Authored by Robert B. Charles through RealClear Wire,

A Chinese language surveillance balloon floats over the USA for every week. No motion is taken, till the outcry makes taking it down crucial. A second is over South America, a 3rd was over Hawaii. President Biden says it occurred below President Trump. After former Trump administration officers mentioned that didn’t occur, Biden countered they have been “found” after Trump left. What explains all this?

To begin with, China simply examined Joe Biden, and he failed. China had put a spy balloon over Hawaii, and the president – we now study – did nothing a couple of gadget a couple of dozen miles within the air leisurely traversing the USA and presumably sending photos in real-time again to the Chinese language army. U.S. airspace goes to 62 miles up.

Why was it not shot down? We’re informed solely that “particles” may damage somebody, or that it was innocuous, and therefore no want for motion. These have been tenuous, if not false, excuses for inaction. Particles would have been minimal and could possibly be engineered into empty areas. Satellites see issues, however a spy balloon 100 instances nearer sees extra.

As for “no want,” nicely, solely in order for you extra spy balloons subsequent month and see no hazard within the precedent, which is to say, the potential of someday dealing with a doable chem, bio, radioactive, or EMP risk. In any other case, you shoot it down quick, as you’ll a Chinese language fighter or bomber.

We didn’t try this. Why not? The reason apparently is that the Biden group is timid, afraid to upset China, and believes this provocation can be seen as a mere “incremental” violation, one they’ll let slip if not seen.

Besides that Individuals noticed it with their very own eyes, so we have been handled to predictably partisan and self-serving disaster administration: Biden’s group rapidly mentioned that they had “found” it, have been “monitoring” it, would resolve what to do subsequent. Meantime, the secretary of state instantly waffled on suspending his deliberate journey to China.

Biden’s group wrung their arms, mentioned little, did much less, and hoped this could simply drift away. The outcry was vital, in order that they lastly determined to shoot the offending balloon down over the ocean, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken bravely delayed his journey.

The braveness quotient on this White Home, Biden’s Pentagon, Division of Homeland Safety, and State Division, is beautiful – for its absence. Are we to think about nobody considered the probabilities right here? Are we to think about we solely take into account planes or missiles a risk?

So, the Biden group lastly shoots the Chinese language spy balloon down over the ocean, whereas China mumbles, lies, and carries on. However that is the place the “scandal inside scandal” begins. Beneath the gun to elucidate themselves, Biden and his group belatedly says “three Chinese language balloons” have been over the U.S. below Trump. Virtually each extremely cleared Trump intelligence and nationwide safety appointee (greater than a dozen) flatly deny that.

This results in the subsequent hard-to-believe deflection. Biden’s group says the Chinese language balloons Trump didn’t shoot down have been solely found after he left workplace. What?

Sure, they are saying it occurred then however was solely “found after” Trump left, which might be why nobody had heard about it. That is exhausting to credit score. Are we to imagine that NORAD’s 24/7 operations heart was asleep – that China dared cross Trump, and we solely noticed the spy balloons after reviewing the tape?

All this sounds more and more absurd, throws water on strong info, damning, indefensible, and which ought to require – in an accountable republic – excessive degree resignations. Listed below are the massive, actual questions.

First, if any spy balloon from China actually floated over the USA throughout Trump’s time and never one appointee was briefed, do we have now an “intelligence deep state” – which is both pro-China or which so feared Trump’s penchant for motion that they withheld that? Precisely who knew what, when, and mentioned nothing?

Second, if the balloons have been over the U.S. below Trump, and NORAD or the intelligence group didn’t see them in actual time, why not? That could be a main intelligence failure. How did that occur? Third, both approach – and no matter which scandal is worse – the Chinese language spy balloon in U.S. airspace ought to have instantly been introduced down. Would we wait on a fighter, and say particles nervous us?

China has realized a key lesson, and it can’t be unlearned. Biden will hesitate, deflect, do nearly something to keep away from confrontation with China, even permit penetration of U.S. airspace. None of it will make Taiwan really feel good, or Japan, Australia, the Philippines – or any U.S. ally.

Communist China’s deliberate penetration of U.S. airspace will not be a non-event, not inconsequential, not one thing to faux didn’t occur. And it ought to have immediately triggered a shootdown.

Who can be held accountable for this fiasco? What’s going to China do subsequent? This isn’t a small error, passing oversight, or victory – nor was the disastrous U.S. exit from Afghanistan. That is one other layered scandal.