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CIA declassifies hundreds of UFO documents

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Re: CIA declassifies hundreds of UFO documents

#61

Post by dghughes »

jimrandomh wrote: post #22

I'm surprised they're continuing the misdirection so many years later. "Unidentified flying object" means an aircraft, usually a military one (because civilian aircraft are easier to identify). A UFO over US soil would usually be a USAF plane, but the CIA ran (runs?) a reporting hotline because they might occasionally be foreign spy planes instead. But of course, the Soviets were very interested (or the US believed t…

>... at Area 51 (their airfield for testing experimental aircraft)

I'm Canadian but that reminded of some relatives who sent a video of a birthday party. They were outside and a big booming noise could be heard and they all looked to see what it was.

I didn't think much of it since it was hard to hear other than a sort of jet sound but they lived there and seemed to think it was different or unusual in some way.

They lived in Apple Valley in the "high desert" (I didn't know what that meant) years later I found out Area 51 is pretty close.

I don't beleive in aliens but it was interesting to know the video had a mysterious aircraft and Area 51 in it.

Re: CIA declassifies hundreds of UFO documents

#62

Post by antidamage »

jimrandomh wrote: post #22

I'm surprised they're continuing the misdirection so many years later. "Unidentified flying object" means an aircraft, usually a military one (because civilian aircraft are easier to identify). A UFO over US soil would usually be a USAF plane, but the CIA ran (runs?) a reporting hotline because they might occasionally be foreign spy planes instead. But of course, the Soviets were very interested (or the US believed t…

I doubt the CIA were gaming Google in the 60s. It's also beyond ridiculous to think that a superpower like the USSR couldn't completely evaluate any material that came their way. The fake aircraft seems more reasonable though: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamov_Ka-50#Development

> The first two Ka-50 prototypes had false windows painted on them.[19] The "windows" evidently worked, as the first western reports of the aircraft were wildly inaccurate, to the point of some analysts even concluding its primary mission was as an air superiority aircraft for hunting and killing NATO attack helicopters.

Re: CIA declassifies hundreds of UFO documents

#65

Post by at-fates-hands »

jimrandomh wrote: post #22

I'm surprised they're continuing the misdirection so many years later. "Unidentified flying object" means an aircraft, usually a military one (because civilian aircraft are easier to identify). A UFO over US soil would usually be a USAF plane, but the CIA ran (runs?) a reporting hotline because they might occasionally be foreign spy planes instead. But of course, the Soviets were very interested (or the US believed t…

>> they would leave big airplane-shaped objects on the tarmac to create cold spots for Soviets' spy satellites to photograph in infrared, corresponding to planes that didn't exist.

You're referring to project OXCART which preceded the Blackbird program. The documentary you're referring to was called "Area 51 Declassified" which was on National Geographic channel:

https://youtu.be/fE8xqTO6hXk

It's a fascinating documentary

Re: CIA declassifies hundreds of UFO documents

#66

Post by DanielBMarkham »

rhino369 wrote: post #53
DanielBMarkham wrote: post #39

I love UFOs because UFOs tell us a lot about how we deal with non-reproducible observations. Walk outside and see a green, glowing light that hovers then disappears? You can walk outside again for the rest of your life and never see it again. Does that mean you didn't see anything? Of course not. This really messes with people's heads. The rationalists will say that since we can't independently observe it, it might a…

Our American government was never based on the idea that the people would have direct input on all issues. We elect leaders (not followers) to run the country. They probably shouldn't keep fundamental facts about government from us. But lying about our first strike nuclear capabilities to get an edge is understandable. That's why it's important to vote not just for a platform but for the candidate. Because they'll be…

Hope I didn't sound like I was arguing for a totally open government. That would obviously never work. I'm arguing for a "well-enough" informed electorate. Informed enough to strategically make choices about choosing representatives.

Abusing mentally ill citizens, performing experiments on the poor and destitute, gathering records on citizenry forever -- these are things that an informed electorate would shut down if given the chance. These are things that the constitution would forbid if it were foreseen.

Nobody's arguing that secrets can't be had. The argument is that those employed by the voters are actively acting long-term in ways neither the voters nor the constitution would approve of. Short term bend any kind of rules you think the system will allow. Long-term? This has got to stop. (Perhaps you do that by a constitutional amendment sunsetting any secrecy classification after 20 years or some such)

Re: CIA declassifies hundreds of UFO documents

#67

Post by crapolasplatter »

"Below you will find five documents we think X-Files character Agent Fox Mulder would love to use to try and persuade others of the existence of extraterrestrial activity. We also pulled five documents we think his skeptical partner, Agent Dana Scully, could use to prove there is a scientific explanation for UFO sightings."

The most interesting thing about this is the lack of seriousness that the CIA puts into UFO.

Re: CIA declassifies hundreds of UFO documents

#68

Post by actaeon169 »

sanoli wrote: post #41
jimrandomh wrote: post #22

I'm surprised they're continuing the misdirection so many years later. "Unidentified flying object" means an aircraft, usually a military one (because civilian aircraft are easier to identify). A UFO over US soil would usually be a USAF plane, but the CIA ran (runs?) a reporting hotline because they might occasionally be foreign spy planes instead. But of course, the Soviets were very interested (or the US believed t…

There's probably a lot of this going. Comes to mind right now the way the Navy had about two seal teams in the beginning, and then decided to name the next one 'Team 6', to make it look like they had more. I've read about other examples, but can't remember right now.

The CEO at a very small company I worked for not too long ago made me do this when assigning phone extensions because "Having 4 digit extensions makes us look like a big company." The only people this would fool would probably need supervision to use a phone.

Re: CIA declassifies hundreds of UFO documents

#69

Post by StavrosK »

kamaal wrote: post #55
hyperpallium wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Like carrots. The British promulgated the belief that carrots improve eyesight to explain the effective of their aircraft spotters, instead of radar.

>>Like carrots. Poor thing. As a kid I told my cousin(he wore glasses), that carrots were good for the eyes, to a point I exaggerated if he ate enough he could get rid of them altogether at some point. He would eat kgs of carrots.

Well, carrots are delicious, so no harm done.

Re: CIA declassifies hundreds of UFO documents

#70

Post by Jerry2 »

notthegov wrote: post #29
Jerry2 wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When I was a kid, I asked my grandfather, who was at that time an AF Colonel (he's now passed away), whether UFOs were real and whether he has seen aliens. He just looked at me, took me aside, and told me that UFO stories were propagated by the "boys from Langley" as a way to hide experimental aircraft testing. That way, every report of some black plane that was seen by the public, would be chalked up to UFOs and Rus…

Is there any evidence CIA was responsible for the hoaxes? There is significant evidence that US Air Force was responsible for the hoaxes. And, of course, Area 51 is an Air Force Base. The relationship between the two seems acrimonious on this issue. Also "the CIA" sounds more sinister than the US Air Force so it makes the story better.

>There is significant evidence that US Air Force was responsible for the hoaxes. And, of course, Area 51 is an Air Force Base.

Yes, Area 51 is an AF base but CIA has paid for most of the planes that were tested there in 50s, 60s and 70s. U-2 was paid for, in a large part, by a CIA budget [0]. Same goes for Lockheed A-12, a predecessor of SR-71, which too was paid for by the CIA [1]. Then there's Have Blue, a predecessor of F-117 which, too, was paid for by the CIA. CIA also paid for a slew of other planes and prototypes which ended up either destroyed or as other AF planes. So while it was an AF facility, CIA had a large say in what goes on there.

CIA also has a large staff of psychologists and other sociology experts who can pull off various deceptions and spread propaganda to a large part of the population. UFO mythology was probably created by them. AF don't have many experts in this area.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_U-2 [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_A-12 [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Have_Blue

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