Retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Blaine Holt told Newsmax Friday that the Chinese high-altitude balloon currently traversing the continental United States is probably "collecting intelligence" for the People's Republic of China and should be shot down.
"We absolutely understand that it's probably collecting intelligence," Holt said during "Rob Schmitt Tonight" Friday. "We don't know the entire scope of the threat for this exact balloon; and right now it's heading towards Washington, D.C., and it's terrible. I would welcome defense officials to go pop a couple of rounds into the balloon and let it come down, and let's put this thing on the ground."
Pentagon officials told the The Associated Press Thursday that the balloon, believed to be from China and gathering intelligence over the United States, was initially spotted by the military over military areas in Montana and has been monitored for the past several days.
According to the report, Pentagon officials decided not to shoot it down out of concern about damage and injuries the debris could cause people on the ground.
Chinese officials told the BBC that the balloon was civilian in nature and was collecting scientific data when it was blown off course by upper atmosphere winds.
"Affected by the Westerlies and with limited self-steering capability, the airship deviated far from its planned course," the BBC reported the Chinese officials saying. "The Chinese side regrets the unintended entry of the airship into U.S. airspace due to force majeure."
Bill Gertz, the national security correspondent for The Washinton Times, was also on Newsmax's "Rob Schmitt Tonight" and said the incident could be retaliation for American spy planes flying near Taiwan a few months back.
"This is clearly an egregious breach of American sovereignty, and it's also illegal under international law," Gertz said. "This is really an outrageous move by the Chinese. Another possible motivation may have been that we've been flying RC-135 electronic spying aircraft off the coast of China, and this could be their way of retaliating for that."
Gertz said the U.S. and Chinese aircraft almost collided during one encounter in that region, which could also have acted as a motivation for the Chinese to send the balloon.
Holt said not to be surprised if the Chinese keep "ratcheting up" tensions to show their strength, despite the woes that nation is currently facing.
"The Chinese will keep ratcheting it up," Holt said. "The Chinese preference is when they're weak ... they want to show as much strength as they possibly can. This is an element of that."
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