XPost: alt.security.espionage, rec.aviation.balloon, sac.politics   
   XPost: talk.politics.guns   
   From: joe_biden_the_pussy@yahoo.com   
      
   Feb. 3, 5:49 p.m. EST   
      
   Previous balloon incidents near Hawaii, Guam in 2022: US officials   
      
   U.S. officials confirmed that previous balloon incidents involving China   
   occurred near Hawaii and Guam last year.   
      
   In February 2022, a balloon appeared to be stationary in international   
   waters northwest of Kauai, Hawaii, the officials said.   
      
   The Hawaii incident came shortly after a similar incident that year near   
   Guam, according to one of the officials.   
      
   Both incidents in the Pacific involved high-altitude balloons that came   
   from China, the officials said.   
      
   -ABC News' Luis Martinez   
      
   Feb. 3, 5:30 p.m. EST   
      
   'Gang of 8' to be briefed on surveillance balloon next week   
      
   The so-called "Gang of 8" will receive a briefing from the administration   
   on the Chinese surveillance balloon next week, according to a spokesperson   
   for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.   
      
   The "Gang of 8" includes congressional leadership and the top Democrat and   
   Republican members of the House and Senate intelligence committees:   
   Schumer, Sen. Mitch McConnell, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, House   
   Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, Sen. Marco Rubio, Sen. Mark Warner,   
   Rep. Jim Himes and Rep. Mike Turner.   
      
   The exact date and time of the briefing is not yet known.   
      
   -ABC News' Allison Pecorin   
      
   Feb. 03, 4:44 p.m. EST   
      
   US may wait to shoot balloon down over the Atlantic: US official   
      
   As the balloon appears to be heading toward North Carolina, the current   
   thinking is to wait until it is over the Atlantic Ocean to then try to   
   shoot it down and retrieve it, according to a senior U.S. official   
   familiar with the situation.   
      
   There is too great a risk to try to shoot it down over the continental   
   U.S., the official said. Since the U.S. wants to keep the balloon to study   
   it, and there are otherwise risks of an international incident, U.S.   
   officials are working on plans to shoot it down so that it also lands in   
   U.S. territorial waters, the official said.   
      
   A substantial localized airspace shutdown will likely be required in order   
   to protect civilians while the U.S. tries to down the balloon, which is   
   likely being navigated via Chinese spy satellites, the official said.   
      
   Feb. 03, 4:28 p.m. EST   
      
   'Job One' is getting balloon out of US airspace: Blinken   
      
   Secretary of State Antony Blinken, taking questions about the Chinese   
   surveillance balloon, said the first step should be getting it out of U.S.   
   skies.   
      
   "Job One is getting it out of our airspace," he said.   
      
   Blinken said they've made it clear to China the action is "clearly   
   unacceptable" and addressed further his decision to delay traveling to   
   Beijing until conditions allow for a visit.   
      
   "Any country that has its airspace violated in this way, I think would   
   respond similarly," he said. "And I can only imagine what the reaction   
   would be in China if they were on the other end."   
      
   Feb. 03, 4:02 p.m. EST   
      
   Blinken calls Chinese balloon an 'irresponsible act' on eve of his planned   
   trip   
      
   Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the surveillance balloon an   
   "irresponsible act" by the People's Republic of China.   
      
   Blinken said he made clear to Wang Yi, the director of China's Central   
   Commission for Foreign Affairs, that the balloon's presence is "a clear   
   violation of U.S. sovereignty and international law ... and that the PRC's   
   decision to take this action on the eve of my planned visit is detrimental   
   to the substantive discussions that we were prepared to have."   
      
   Blinken postponed his first official trip to China amid the controversy.   
      
   The secretary of state said his team had been engaging "for some time"   
   with their counterparts in Beijing to prepare but have now "concluded that   
   conditions were not conducive for a constructive visit at this time."   
      
   The remarks were made Friday during a joint press availability with South   
   Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin at the State Department.   
      
   Feb. 03, 2:16 p.m. EST   
      
   Biden first briefed Tuesday, took military's recommendation on balloon: WH   
      
   President Joe Biden was first briefed about the Chinese surveillance   
   balloon on Tuesday, according to White House press secretary Karine Jean-   
   Pierre, two days before the news was publicly confirmed by U.S. officials.   
      
   "He asked the military to present options," she told reporters in a gaggle   
   on Air Force One. "It was the strong recommendation by Secretary Austin,   
   Chairman Milley, the commander of Northern Command, not to take kinetic   
   action because of the risk to safety and security of the people on the   
   ground. President Biden took that recommendation from the military   
   seriously."   
      
   "The president will always put the safety of the security of the American   
   people first," she said.   
      
   Jean-Pierre said Biden continues to receive regular briefings from   
   national security team, and that he "agreed" with Secretary of State   
   Blinken's decision to delay his trip to China.   
      
   "We are tracking closely and keeping all options on the table," the press   
   secretary said.   
      
   Feb. 03, 1:41 p.m. EST   
      
   Biden again ignores questions on Chinese balloon   
      
   President Joe Biden didn't answer questions reporters shouted about the   
   Chinese surveillance balloon as he left the White House and boarded Marine   
   One shortly after 1 p.m. Friday.   
      
   Biden has yet to publicly comment on the balloon since it was confirmed to   
   be flying over the continental U.S. by officials on Thursday.   
      
   Biden is heading to Philadelphia, where he and Vice President Kamala   
   Harris will appear at an infrastructure event in the afternoon and then   
   later will speak at the Democratic National Committee's winter meeting.   
      
   Feb. 03, 1:27 p.m. EST   
      
   'Gang of 8' staff received classified briefing on Chinese surveillance   
   balloon   
      
   Staff to the so-called "Gang of 8" received a classified briefing on the   
   balloon by the administration Thursday afternoon, according to multiple   
   congressional officials.   
      
   The "Gang of 8" refers to the group of congressional leaders who are   
   briefed on classified intelligence matters. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy,   
   R-Calif., requested a meeting with the group on Thursday.   
      
   "China's brazen disregard for U.S. sovereignty is a destabilizing action   
   that must be addressed, and President Biden cannot be silent," McCarthy   
   said.   
      
   It's unclear if the classified briefing for the staff is a precursor to   
   their bosses being briefed. No meeting appears to be on the books so far.   
      
   -ABC News' Trish Turner   
      
   Feb. 03, 12:50 p.m. EST   
      
   Surveillance balloon is 'maneuverable,' Pentagon says   
      
   After saying the Chinese surveillance ballon was headed eastward, Pentagon   
   press secretary Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said the balloon is   
   "maneuverable."   
      
   "So, the balloon is maneuverable. Clearly, it's violated U.S. air space,   
   and again we've communicated that fact to the PRC," Ryder said.   
      
      
   "The balloon has changed its course, which is why we are monitoring it.   
   That is as specific as I can get," he said, not giving further details on   
   how it could be maneuvered.   
      
      
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