Written by Sam Orlando
The United States Air Force's recent shooting down of a Chinese spy balloon on February 5, 2023 has raised concerns regarding the country's readiness for potential military conflict. The incident prompted the nation to move to DEFCON 2 status, a designation that has only been enacted twice in US history and signals a heightened state of readiness for nuclear war.
Breaking Through News reached out to the White House and NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, on Tuesday. We received the same response from both: "The US military never publicly releases the current DEFCON level". While that may be true, the raising of the North American alert level was confirmed by investigative journalist Donald Standeford, founder of The Standeford Journal and an expert in open source intelligence and intelligence analysis. Standeford operates a website that has an opposite view than the US government, in that it publishes updates about the nation's DEFCON level 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Standeford's website can be found at www.defconlevel.com(http://www.defconlevel.com/).
The DEFCON system, short for "defense readiness condition," was established in the 1950s as a means of communicating the state of military readiness during times of crisis. The system consists of five levels, ranging from DEFCON 5 (least severe) to DEFCON 1 (most severe). The DEFCON levels are designed to provide a quick and easy way for military leaders to communicate the level of threat to the nation and the corresponding level of military readiness required.
DEFCON 2, also known as "Red Alert," represents a high potential for nuclear war and is the second-highest level in the DEFCON system. This level of readiness is typically declared in response to a perceived threat of military conflict or actual attack on US interests. The only other time that the US has moved to DEFCON 2 status was during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962.
In the wake of the recent shooting down of the Chinese spy balloon, many are questioning the motivations behind the move to DEFCON 2 status and the potential consequences of such a high state of military readiness. Some experts believe that this move represents a significant escalation in tensions between the US and China, and could lead to further military action in the future.
Despite these concerns, it is important to remember that the DEFCON system is a tool designed to help military leaders respond quickly and effectively to perceived threats to national security. While the move to DEFCON 2 status is undoubtedly concerning, it is important for the US to maintain a high level of military readiness in order to protect its citizens and interests in an increasingly uncertain world.
Why did our nation's military leaders decide to bring American military readiness to the brink of nuclear war last weekend? This didn't happen during the Gulf war or during the attacks of 9/11. The government is silent as to what provoked the increase in readiness, other than the interaction with a Chinese spy balloon.
In conclusion, the recent shooting down of a Chinese spy balloon and subsequent move to DEFCON 2 status represent a significant moment in US history and a potential escalation in tensions between the US and China. While the potential consequences of this move are concerning, it is important for the US to maintain a high level of military readiness in order to respond quickly and effectively to any perceived threats to national security.
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