The Chinese 'Spy Balloon' Story As Manufactured Crisis: An Alternative Reading

[rangerrebew]

The Chinese 'Spy Balloon' Story As Manufactured Crisis: An Alternative Reading
 
BY TYLER DURDEN
SATURDAY, FEB 04, 2023 - 10:30 PM
Previous constant headlines of the Ukraine-Russia war were put on pause Friday into Saturday as the American public's attention and discourse got temporarily consumed by the bizarre Chinese 'spy balloon' saga, which grew more dramatic by the hour until it was shot down by the Pentagon over the Atlantic Ocean.

But few are currently asking the necessary deeper questions related to the timing. Given the last major balloon crisis to take over 24/7 network news coverage ended up being a complete hoax (remember the "balloon boy" stunt of 2009 which had the world breathless and on edge for a full news cycle?), the current context to the Chinese balloon story and the question of cui bono is worth a deeper dive...
 
Entrepreneur and geopolitical commentator Arnaud Bertrand, who as a Westerner has spent many years living in China and frequently attempts to correct the often misleading analysis of mainstream press reports, offers an 'alternative view' of what's fast unfolding below [emphasis ZH's)...

* * *

"I took a bit of time to dissect the “spy balloon” story - both how it is portrayed in the US and China’s response," Bertrand begins a lengthy thread. As you'll see, the more you think about it, the more stunned you get at the sheer absurdity of the whole thing."

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/chinese-spy-balloon-story-manufactured-crisis-alternative-reading

[catfish1957]

I've seen op-ed's all over the map on this matter.  But one thing has been a constant through out the Chicom's drastic rise to power:

They've been hypesensitive to bad press and PR.  Stealth has been the theme in their path to domination.

So this is either a huge change in strategy or philosphy, or a CF whether the intent was espionage or not.  I do not see how the CCP can theorize that alienating the American public gives them any leverage or advantage in our ongoing cold and economic war.

My 10 cent synopsis?  The CCP has come to the realization, that with the overall condition of the world economy, plus the assinine push toward a European globabl war......  That they feel war including them, is enevitable, and this is a precautionary poke at the lion, to see what the response and resolve the U.S. populus and their politicans has. 

I think we have turned a corner in the sphere of the geo-political game of Monopoly.   

[roamer_1]

No matter which way I turn this, I fail to see the percentage.

Obviously, a balloon platform can't see anything a satellite wouldn't see just as well.

The EMP thing seems pretty weak. So does the bio-weapon thing.

I cannot see the purpose, or the motive. 

There is no percentage.

[catfish1957]

No matter which way I turn this, I fail to see the percentage.

Obviously, a balloon platform can't see anything a satellite wouldn't see just as well.

The EMP thing seems pretty weak. So does the bio-weapon thing.

I cannot see the purpose, or the motive. 

There is no percentage.

Agree.  With prior history and philosphy, this is a real head scratcher.

[Lando Lincoln]

No matter which way I turn this, I fail to see the percentage.

Obviously, a balloon platform can't see anything a satellite wouldn't see just as well.

The EMP thing seems pretty weak. So does the bio-weapon thing.

I cannot see the purpose, or the motive. 

There is no percentage.

I agree. The “best” I can determine is it was test of Joe Biden.

[Lando Lincoln]

Perhaps another way of saying it is it was a taunt of Joe Biden.

[catfish1957]

I agree. The “best” I can determine is it was test of Joe Biden.

And the overall grade is "F-"  They made him look like  a fool. 

Based on this map, Pedo Joe had about 3 days to shoot it down over the Bering Sea  pretty quietly between the Aluetiians and Nome. 

And honestly, I am sure that our radar at Okinawa picked it up likely a week earlier.  So basically there were at least a week and a half to enact contingency planning

CIC?  My ass,......

[Free Vulcan]

I think both nations came out looking like dumba**es on this one.

[DB]

Balloons can be steered. Winds currents vary in direction at different altitudes. Just changing altitude in a controlled fashion allows significant flight path control.

It doesn't really matter what the Chinese balloon's purpose was. It should have been taken down over the Pacific or Alaska to eliminate all possibilities of espionage. Perhaps they were actually looking up receiving radio signals from our satellites analyzing frequencies and data communications. The point is, who really knows.

And how is it that Chinese balloons have been found passing over South America? That's extremely unlikely if they were launched in mainland China. This crap doesn't float.

[Lando Lincoln]

My sense is we have not seen the last of these taunts. Joe is weak on his best days, dangerously impulsive on his bad days. This Joe is compromised and the Chinese know it.

[catfish1957]

And how is it that Chinese balloons have been found passing over South America? That's extremely unlikely if they were launched in mainland China. This crap doesn't float.

Maybe the most under-reported aspect of this damned thing. 

As head scratching as the one we dealt with, why would the Chicoms bother floating one down south.  They practically own all of it already.

[roamer_1]

It doesn't really matter what the Chinese balloon's purpose was.

But yes, yes it does matter.

And how is it that Chinese balloons have been found passing over South America? That's extremely unlikely if they were launched in mainland China. This crap doesn't float.

Right. THREE balloons. Only one over the US. What for? Makes no sense.

[Lando Lincoln]

[DB]

But yes, yes it does matter.

What I was trying to say was that it didn't matter what we thought the purpose was, they should have been taken down prior to passing over the US. There was no way to be certain what the purpose was and there's no reason to risk it.

[DB]

Ah, so the others were still in the northern hemisphere. It is my understanding that it is difficult for a balloon to navigate across the northern/southern hemisphere divide.

[jmyrlefuller]

Ah, so the others were still in the northern hemisphere. It is my understanding that it is difficult for a balloon to navigate across the northern/southern hemisphere divide.

That's true. There is a jet stream near the equator, the "trade winds" as they are known, but between them and each tropic is a dead zone, known officially as the "Intertropical Convergence Zone" or in layman's terms as "The Doldrums."