4 ms·

It is very clear that the US is trying to spy on China. I don't blame China for taking the drones. If Russia sends drones to Hawaii, the US will take them too.

MrZongle2 10y ago
The drone was operating in international waters. How, then, is China justified in taking it? Isn't that simply theft? It would have been another thing entirely if the drone were operating within Chinese territory.
- roywiggins 10y ago
  In international waters? I'd call it piracy.
  - Brockenstein 10y ago
    And pirates are pretty cool...
  - Brockenstein 10y ago
    And pirates are pretty cool...
  - dragonwriter 10y ago
    It can only be piracy if done for private ends. Done on behalf of a government, it's simply an act of war.
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- MrZongle2 10y ago
  Judging by the voting, I can only assume that at least a few HN users side with the Chinese thieves. And are incapable of posting a coherent rebuttal. Sounds about right.
- dragonwriter 10y ago
  As is often the case in international politics, the justification is "well, what are you going to do about it, then?"
hang 10y ago
and yeah they don't do that!
- jasonwatkinspdx 10y ago
  You are mistaken. Russia maintains survey vessels as well and regularly patrols just outside the US's exclusive economic zone.
  - forgotmysn 10y ago
    Exactly. And we respect their right to hang out there because it's international waters.
forgotmysn 10y ago
I don't think that's clear at all. This drone was in International waters, not Chinese waters, and it sounds like this device was not capturing any actionable intelligence but data on how sound travels through water.
- sleepingeights 10y ago
  Well, they needed both drones to locate the source of any sounds detected in the water. With only one drone, their tests can determine what sounds were made (and maybe some general vicinity), but not as accurately from where. The Chinese already surprised a US carrier fleet by deploying a submarine fleet that "ambushed" a carrier when one of their subs surfaced in kill range to the carrier, undetected.

MrZongle2 10y ago

The drone was operating in international waters. How, then, is China justified in taking it? Isn't that simply theft? It would have been another thing entirely if the drone were operating within Chinese territory.

roywiggins 10y ago
In international waters? I'd call it piracy.
- Brockenstein 10y ago
  And pirates are pretty cool...
- Brockenstein 10y ago
  And pirates are pretty cool...
- dragonwriter 10y ago
  It can only be piracy if done for private ends. Done on behalf of a government, it's simply an act of war.
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
MrZongle2 10y ago
Judging by the voting, I can only assume that at least a few HN users side with the Chinese thieves. And are incapable of posting a coherent rebuttal. Sounds about right.
dragonwriter 10y ago
As is often the case in international politics, the justification is "well, what are you going to do about it, then?"

hang 10y ago

and yeah they don't do that!

jasonwatkinspdx 10y ago
You are mistaken. Russia maintains survey vessels as well and regularly patrols just outside the US's exclusive economic zone.
- forgotmysn 10y ago
  Exactly. And we respect their right to hang out there because it's international waters.

forgotmysn 10y ago

I don't think that's clear at all. This drone was in International waters, not Chinese waters, and it sounds like this device was not capturing any actionable intelligence but data on how sound travels through water.

sleepingeights 10y ago
Well, they needed both drones to locate the source of any sounds detected in the water. With only one drone, their tests can determine what sounds were made (and maybe some general vicinity), but not as accurately from where. The Chinese already surprised a US carrier fleet by deploying a submarine fleet that "ambushed" a carrier when one of their subs surfaced in kill range to the carrier, undetected.