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Yeah it’s pretty funny how worked up the CCP get when they’re called out. “How dare you accuse us of launching a spy balloon?”. Whereas Russia hits you with the “oh those aren’t FSB agents, just lovers on vacation ;)”

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Well I given that it wasn’t a spy balloon in the end, perhaps they had a point

I mean, the entire concept of "spy balloon over the continental US in the 21st century" could be considered a litmus test for critical thinking.

A country with satellites is running a Wile E. Coyote tier balloon plot?

Yes, and if you think it's not feasible, you failed the critical thinking test. Balloons have the ability to observe signals that satellites do not. It's that simple.

While being incredibly obvious and easy (and justified) to shoot down, as we saw.

But enlighten me. What critical signals intelligence was that balloon getting?

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