Small correction on your first sentence: only one (the huge one shot down off the coast of SC) was confirmed to be a spy balloon from China.
The other three (Alaska, Yukon, Lake Huron) were explicitly referred to as "objects, not balloons" initially. This was later updated to "intelligence agencies believe they were civilian research platforms/balloons" but not from China. That seems to be where the story ends with no further updates. Feds say that no debris was ever located for any of the last three.
Off-topic and/or pedantic but I followed the story pretty closely and don't understand why people lump the first shoot down (of the confirmed spy balloon from China) with the latter three. The circumstances and details emerging in the aftermath were wildly different.
Seriously! All official statements so far have been pretty clear that they're not labeling it a balloon (yet).
A CNN correspondent [0] just claimed that there were conflicting statements from the pilots that it interfered with their sensors as they approached it. And that they couldn't figure out how it was staying in the air. I have no idea where she got those updates, but it certainly adds mystery to the situation.
As someone else noted in another thread, Hersh's reputation and the source are absolutely evidence. What he hasn't provided is hard proof for the claims.
I can't find any proof whatsoever as to who actually did it from the western authorities claiming to investigate it either though. In fact, there's been little to no news or updates at all since the incident.
This gatekeeping is ridiculous. This is the same guy who unveiled the atrocities that occured during the My Lai massacre and at Abu Ghraib, both of which painted the US Gov/military in a terrible light.
This is an actual case of speaking truth to power. He clearly (and rightfully IMO) does not trust the US government and his "somewhat questionable" and recent work has continued that trend. Is it any surprise that the same institutions/people that continuously carry water for the government now rush to label him a conspiracy theorist?
There's a decent chunk of the population that would be ecstatic if Twitter went away and they never had to hear about it again, so he'd probably gain some fans there.
The other three (Alaska, Yukon, Lake Huron) were explicitly referred to as "objects, not balloons" initially. This was later updated to "intelligence agencies believe they were civilian research platforms/balloons" but not from China. That seems to be where the story ends with no further updates. Feds say that no debris was ever located for any of the last three.
Off-topic and/or pedantic but I followed the story pretty closely and don't understand why people lump the first shoot down (of the confirmed spy balloon from China) with the latter three. The circumstances and details emerging in the aftermath were wildly different.