• zephyreks@lemmy.ca
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    1 year ago

    Q: So you believe your efforts stopped it from collecting and transmitting or was it able to collect but just not able to transmit?

    GEN. RYDER: We believe that it did not collect while it was transiting the United States or flying over the United States, and certainly the efforts that we made contributed, I’m sure.

    The question gave two possibilities: it collected and didn’t transmit, and it didn’t collect. The General states that it didn’t collect, and he’s sure that they were able to mitigate anything if it did collect (which it didn’t). Basic English. He also does not refer to the balloon as a spy balloon FWIW, correcting the journalist who did refer to it as one.

      • zephyreks@lemmy.ca
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        1 year ago

        To avoid any potential data collection? The US didn’t know what the balloon’s capabilities or purpose were until they shot it down. Until then, treat everything as a threat. It’s SOP.

              • zephyreks@lemmy.ca
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                1 year ago

                Yes, and what exactly do you think that means?

                Also, props to Lemmy for handling this discussion, because the latency is way less than Reddit.

                • USNewsJunkie@newsie.social
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                  1 year ago

                  @zephyreks That means it wasn’t able to collect data in part because of the countermeasures that contributed to preventing it from collecting data. If that was not the case, why wouldn’t the BG have just said, “no it wouldn’t have mattered because it wasn’t trying to collect data.”?

                  • zephyreks@lemmy.ca
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                    1 year ago

                    Because they needed to justify the hassle and spending they spent trying to prevent it from collecting? Do you think the US military budget grows on trees?