Do you believe in coincidences ?
North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) conducted 'Operation NOBLE DEFENDER' across multiple locations in the Arctic, Canada and the United States between January 15-31 .
The Chinese balloon meandered across multiple points of our early warning system within that time frame before being detected by citizens in Montana on February 2.
It was first detected in Alaskan air space north of the Aleutian Islands on January 28. North American Aerospace Defense Command determined it posed no threat or intelligence risk .
Did they inform the President ? NO . Why Not ?
January 30 ,it is determined by NORAD that it is a spy balloon. It is being tracked through Canada . Was Clueless informed ? No .
January 31 , It enters continental US in Idaho . Finally Clueless is briefed by the DOD.
He asks for options to shoot it down. At this point there are many opportunities to down the balloon where the only living things that would be in danger are prairie dogs and elk. The Pentagon has an exact path plotted but decides that instead of downing it they would cease any activity that could give the Chinese signal intel (SIGNIT)
February 1 . The balloon veers off of the path the Pentagon plotted and just happens to park over Malmstrom Air Force Base, one of three sites that operate and maintain the nation’s intercontinental ballistic missiles. F-22 jets are scrambled but still no action is taken . Clueless
directs the Pentagon to come up with options to shoot down the balloon as soon as it is safe to do so over U.S. territorial waters.
Sec State Blinken meet with Chinese embassy officials.(5 days after the balloon 1st entered US territory) .
February 2 , the government can't stay quiet anymore . The Pentagon makes a public statement Key members of Congress had not been briefed 6 days after the balloon entered US territory . Once they become aware they start to make noise legitimately asking why they have not been briefed .
Blinken decides to postpone his planned trip to China.
February 3 China claims it is a weather balloon that 'accidently' drifted into US airspace.
February 4 after travelling the length of continental US making stop overs at Malmstrom and Whiteman Airforce Base Missouri (where strategic stealth B2 bomber are housed ) it is finally shot down in the waters off of Myrtle Beach SC. The Pentagon claims it is a good thing that it took a week to down it because they were able to study it's capability .The Chinese say we violated international practices and said there will be repercussions .
The US is still recovering the remains of the balloon ;now submerged in sea water for a week further degrading the value of the remains .
Senior officials said that it’s very early in the process and so far have only recovered pieces of evidence that were on the surface. Those pieces include the balloon, some wiring and a very small amount of electronics.
“We have not seen the payload which is where we expect to see the lion share of the electronics,” the senior official stated.
The FBI added that it’s still too early to determine the intent of the balloon.
Senior officials also said that this weekend’s weather may also impact the search.
FBI on Chinese surveillance balloon recovery off S.C. coast: ‘Much of the evidence remains underwater’ (wmbfnews.com)
Yesterday Clueless said it was 'NOT a major breach ' of US security .
'Handled perfectly by Biden'.