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U.S. military shoots down suspected Chinese surveillance balloon

cnbc.com

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Re: U.S. military shoots down suspected Chinese surveillance balloon

#151

Post by themodelplumber »

sabujp wrote: post #146

Spy balloon cost : $3k - $50k , you can even buy them on alibaba and some other sites: https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/China-hot-sale-surveillance-balloon-with_60454941082.html https://www.made-in-china.com/showroom/jennerjiang/product-list/catalog-1.html?view=0 Cost to shoot down balloon with F22 $400k for the AIM-9X, ~$85k for 1 hour of flight time, so ~$400 - $500k to shoot down one balloon that cost < $50k

Quite different if it's a one-off, this was nearly experimental expense for the US on various levels.

Re: U.S. military shoots down suspected Chinese surveillance balloon

#153

Post by unity1001 »

pxc wrote: post #102

I am so tired of China being used to stoke American jingoism, of politicians making a contest of who is really 'tough on China' and, most horrifyingly, of seeing other USians online practically salivate as they fantasize about a war with China. It's some cold war boogieman horseshit. And it's depressing to watch here on Hacker News, too, any comments that question the beating of those war drums go dead. Yesterday I h…

> You know, that time we rushed headlong into two useless forever wars

Don't say it like that. Say it like as it is: "... rushed headlong into murdering 1 million people to rob their oil".

Because that's what it was. And until people start calling it as it is, this kind of thing will keep repeating.

...

And yeah, recently the US Congress arranged $500 million to anti-China propaganda, so you will see a LOT more of such smear/fear stories and a LOT of people going along with those even as they claim to have opposed the Iraq War back in the day...

https://prospect.org/politics/congress-proposes-500-million-...

(I love how such criticism still gets downvoted merely 20 years after Iraq War - its almost as if the Americans !like! to get deceived into murdering people for their oil and stuff)

Re: U.S. military shoots down suspected Chinese surveillance balloon

#154

Post by jer0me »

ipqk wrote: post #96
cududa wrote: post #25

I had seen reports that the balloon was the length of 3-4 school busses but it appears that was misreported and just repeated. The PAYLOAD was the length of 3-4 school busses. I haven’t been following this much until today/ vaguely aware as an amusing background story. But, has anyone seen high res photos of the balloon or someone doing back of the envelope math on the size of the balloon portion? I ask simply becaus…

I don't know how big this particular one is, but high altitude balloons get really large because of the low pressure. For example, I could find that this ballon reaches 200ft diameter at 100,000 feet. https://remus.jpl.nasa.gov/balloon.htm

Here's the image if anyone is curious: https://web.archive.org/web/20020909235156if_/http://remus.j...

Re: U.S. military shoots down suspected Chinese surveillance balloon

#155

Post by pokepim »

chitowneats wrote: post #135
tshaddox wrote: post #131

Earlier quoted context omitted.

China has ICBMs with nuclear warheads. No one is confused about whether China has the ability to harm Americans on American soil.

No one is confused about the result of the use of nuclear weapons. Has Russia used them yet in their almost year-long war against Ukraine? Has the U.S.? Update your assumptions. All major powers are exploring how they might wage war short of nukes.

[dead]

Re: U.S. military shoots down suspected Chinese surveillance balloon

#156

Post by unity1001 »

stcroixx wrote: post #132
pxc wrote: post #102

I am so tired of China being used to stoke American jingoism, of politicians making a contest of who is really 'tough on China' and, most horrifyingly, of seeing other USians online practically salivate as they fantasize about a war with China. It's some cold war boogieman horseshit. And it's depressing to watch here on Hacker News, too, any comments that question the beating of those war drums go dead. Yesterday I h…

[flagged]

> their continued atrocities

Before it comes to China's alleged atrocities that every single Muslim country's parliamentarians and diplomants say they dont exist: Have you yet persecuted and jailed those who murdered 1 million in Iraq?

Re: U.S. military shoots down suspected Chinese surveillance balloon

#157

Post by BurningFrog »

pxc wrote: post #102

I am so tired of China being used to stoke American jingoism, of politicians making a contest of who is really 'tough on China' and, most horrifyingly, of seeing other USians online practically salivate as they fantasize about a war with China. It's some cold war boogieman horseshit. And it's depressing to watch here on Hacker News, too, any comments that question the beating of those war drums go dead. Yesterday I h…

Since China is the major rival as a global superpower in the medium to long term, it has to be taken seriously as a threat.

Of course jingoistic idiots will do what they do. But there is a kernel of unavoidable truth there.

Re: U.S. military shoots down suspected Chinese surveillance balloon

#158

Post by yohanshi »

pxc wrote: post #102

I am so tired of China being used to stoke American jingoism, of politicians making a contest of who is really 'tough on China' and, most horrifyingly, of seeing other USians online practically salivate as they fantasize about a war with China. It's some cold war boogieman horseshit. And it's depressing to watch here on Hacker News, too, any comments that question the beating of those war drums go dead. Yesterday I h…

As a taiwanese who lurks on hacker news for many years but when I saw this post I had to make an account.

You are dead wrong, China is an enemy of the free world, pure and simple. South Koreans and Ukrainians would agree with me here. Especially since China has declared no limit friendship with russia

Re: U.S. military shoots down suspected Chinese surveillance balloon

#159

Post by scotty79 »

Dalewyn wrote: post #137
pxc wrote: post #102

I am so tired of China being used to stoke American jingoism, of politicians making a contest of who is really 'tough on China' and, most horrifyingly, of seeing other USians online practically salivate as they fantasize about a war with China. It's some cold war boogieman horseshit. And it's depressing to watch here on Hacker News, too, any comments that question the beating of those war drums go dead. Yesterday I h…

While I agree that using China as our 21st century boogieman is very tiresome, the fact of the matter is China is not a friend of the west.

So? The west is not a friend of China as well. And US has downright militant rethoric agains China.
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