The Pentagon has thus far refused to shoot down a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon hovering over the northern U.S. for days, raising national security concerns.
The balloon was first detected by the U.S. military and has been monitored for the past few days. Pentagon spokesperson Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told NBC News, We continue to track and monitor it closely. The balloon has been identified as a high-altitude surveillance balloon, and there has been discussion of shooting it out of the sky.
On Friday, China denied that the balloon is a spycraft but instead a civilian airship that blew off course. The Chinese government also said in a statement that it regrets its unintended entry into U.S. airspace.
The situation has been further complicated because the balloon is flying over the state of Montana, a crucial national security area. Montana is home to several military bases and is adjacent to other states, including Wyoming and Idaho, which are known for their defense assets.
The Pentagons refusal to shoot down the balloon is seen as a sign to many that the Biden administration is not taking the security of the nation seriously. This has been a major point of concern for those on the right, who argue that the lack of action is a sign of weakness and a failure to protect the country's national security interests.
The balloon is believed to be part of a wider Chinese espionage effort. This has raised alarm bells among American intelligence agencies, as the balloon could be used to collect information on military bases, defense assets, and communications networks.
A Pentagon official declared to NBC News that they are maintaining close scrutiny of the situation, noting that they are regularly evaluating it through numerous methods.
The airport in Billing, Montana, had to halt operations due to a special mission by the U.S. military, as reported by air traffic controllers.
The Pentagon's refusal to shoot down the suspected Chinese surveillance balloon has raised serious national security concerns. It is not yet clear how the Biden administration will respond to the situation, and if action will be taken to shoot the balloon down.
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