA, USA, USA. LOL

What if the balloon malfunctioned and fell into popularity area?

[Dotneko]

Originally Posted by tvbound

Wow, the "I hate America" crowd is out in full force over the actions against these very different objects. It wouldn't have mattered if the reverse actions for these two objects had been taken, the same 'Hammer' (when you're a hammer, everything looks like a nail') crowd - would be attacking/complaining about our country's actions.

Waiting to shoot down the first balloon until we could gather as much info as possible, while blocking its ability to transmit, has turned out to be very smart. Especially since it did not have the capability of gathering anything, that isn't already being provided in much more detail with Chinese satellites. It's already resulted in 6 Chinese entities contributing to its construction in being blacklisted, which couldn't have happened had it not been allowed to continue to fly and then shot down in a recoverable location.

Taking action so soon on the second object, which was a totally different situation than the first, has also turned out to be a smart move and it too will be retrieved from a frozen Arctic Ocean.

Which simply infuriates the 'ready-shoot-aim' crowd even further.

All I can say is...USA, USA, USA. LOL

We had no way of knowing whether or not the balloon had a self destruct mechanism on board. Allowing it to transit the US was irresponsible. It could have flown over anything and boom. Regardless of the spying abilities of it, it was a danger to anything it flew over.
The second object is just another example of how little our enemies respect us.

[tuccillo]

Did you bother to read post #67 ? I already addressed this. Our sovereignty extends out a distance of 12 miles (from the coast assuming low tide, IIRC). We don't want to be shooting down stuff over international waters (that is outside the 12 miles). Why? Because there are these things called International Agreements, that we agreed to.

The latest object was shot down within US territory, just like the first item.

I never said anything about "populated American land". Where did you get that from?

Originally Posted by JGibson

A certain distance into the Pacific ocean is US Territory, it's not international waters.

The lastest object was shot down in Pacific ocean waters.

Do really think we can't shoot down until it's over populated American land? C'mon.

They screwed up on the first balloon but trying to get anyone to admit is impossible.