GOP quick to second-guess on spy balloon downing

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, a Maine Republican, famously rationalized her votes to acquit Donald Trump in his impeachment trials by stating that he “learned his lesson.” Considered by some as a political moderate, she has now joined far-right members of her party in condemning the manner in which the U.S. military and President Joe Biden took down the Chinese spy balloon (“China has conducted spy balloon program for years, Pentagon says,” Feb. 9). In so doing, she puts herself in the same category as loony U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. Their attitude reminds me of Trump’s statement that he knows “more than the generals.”

In fact, the downing of the balloon was brilliantly and flawlessly executed. I do not believe that downing it over land posed any enormous danger to life or property, but there would have been at least some risk of this kind. According to U.S. authorities, allowing the balloon to traverse the United States did not appreciably increase Chinese espionage capabilities over already existing satellite capability. Actually, it gave U.S. authorities more of an opportunity to study the balloon’s mode of operation.

Downing it in U.S. territorial waters off the South Carolina coast was an excellent choice. Damage to equipment was probably far less than would have been the case if it were downed over land so that it could be studied more effectively. At a depth of around 47 feet, recovery was relatively easy. I can state from personal experience that this depth is well within the range of even recreational scuba divers, and that there is plenty of natural light at such depths. By recovering the balloon in this manner, our government can clearly refute the lame Chinese assertion that this was a case of a weather balloon that drifted off course. The rest of the world can therefore know the truth.

Collins, Greene, and the other Republicans who chimed in should keep their mouths shut when they do not know what they are talking about. Neither they nor Trump “know more than the generals.” They sow mistrust of our important intelligence and military institutions in what is now a clearly established right-wing agenda. They do a great disservice to our nation.

— Edward Leslie Ansel, Owings Mills

Twist errant balloons into animal shapes

I am writing to suggest an answer to the alleged Chinese spy balloon and others you report as shot down into the Atlantic Ocean and frozen northern spaces (“Let’s put a pin in the spy balloon/UFO hysteria,” Feb. 14).

Somewhere in retirement communities exist the familiar clowns who generated applause and squeals of delight at circuses and birthday parties and holiday parades by twisting balloons and reconfiguring them into animal sculptures.

Draft these patriots into a gassy new Atmospheric Animals Clown Corps to tether the spy balloons and send them back to countries where they were launched reassembled as poodles, turtles, horses, cows, giraffes and, if warranted, bears and camels and pandas!

— Stan Heuisler, Baltimore

Let’s pick up the pace on Baltimore transit

Thanks to Howard, Baltimore and Anne Arundel county executives Calvin Ball, John Olszewski Jr. and Steuart Pittman and Mayor Brandon Scott for their recent commentary calling for re-imagining public transportation (“It’s time to re-imagine public transportation for city, counties, Baltimore area leaders say,” Feb. 10).

It’s high time.

And, in fact, we need to speed the process. Let’s skip the middle step of first setting up a (study) commission and go directly to the establishment of an authority that can get to work. Those of us who have spent our lives trying to influence government know that “study” is usually a euphemism for kicking the can down the road.

The fall of 2024 (when the commission is required to report to the General Assembly) is almost two years away. Major legislation rarely passes in year one. So the earliest an authority is likely to get approved is 2026. How long after that before an authority is in place is anyone’s guess.

We should not wait that long.

— Will Baker, Towson

The writer is the former president of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.