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A2 UP FRONT
Wednesday 15 February 2023
Latest downed objects could well be ‘benign,’ U.S. says

Continued from Front a bunch of junk up there.
So you got to figure out
First, U.S. fighter jets didn’t what’s the threat, what’s
shoot down what officials not. You see something,
described as a Chinese you shouldn’t always have
spy balloon until after had to shoot it down,” Graham
crossed much of the United said. Biden has ordered
States, citing safety con- National Security Adviser
cerns. Then the military Jake Sullivan to form an in-
deployed F-22 fighters with teragency team to study
heat-seeking missiles to the detection, analysis and
quickly shoot down what “disposition of unidentified
likely were harmless ob- aerial objects” that could
jects. pose either safety or secu-
Taken together, the actions rity risks. The recent objects
raised political as well as have also drawn the at-
security questions, about tention of world leaders in-
whether the Biden admin- cluding in Canada, where
istration overreacted after one was shot down on Sat-
facing Republican criticism urday, and in the United
for reacting too slowly to Kingdom, where the prime
the big balloon. minister has ordered a se-
Even as more information National Security Council spokesman John Kirby speaks during a press briefing at the White curity review.
about the three objects House, Monday, Feb. 13, 2023, in Washington. Japan’s Defense Ministry
emerges, questions remain Associated Press said Tuesday that at least
about what they were, who of Michigan on Lake Huron. Kirby said. They do not ap- for a classified briefing on three flying objects spotted
sent them and how the U.S. So far, officials have no indi- pear to have been operat- the shootdowns. Lawmak- in Japanese airspace since
might respond to unidenti- cation they were part of a ed by the U.S. government. ers conveyed concerns 2019 are strongly believed
fied airborne objects in the bigger surveillance opera- Kirby had hinted Mon- from their constituents to have been Chinese spy
future. Still unaddressed are tion along with the balloon day that the three objects about a need to keep balloons.
questions about the origi- that that was shot down off were different in substan- them informed and came Meanwhile, U.S. officials
nal balloon, including what the South Carolina coast tive ways from the bal- away assured the objects confirmed that a first missile
spying capabilities it had on Feb. 4. loon, including in their size. were not extraterrestrial in aimed at the object over
and whether it was trans- “We don’t see anything And his comments Tuesday nature but wanting many Lake Huron landed instead
mitting signals as it flew that points right now to marked a clear effort by more details. in the water, but that a sec-
over sensitive military sites being part of the PRC spy the White House to draw a Still, Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., ond one hit the target.
in the United States. balloon program,” Kirby line between the balloon, said the successful recent Gen. Mark Milley, chair-
Little is known about the told reporters, referring to which officials believe was interceptions were likely man of the Joint Chiefs of
three objects shot down the People’s Republic of part of a Chinese military to have a “calming influ- Staff, said the military went
over three successive days, China. It’s also not likely the program that has operated ence” and make future to “great lengths” to make
from Friday to Sunday, in objects were “intelligence over five continents, and shootdowns less likely. sure none of the strikes put
part because it’s been collection against the Unit- objects that the administra- Sen. Lindsey Graham, R- civilians at risk, including
challenging to recover de- ed States of any kind — tion thinks could simply be S.C., told reporters after the identifying what the debris
bris from remote locations that’s the indication now.” part of some research or briefing that he didn’t think field size was likely to be
in the Canadian Yukon, No country or private com- commercial effort. the objects posed a threat. and the maximum effec-
off northern Alaska and pany has come forward to In Washington, Pentagon “They’re trying to figure tive range of the missiles
near the Upper Peninsula claim any of the objects, officials met with senators out — you know there’s used.q

Open hearts, helping hands: Jill Biden’s

valentine to U.S.

lady Jill Biden celebrates the executive mansion as on Jan. 30. The 3- to 5-year-
Valentine's Day. a corner of the East Wing old children are enrolled at
Three large hearts, one entrance is decorated with Fort Drum South Riva Ridge
with the message, "Reach three more large hearts, Child Development Cen-
Out with Open Hearts and all printed with "Love," and ter.
Helping Hands this Valen- replicas of the dog and The visit was part of her
tine's Day," and two others cat. Hearts bearing the Joining Forces initiative to
featuring handprints are on children's handprints have support military and veter-
display on the north lawn in been strung together and an families and their care-
view of television cameras hung in a window for visitors givers.
Valentine's Day decorations adorn the White House lawn,
Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023, in Washington. where White House corre- taking public tours to see. Valentine's Day is one of
Associated Press spondents stand for their The first lady and the chil- the first lady's favorite holi-
live reports. dren worked on the "heart" days. She also displayed
By DARLENE SUPERVILLE dren pressed onto paper Cut-outs of dog Com- projects when she visited Valentine's Day messages
Associated Press hearts are decorating a mander and cat Willow are the U.S. Army Garrison Fort at the White House in 2021
WASHINGTON (AP) — The corner inside the White also part of the display. Drum, New York, home of and 2022.q
handprints of military chil- House and the lawn as first The theme continues inside the 10th Mountain Division,