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Transcript/ScriptUS–OBJECTS SHOOTDOWN
HEADLINE: White House: Don’t Panic, Downed UFOs are Not Aliens
TEASER: But what are the three unidentified flying objects downed over U.S. airspace? White House says they aren’t sure yet
PUBLISHED AT: 02/13/2023 at 9:34 pm
BYLINE: Anita Powell
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: The White House
VIDEOGRAPHER: AP, AFP, Zoom
VIDEO EDITOR:
SCRIPT EDITORS: Mia Bush, MPage
VIDEO SOURCE (S): AP, ZOOM (WITH LICENSE)
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO __
TRT: 3:12
VID APPROVED BY: Holly Franko
TYPE:
EDITOR NOTES:))
((INTRO:))
[[Less than a week after the U.S. downed what officials say was a Chinese surveillance balloon, the U.S. military shot down three more flying objects of unknown origin. Chinese officials say they can’t say whether the newly downed objects are theirs but say the U.S. is overreacting. As Washington searches for answers, one thing is clear: China-U.S. relations have taken a hit. VOA’s Anita Powell reports from the White House.]]
((NARRATOR))
There are many questions about the three unidentified flying objects the U.S. military has shot down in as many days. Here’s one thing the White House can say with confidence:
((Radio: White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre))
((Karine Jean-Pierre, White House Press Secretary))
“There is no indication of aliens or extraterrestrial activity with these recent takedowns. We wanted to make sure that the American people knew that, that all of you knew that, it was important for us to say that.”
((NARRATOR))
But seriously, White House officials offered one theory on why the military is suddenly finding more of these flying vessels: because these are the objects they’re looking for.
((Radio: John Kirby is a spokesperson for the National Security Council))
((John Kirby, National Security Council))
“If you set the parameters in such a way to look for a certain something, it's more likely that you're going to find a certain something.”
((NARRATOR)) ((MANDATORY COURTESY - Travis Huffstetler))
On Friday, less than a week after downing a Chinese balloon over the eastern shore of the United States,
the U.S. military shot down a UFO over Alaska. On Saturday, the U.S. worked with the Canadian military to take down another over the Yukon territory. And on Sunday, a third was shot from the sky into Lake Huron.
People should not panic, Kirby said.
((John Kirby, National Security Council))
“We do not assess that these most recent objects pose any direct threat to people on the ground, and we are laser-focused on confirming their nature and purpose.”
((NARRATOR)) ((MANDATORY COURTESY - US DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE))
But if the truth is out there, it’s clouded by China’s anger over what they say is unfair U.S. punishment for a weather balloon that simply drifted off course and across the entire continental U.S.
On Monday, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin, accused Washington of being “trigger-happy.” He did not say whether the three recent objects were Chinese but fired a volley of accusations at Washington.
((Wang Wenbin, Chinese Foreign Ministry))
“The U.S.’ abuse of force, overreaction and escalation of the situation goes against the spirit of international law and against international practice. Now (they are) hyping up, exaggerating and exacerbating (the situation), using this as an excuse to illegally sanction Chinese enterprises and organizations. China is strongly dissatisfied and firmly opposes this.”
((NARRATOR))
The White House said there is no current plan for President Joe Biden to talk to Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Kirby said the Chinese military is “not interested” in
speaking to the U.S. defense secretary. He also repeated claims that the U.S. does not have surveillance aircraft in Chinese airspace.
That, says analyst Emily Harding, sets up tension with Beijing and raises serious questions for Washington – questions that Kirby could not answer when asked on Monday.
((Emily Harding, Center for Strategic and International Studies)) ((courtesy: zoom))
“I think the message sent to Beijing is, ‘Hey, we caught you. We know what you're up to. Cut it out.’ I think the more interesting question right now for the Pentagon is going to be, what are the rules of engagement on these? Suddenly, we found these objects that are floating over the northern United States – and are we going to try and shoot down every single one of them that floats over the airspace or are we going to come up with a much better way of determining what is and is not a national security threat?”
((NARRATION))
And, she said, the conspiracy theories floating around the internet raise another concern.
((Emily Harding, Center for Strategic and International Studies)) ((courtesy: zoom))
“When we have so little information out in the public, it's very easy for misinformation and disinformation, conspiracy theories to spread. There's been some, I think, well-intentioned joking about this on the interwebs over the weekend, but at the same time, like, you don't really know you don't want to speculate and spread potential missing disinformation.”
((NARRATION))
Which leaves the biggest question of all: once investigators learn what the objects are and what they were doing – what then?
((Anita Powell, VOA News, the White House))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)The White House
Embargo DateFebruary 13, 2023 23:34 EST
Byline
((Anita Powell, VOA News, the White House))
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
