The fallout from the decision to shot down a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon over the Atlantic this weekend presents new logistical and diplomatic priorities for the United States. The Chinese spy balloon Reddit is making headlines.
Trash
US officials resisted launching the balloon over the continental United States due to ground safety concerns, and the size of the debris field revealed after Saturday’s operation warrants such consideration.
“The debris is in 47 feet of water, mostly salvage, which will make it easier,” said the official, who briefed reporters on Saturday after the operation was performed.
“We predicted much deeper water. As for the specific recovery timeline, I can’t give you that right now,” the official added.
A second ball
A balloon seen in the sky over Latin America belongs to China and was used for flight tests, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Monday in response to questions from CNN.
It is the first time Beijing has acknowledged that the balloon was seen over two Latin American countries belonging to China.
The balloon “severely deviated” from its planned route and “accidentally” entered the skies of Latin America and the Caribbean due to weather conditions and limited control of the landing gear, the spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of China, Mao Ning. , during a regular press conference.
China has doubled
China reacted angrily to the US military action, saying on Sunday that it “reserves the right” to face “similar situations” in the future.
“We express solemn protest against this decision by the American side,” the goalkeeper-ministry spokesman told local media on Sunday afternoon. of Chinese Defense Tan Kefei, in a press release.
China’s Foreign Ministry accused the United States of “overreacting” and “seriously violating international practice”.
After confirmation that the aircraft was for civilian use and had entered the country due to force majeure, the Chinese side repeatedly informed the US side that it was entirely an accident. the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement. a statement Sunday morning local time.
Chronology
Tuesday. Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, informed Biden that there was a Chinese balloon hovering over Montana and it appeared to be on a clear path to the continental United States. , which distinguished it from previous Chinese surveillance vehicles.
At the time, the president tended to drop the ball, asking Milley and other military officials to develop options and contingencies.
Wednesday. When presented with options, Biden ordered his military leaders to shoot down the balloon as soon as they deemed it a viable option, given the risks to people and property on the ground.
In a later interview with reporters, Biden said, “They urged me to wait until the safest spot to do it.
Friday. A plan to get the ball rolling was presented to Biden again while in Wilmington, Delaware, where he approved the execution plan for Saturday.
SATURDAY. Austin gave his final approval for the attack shortly after noon Saturday from a track in New York, according to a defence official
Around 1:30 p.m., the FAA imposed one of the largest areas of restricted airspace in U.S. history, more than five times the size of the restricted area over Washington, D.C., and roughly twice the size of the state of Massachusetts.
The temporary flight restriction, imposed at the request of the Pentagon, the FAA said, included about 150 miles of the Atlantic coast, effectively crippling three commercial airports: Charleston, South Carolina; Myrtle Beach; and Wilmington, North Carolina.
Congress Response
House Republicans plan to pass a resolution this week condemning the Biden administration for its handling of the alleged surveillance balloon, a source familiar with the talks told CNN’s Melanie Zanona.
The resolution could pass as soon as Tuesday, the same day Biden will deliver the State of the Union address from the US capital, although the source warned that talks are still ongoing and no plans have been made. yet been done.
Where do your kids sleep at night, and then politely ask him to leave? It makes no sense,” Republican Rep. Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin told Fox News on Sunday.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell called the administration’s decision to shoot down China’s spy balloon on Saturday “too late” and said the United States was “laughing” at China over US airspace.
But the transportation of those three suspected balloons under the previous administration was not discovered until after Biden took office, a senior administration official told CNN’s Natasha Bertrand on Sunday. The official said the intelligence community stands ready to provide information to key Trump administration officials about the Chinese surveillance program, which the Biden administration says has been deployed in countries on five continents in recent years.