nexus magazine sept 2008 twilight zone ufo open letter

7/27/2019 Nexus Magazine Sept 2008 Twilight Zone UFO Open Letter

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OPEN LETTER ON UFOSTO THE FRENCH PRESIDENT

Versailles, France, 14 April 2008

Following is an English translationof an open letter from severalauthors, headed by French NavyRear Admiral Gilles Pinon, to M.Nicolas Sarkozy, President ofFrance. This translation by RobertD. Morningstar, editor ofUFODigest, has been slightly edited forpublication here. Editor.

Preamble

In the absence of any hostile intent,the intrusion of an extraterrestrialcivilisation could jeopardise our

environment, comprising all natural,social and cultural conditionsconstituting the theatre of humanactivities.

The Charter of the environment,which has constitutional authority,provides that although uncertain in thestate of scientific knowledge, whenacknowledging an injury that couldcause severe and irreversible

environmental effects, publicauthorities shall, by applying theprecautionary principle, have anobligation to work for the

implementation of risk assessmentprocedures.

The UFO phenomenonThese unusual aerospace

phenomena regularly appear in ourairspace. They are commonly knownas UFOs. The CNES (Centre Nationald'Etudes SpatialesNational Centrefor Space Studies) prefers to give thephenomenon the name of PAN(ph nom ne a rosp at ial non -identifiunidentified aerospatialphenomenon).

Before trying to give UFOs aninterpretation, we must recognise theobvious and simple fact: they exist.While much is the result ofmisconceptions, fantasy orhallucination, an irreducible partseems to show significant, unknown,physical laws and participation of anintelligent principle.

They gave birth to a discipline,ufology, which comprises two distinct

activities: first, data collection;second, their interpretation.

By convention, we will identify laterin this letter the generic term "UFO

phenomenon", all sides of which, afterreview, have not received any rationalexplanation with regard to ourscientific knowledge.

The dataA study group from CNES in

France, the GEIPAN (Group d'Etudeset d'Information sur les PhnomnesArospatiaux Non-identifisstudyand information group on unidentifiedaerospatial phenomena), has had theofficial mission to collect, analyse andarchive data on UFOs.

Thanks to this organisation andobstinate independent investigationwork, we now have databasescontaining several thousandobservations.

Their statistical study highlights thecomplexity and incongruity of thephenomenon, which covers dozens oftypes of events from the most banal,simple, abnormal light in the sky tothe more surprising recorded radar


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objects with inexplicable kinematicperformance. But it also shows an

internal coherence and generalcharacteristics, and rarely denied,relatively stable physical reality andintelligent behaviournot hostile, butdiscreet, stealthy and blurred/garbled.

The interpretationThe most widespread interpretation

among ufologists maintains that theUFO phenomenon is governed by one(or more) non-terrestrialintelligence(s). In this case, we mustaccept the idea that conceals a

potentially hostile plan, a programsupported by a strategy.

What is this program? Who are theauthors? What is their strategy?These are the questions that we haveto ask ourselves in facing anunknown.

Therefore, the study of the UFOphenomenon resorts to methods forassessing complex situationsinvolving intelligence games,ambiguous designs and scarce,

sporadic and garbled information.

Hypothetical-deductive methodsWhat are these methods? From a

military conception, they haveemerged during the last global conflictat the same time as operationalresearch. They are taught in warcolleges (in France, the DefenceIntelligence College) and are used bythe staffs of the major powers. Largecompanies exposed to economic andpolitical constraints and facing acompetition where misinformation iscommonly practised have adopted andadapted them to their needs. Thisexplains the presence of metaphor andmilitary terminology in the speechesof leaders of society.

As operational research, they aredesigned to overcome the lack ofintuition and apply common sense tosituations with confusing parameters,depending on many factors andrelevant objectives and subject to

random natural events.But unlike operational research,

they take into account the interferenceof a foreign intelligence, endowedwith will and capable of jamming andarbitrary, seemingly irrational,behaviour. They are particular lyrelevant in the presence ofdisinformation and in asymmetricalconflicts between adversaries withdifferent logic, divergent ethics andmodes of dissimilar thinking, as in thefight against terrorism or, if the casearises, an extraterrestrial intrusion.

With what kind of reasoning are

these methods involved? They are thehypothetical-deductive kind. Theymust make assumptions, prior to theriddle of ethical probabilities ortechnical, economic and operationallikelihoods, which are deduced fromthe consequences, past and future, andwhich could be verified throughobservation and intelligence. If theyfind an experimental verification, theyare validated. Otherwise, they areeither rejected or revised to make

them compatible with experience.They are constructions that are bothiterative and adaptive. They demandformal and rigorous thought. Allthings considered, they are a fairly

faithful application of the scientificmethod of Karl Popper. They oppose

the inductive thought process thatgoes from specific to general, whichclaims a general statement from alimited number of observations.

Regarding ufology, the inductivemethod is inappropriate because ofsharply depreciated information. Thisunfortunately has led to two pitfalls:on the one hand, scepticism orrejection of any attempt to interpretbecause the multiform faces andabsurd events that have been at largefor 60 years do not justify a general

statement; on the other hand, byimproper extrapolation, to theelaboration of hazardousinterpretations and the development ofconspiracy theses.

Possible extraterrestrial intrusionIf we depart from the a priori

hypothesis, not scientifically refutable,of an intelligence transcending theperceptible world, we must admit thatwe are dealing with a possibly alien

intrusion, i.e., the unwanted presenceof intelligent beings belonging to oneor more planets in the Milky Way oranother galaxy.

For hypothetical-deductive methods

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to be applied, we must again verifyassumptions that these beings can be

reasonable. The difficulty comes,then, between their civilisations andours, with gaps in knowledge anddevelopments and some difference interms of science and technology, withsome likely biological, social andethical developments.

A new form ofincommensurability

Everything comes back to thequestion of knowing whetherintelligent beings, with unequal levels

of knowledge and far-removed mentaland biological developments, wouldbe able to understand each other. Onthis condition alone, presuppositionswill have a meaning and may beadmitted as heuristic assumptions.

A proposition is now in favouramong some ufologists who, like CarlSagan, claim that differences inknowledge and developments wouldbe really insurmountable obstacles,making our understanding, even our

perception, of an intrusion impossible.

While it is true that the languagegap between man and animal is

forever impenetrable, it would not bean impediment between ourcivilisation and those of other worldswhich were technologically andperhaps psychologically superior. Ineffect, exobiology holds that allintelligent beings in the universe havecapabilities of inference and timemanagement and that their mentalpatterns are, in all likelihood, probablysimilar if not identical.

It would seem that it is legitimate toapply hypothetical-deductive methods

to the UFO phenomenon and thereforeseek to discover, beyond their modesof travel in space, just what theintentions of any intruders are towardsus.

Presuppositions/assumptionsPresuppositions must focus on the

nature of these beings, on their free orserf arbitrators, on their social andpolitical organisation, their collectiveethics, their intentions and their

activities. Is alien life alsoof radicallydifferent forms?Do theseb i o l o g i c a lextraterres t r ialbeings of giftedintelligence havea physiologysimilar to that ofmen? Do theyerect civilisationsin their societies?In the event thatsome haveacquired controlof space, whatsocial andp o l i t i c a lo r g a n i s a t i o nwould they haveto reach such alevel ofknowledge?

What would be their ethics? Dothey recognise moral truth? What

strategy do they adopt towardscivilisations visited? In the service ofwhat mission? Will they adopt aprecautionary principle? Whatapproach procedures apply? Wouldsigns of their presence be perceived?

Disinformation and jammingSince one holds that alien intrusion

is plausible, we must ask ourselvesabout its origin, its mobility anddangers:

Are we in the presence of only one

civilisation or several civilisationsoperating in concert or independentways?

Is it a simple remote monitoring, aselective intervention or an attempt toinfluence or take control?

It is futile to hope that an overt,unveiled demonstration of the UFOphenomenon may emerge one daysoon to answer these serious questionsbecause the phenomenon is discreet,stealthy and disguised and seems

unwilling to reveal itself. It is wellestablished that a study based oninduction will not come about, sinceits origin is the subject of operationsof travesty and because of distortionof the truth:

disinformation put out byfantasists with obscure interests andby government agencies motivated bystrategic issues and the need forsecrecy;

embellishments, more or lessvoluntary, by some witnesses andinvestigators;

interference and camouflage by theintruders themselves.

Disinformation and interference areso prevalent that it becomes difficultto distinguish between reality andfiction and to reconstitute reliable andcredible information only from theaccounts of witnesses.

The proposed hypothetical-deductive methods are supposed toremove these difficulties.

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A risk of global ethnocideEven though it may not show hostile

intentions, an alien intrusion presentsthe danger of chaos that could lead toethnocide if, by accident, it manifestedin broad daylight without leaving anydoubt as to its origin.

In the absence of priorpsychological action [in preparation],men could lose confidence in theirability to control their future. Thebalance of the world would be upset.

While genocide is the exterminationof an ethnic group or religious group,"ethnocide" is the destruction of its

culture. This disorder is not unique tophysical systems. Chaoticdevelopments are to be encountered aswell in other complex natural systems,composed of several sub-systems thatinteract strongly. The external eventsthat economists call "shocks" couldplay a decisive role in triggeringirreversible twists. But can weconceive of a culture shock moreviolent, more destabilising, thanimpromptu contact with

extraterrestrial beings who have theworld under observation?The risk of ethnocide cannot be

ignored or neglected. It must be takeninto consideration at the highest levelof government. Again, onlyhypothetical-deductive methods canprovide valuable assistance in thedecision.

Call for comprehensive studyGiven the general considerations

above, and considering: that France has an official body,

GEIPAN, for collecting and analysingdata on the UFO phenomenon,

that GEIPAN and its steeringcommittee have not been tasked tointerpret the UFO phenomenon,

that were they charged with thismission and have to conduct it,GEIPAN does not have thecompetence, the means or the method,

that the UFO phenomenon ispossibly a manifestation of the

intrusion or invasion of one or moreextraterrestrial civilisations,

that, if the intrusion is notscientifically proven, GEIPAN'sstrong presumptions work in favour ofextraterrestrials' strategy, as waswritten in a recent book in his ownname, M. Yves Sillard, chairman ofthe steering committee of GEIPAN,former Director-General of CNES andformer Delegate-General forArmaments,

that an extraterrestrial intrusionnecessarily proceeds from a policyregarding ethical elements and

involves a program served by astrategy,

that a strategy of a foreignintelligence with uncertain motivescould jeopardise our environment,understood as all conditions, natural,social and cultural, constituting thetheatre of human activities,

that there should be conducted, ina suitable manner, a risk assessmentstudy, including the ethnocidal risk, byapplying the precautionary principle in

accordance with Article 5 of theCharter of the environment, that the only appropriate method to

confront a vague threat is the methodof assessing complex situationsdeveloped by the major states,

that the UFO phenomenon is tooserious to be left to only GEIPAN,ufologists, ufological associations andthe public rumour mill,

that (for all one knows so far) noformal study on interpretation of theUFO phenomenon has been conductedin France,

that following the publication ofthe Condon Report, such a study waspresumably carried out in the USA inconfidence and that its conclusionswould be sufficient to explain thedisinformation that the country seemsto have put in place to preserve itsdominant position and, perhaps, avoidthe risk of ethnocide,

[W]e, the undersigned, have thehonour to ask that Mr President of the

Republic kindly order acomprehensive study of the UFO

phenomenon under hypothetical-deductive methods borrowed from themajor states. The study should gatherhigh competencies in the disciplinesdirectly concerned: political, military,scientific, sociological, philosophicaland ufological. It would aim to denyor confirm the extraterrestrialinterpretation and, if need be,highlight the strategy pursued by theintrusion and, if possible, its means.

Thus the Government of Francewould be able to set up, for audit

purposes, specific actions of scientificinvestigation and intelligence, thenbuild its own strategy, and finally stopthe national policy enforced indefence, security, research, health andinformation control. It should alsoconsider relevant factors in decidingthe position to hold on theinternational scene and theinformation that eventually will benecessary to bring to the attention ofinstitutions and public opinion.

[Signed[

Gilles Pinon, Rear-Admiral (2S)Francis Collot, SurgeonJacques Costagliola, Doctor ofMedicineAlain Labque, Engineer, CNRSRmi Saumont, former Director ofResearch, INSERMClaude Lavat, Engineer, ESMEVincent Morin, MCU Doctor ofElectronics

andRobert D. Morningstar, Editor,UFO Digest(New York City, 9 May2008)

(Source: Translation by Robert D.Morningstar for UFO Digest, posted10 May 2008 at the web pagehttp://www.ufodigest.com/news/0508/pinon.html)

THE TWILIGHT ZONE

nexus magazine sept 2008 twilight zone ufo open letter

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