今天(7日)文章本应分析上周五(3日)的美1月就业数据，但要等明天(8日)才谈，先讲下“吹胀”，就是那个气球。如果2月份普京不出重兵打乌克兰，则这个“气球”应是今年2月的最重大“军事行动”。

　　有多重大？看看美传媒怎报道(可能是老作)拜登和五角大楼对这个气球的处置讨论。

　　“I ordered the Pentagon to shoot it down on Wednesday as soon as possible，”　said President Biden, caving to the cries of the crowd.

　　“They decided - without doing damage to anyone on the ground - they decided that the best time to do that was when it got over water，”　added America's Commander-in-Chief, acknowledging that of the many terrific uses for F-22s, engineering soft landings is not one.

　　“Within the 12-mile limit, they successfully took it down, and I want to compliment our aviators who did it。”

击落气球是炮弹射蚊须

　　大致上是拜登恼火，这个三军总司令下令当气球飘到海面上，美国12浬领海范围之内，用F22战机，把气球射下来。

　　真是炮弹射蚊须，不是瞄准难，而是卡通！！！

　　这个气球的飘移路线见图一，当在蒙大拿州被民众发现报告美政府后，这气球仍飘呀飘，由美国西岸飘到美国东岸，其间，美战机F22曾多次升空监察，但都没有采取任何毁灭气球行动，只是望、望、望，一直到这气球飘出美国东部海岸（图二），当气球下降到18000米，在北加罗纳州对出海面被美F22战机击落，并有美国军方的侦察机在气球残骸的海面上跟踪，直到被海军打捞起为止（图三）。

　　为免妨碍打捞，美国航空局发出禁止在该区的飞行禁令。

　　The FAA has issued a ground stop/TFR-air space closure for parts of North Carolina and South Carolina. All operations at Charleston, Myrtle Beach, and Wilmington are paused for national security initiatives. This is in effect until 2：45 ET.

　　Impacting condition： other / security

　　Comments ： FDC Notam 3/1028 and 3/1029 is in effect due to national

　　Security initiatives. All aircraft are prohibited from operation

　　Within the affected area of this TFR from SFC-FL600 from 1745z to 1945z.

　　这个禁令涉及关闭了三个机场及邻近空域，不可谓不大件事。

　　这个使白宫和美军方头大的气球是怎样的呢？大概是如（图四）。这个被F22击落的气球的那一刻（图五），是个历史性时刻，这是F22服役以来的第一次实际军事行动，此照可能入选2023年十大纪事之一。

　　美国防部部长发表了新闻公告，哇！是国防部长发呀，不是由新闻官发，可见美国防部对此气球之重视，公告如下：

　　The USS Carter Hall(LSD-50)(along with numerous skipper sized surface craft, I assume)is arriving in the splashdown zone for balloon recovery.

　　This afternoon, at the direction of President Biden, US fighter aircraft assigned to U.S. Northern Command successfully brought down the high-altitude surveillance balloon launched by and belonging to the People's Republic of China(PRC)over the water off the coast of South Carolina in US airspace. The balloon, which was being used by the PRC in an attempt to surveil strategic sites in the continental United States, was brought down above US territorial waters.

　　On Wednesday, President Biden gave his authorization to take down the surveillance balloon as soon as the mission could be accomplished without undue risk to American lives under the balloon's path.

　　After careful analysis, US military commanders had determined downing the balloon while over land posed an undue risk to people across a wide area due to the size and altitude of the balloon and its surveillance payload. In accordance with the President's direction, the Department of Defense developed options to take down the balloon safely over our territorial waters, while closely monitoring its path and intelligence collection activities. This action was taken in coordination, and with the full support, of the Canadian government. And we thank Canada for its contribution to tracking and analysis of the balloon through NORAD as it transited North America. Today's deliberate and lawful action demonstrates that President Biden and his national security team will always put the safety and security of the American people first while responding effectively to the PRC's unacceptable violation of our sovereignty。

　　气球残骸找到了，会有什么的军事、侦察机密及仪器在其中，如果有，则白宫和美国防部如斯大阵仗，是必然的：但如果什么机密都没，则白宫和美国防部是否有被吹胀之感？

　　我们不必细究，等美国政府发公布好了。如果这气球真有军事侦察任务或军用仪器，美政府应在两三日内便召开全球新闻发布会，把证据抖出来，找中国麻烦，如果美官方声哑，大家就知道美政府是被吹胀了。

　　为什么是被吹胀？无实质证据就只好拿阴谋论来说事，就是中国是拿这个气球来试找出条日后“空炸”美国的非战机、非卫星、非导弹途径。不过他们或要附加说明，为什么上帝不再Save美国，而是硬要将中国气球吹到美国本土来，如果上帝不回应，白宫及美国防部就只有被吹胀份儿。

　　目前全球上空有几十个这样的气球在飘，不过不全是中国的。加拿大军方就公布，有第二个中国气球会飘来加拿大，路径可能如图六。而美国防部又谓留意到有另个气球在南美洲漂浮，正是气球何其多，想打？你打得了几个？吹胀！！！

　　投资涉风险，每位投资者承受风险程度不一，务必要独立思考。笔者会因应市况而买卖。

　　《经济通》所刊的署名及／或不署名文章，相关内容属作者个人意见，并不代表《经济通》立场，《经济通》所扮演的角色是提供一个自由言论平台。