Replies to post #437046 on Tornado Alley (PROG)

[sortagreen]

It seems odd that it would be this much of a challenge, but the missiles the planes are carrying target heat sources, and there wasn't enough of a heat source on the balloon. And the problem with using guns is that at 65,000 feet the helium would escape so slowly the damn thing would be halfway to Europe before it came down. (not sure why they couldn't just shred it with a GAU... but I'm not sure we have anything in inventory that flies at 65,000 feet)

I would guess it's a problem that can be solved, but it seems to be one we hadn't thought of until recently.

[Zorax]

Again, another right wing rag. Just one of many maga republiklan quoted for that article.

"Republican Sen. Steve Daines said Biden’s letting the balloon drift across the country made the nation look weak.

“The problem I see with President Biden and the White House is they've empowered and emboldened our enemies through a show of weakness and indecision,” Daines said. “It's a dangerous place to be when our adversaries, I believe, feel bolder now about doing something so brazen as flying a spy balloon over our nuclear weapons.”"