An Unsettling Spy Balloon: The Pentagon’s Response
The skies over the United States have been abuzz with activity recently, but not of the usual variety. The Pentagon has confirmed that a Chinese spy balloon has been flying over the US, and it appears to be surveilling highly sensitive nuclear weapons sites. At President Joe Biden’s request, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and top military officials considered shooting the balloon down, but decided against doing so due to the potential risk to people on the ground.
The balloon has been flying over the US northwest, where there are airbases and strategic missiles in silos underground. Though the Pentagon does not believe it constitutes a particularly dangerous intelligence threat, they are taking steps to protect against foreign intelligence collection of sensitive information. What’s more, the issue of the balloon has been raised with Beijing officials, and the US has made it clear that they will do whatever is necessary to protect their people in their own land.
The balloon’s presence comes at a time when tensions between the United States and China are slowly simmering. China has previously sent surveillance balloons over the US, but this one has lingered in US airspace much longer. Defense Secretary Austin was recently in the Philippines to strengthen US defense cooperation, in a move that highlights the US view of China as a threat to East Asia.
Overall, the Pentagon’s response to the Chinese spy balloon has been one of vigilance and caution. They are taking steps to protect against foreign intelligence collection of sensitive information, while also communicating the seriousness of the issue to Beijing officials. It remains to be seen how the situation will develop, but the Pentagon is monitoring the situation closely.
Source: www.breitbart.com