Most Americans were baffled as President Joe Biden allowed an enormous, high-tech Chinese spy balloon to traverse the U.S. mainland, collecting data and sending it off to Beijing as it went, before shooting it down. And horrified to learn that three additional “objects” had entered North American airspace undetected over the weekend.
Yet Biden appeared strangely unaware, or at least unwilling to acknowledge, that a profound, game changing, and irreversible shift in the U.S.-Sino relationship had occurred. During a Wednesday interview with PBS, the president acted oblivious to the gravity of the situation and scoffed at the notion that his order to shoot down the surveillance balloon over the Atlantic Ocean would harm relations with Chinese President Xi Jinping. “I haven’t talked to him during this,” he said. “But, look, I mean, the idea of shooting down a balloon that’s gathering information over America and that makes relations worse?”
Ridiculous, huh?
Although relations between the world’s top superpowers have always been characterized by mutual distrust, China’s hatred of America has remained largely unspoken by most Democratic and even some Republican lawmakers. This episode marks a major turning point. China’s provocative actions may have just accomplished what would otherwise have been impossible: uniting Americans against a common enemy.
This series of events was an awakening indeed. Although not nearly as dramatic as the 9/11 terrorist attacks, it nevertheless showed that the Chinese hate us and wish to replace the U.S. as the world’s preeminent superpower. Even Democrats have been forced to admit that, rather than being a mere fellow competitor on the world stage, China poses a serious threat to America. In other words, the gloves are off.
Last week, House members voted unanimously (419-0) to condemn China for sending the balloon. The resolution called it “a brazen violation of United States sovereignty.” When was the last time lawmakers agreed on anything?
Ahead of Thursday’s vote, Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) delivered an impressive speech on the House floor. He began, “China says it reserves the right to retaliate against America for the temerity of shooting down their spy balloon over our territory. This arrogance should not surprise us. It is the fruit of decades of China successfully pushing us around and getting away with murder.”
The California Democrat pointed out the “lopsided” trade relationship that exists between the U.S. and China and questioned their most favored trading status. He noted their “obfuscation and lack of cooperation” surrounding the origins of COVID-19, which led to the deaths of millions of people and wrecked economies around the world. He blamed China for the fentanyl crisis that has made drug overdoses the leading cause of death for U.S. citizens between the ages of 18 to 45. And he enlightened his colleagues on the cost to U.S. corporations of doing business in China.
Sherman introduced a five-point plan of action and concluded by noting, “This balloon has woken up the American people, and it should wake us up to the far greater things that China has done.”
Biden’s nonchalance and his administration’s failure to provide clarity even to members of Congress has only fueled concerns on both sides of the aisle. And it’s time for some answers.
For starters, why did Biden allow the first balloon to transit the entire U.S. mainland before shooting it down? An uncompromised president might show a little anger over China’s incursions into our airspace. Is Biden compromised by the Chinese government?
Furthermore, what were the capabilities of these balloons? Were they merely listening/recording devices or were they equipped with electromagnetic pulse technology designed to knockout our electric grid?
More unlikely, but still within the realm of possibility, were these “objects” capable of dispersing biological agents into the atmosphere?
And why were four of these “objects” detected over such a short period of time? Either China sent out a large number of balloons all at once, or the U.S. military has adjusted their methods of detecting their presence in our airspace.
Americans need answers to these questions and more.
For a group that prides itself on their shrewdness, the Chinese Communist Party’s latest actions, and the hubris and derision put forth by the state media they control, may soon prove to be one of their greatest strategic blunders. Their actions will now be subject to greater scrutiny than ever before by a bipartisan group of lawmakers.
And hopefully, Democrats may finally recognize the connection between Biden’s casual attitude to China’s increasing aggression and his family’s influence peddling schemes.
A previous version of this article appeared in The Washington Examiner.
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“And hopefully, Democrats may finally recognize the connection between Biden’s casual attitude to China’s increasing aggression and his family’s influence peddling schemes.”
You nailed it!
While there is always hope, as you wrote above, I sadly have forgotten how to hold my breath; I am not even going to try…. I am guessing that Joe wants to make sure Hunter doesn’t miss any of his Chicom paychecks (or his own 10% cut).
I seriously doubt the Democrats will do much of anything, especially since a LOT of them have a monied interest in China – proving that they (Democrats) have little to NO interest in their Oath to the Constitution and the American people. The Biden Crime Family most assuredly does not. There are also many Republicans that are linked to Chinese interests as well. The whole lot of them are almost as crooked as the Democrats have shown themselves to be!
And let’s not forget that we have allowed China to be our single source for most ALL of the pharmaceuticals and almost all of the manufacturing of our goods. Let’s fix that before it’s too late, shall we?
“Sherman introduced a five-point plan of action and concluded by noting, “This balloon has woken up the American people, and it should wake us up to the far greater things that China has done.””
You can tell he is as full of hot air as can be.
I don’t even want to know about his five point plan.
If that balloon woke up anyone, it is the spin masters of the media, for the purpose of using this as another distraction as far as the eye can see.
There is no “Biden”. Just watch any of his press talks and it’s sadly obvious his mind has checked out. Whoever run’s him is not our friend or a friend of our country.
Balloons. Not China. CIA