On Corey, Andrew, and the Whistleblowers

A Secret Space Program? Yes.

Since 2009, I have written and spoken about a probable breakaway civilization. At the time, my thoughts centered on the knowledge that within the classified world there were certainly technological developments that have been kept secret, sometimes for a long time.

Famously, the stealth fighter was fully operational and secret for six years before it was officially announced, while stealth technology itself had been in the works for more than a decade before that, without a peep to the rest of us. I recall my conversation with a former scientist at NSA from the mid-1960s who told me of NSA computer clockspeeds exceeding 600 mHz, a speed not reached by the consumer market for 35 years. Today, there are rumors that NSA or some other intelligence agency has achieved quantum computing---no one outside that world knows for sure.

Beyond that, rumors and allegations never cease about radical tech coming from the ‘black world.’ I have long credited the ARV story emanating from Brad Sorensen via Mark McCandlish. If true, it means that clandestine reverse-engineered flying saucer craft have been manufactured secretly and have been operational since at least the 1980s. Along these lines we have the statements coming during the 1980s and 1990s to respected aviation and aerospace journalist James Goodall. One of Goodall’s sources from within Groom Lake (Area 51) told him, “we have things in the Nevada desert that would make George Lucas envious,” and “we have things out there better than Star Trek, Star Wars, or anything you see in the movies.” And so on.

It’s not that we should take such claims as gospel. But there is a history, a pattern. Moreover, the sources of many of such claims come from individuals whose backgrounds have been confirmed, even if their stories have not. When it comes to UFOs and all things related, it’s a fact that we are dealing with things that are classified and secret. There is no getting around that fact, something most full-time debunkers seem conveniently to forget time and again. Unfortunately, those of us who research and investigate the secret world of the UFO cover-up are handicapped not merely by the intrinsic difficulty of the subject, which is substantial, but by the secrecy and obfuscation that perennially accompany it.

Still, over the years I have concluded that not only is there a probable “breakaway civilization,” utilizing classified technological breakthroughs, most likely derived in part from alien technology, but that this includes a secret space program. The two go together. That is, if you conclude, as I do, that ...

1) UFOs are real

2) We have recovered some of this technology via Roswell and elsewhere

3) We have secretly been studying these breakthroughs over the many years

... then, it’s reasonable to assume that:

1) The classified world has made key breakthroughs over the years, some of which have been monetized, and others which are probably too important even for commercial profit and are being used covertly. Things such as radical propulsion technologies, for starters. There would undoubtedly be other breakthroughs, but who knows what.

2) Such breakthroughs would enable these people to do things utterly off limits to the rest of us, including, crazy as it might seem to many people, to go “off-world.”

3) There would be little to no incentive for those in-the-know to let the rest of us know what’s going on. It’s too big, too explosive a secret. It will only voluntarily be let out when it’s no longer important, which is usually the case with big secrets. All too often, we learn about important things after they become irrelevant.

There is more I can say here about all this, but in fact I’ve said it repeatedly here, here, and here, and many other places. The evidence for this hypothesis is very strong.

The New Whistleblowers: Andy, Corey, and the Rest

For many years, there have been a number of other people, often described as “whistleblowers,” who have claimed to have participated in such secret space programs. Now, on the face of it, you could say that, assuming there is such a thing as a secret space program, it’s entirely conceivable that someone from the program would eventually speak out.

Some of the most prominent of these people include Andrew Basiago, Randy Kramer, and Corey Goode. These three individuals have each claimed to have gone to Mars for extended periods of time. That’s explosive enough, of course, but they have also stated that they have engaged in time travel. I met Andy back in 2012 at a conference in Santa Clara, California. I found him to be very personable and intelligent. Of course, that doesn’t mean I believe his story. I don’t believe that he went through a “jumproom” to Mars. I don’t believe that he did these things with a young Barack Obama in the 1980s. And I don’t believe that, as a child, he time travelled back to Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, despite the fact that he claimed he was in a photograph depicting it.

I realize there are strange things beyond the circumscribed fence of our officially sanctioned reality. But I am not obligated to believe every story that crosses my path, especially those that are obviously self-aggrandising, and particularly those that don’t provide evidence.

So over the years I have mostly ignored Andy’s claims and stories. Although I have personally considered them unfortunate, I never had a desire or felt a need to do much about them.

I developed the same attitude regarding Corey Goode, who lately has become even more prominent than Andy. Like everyone else interested in ufology, I watched his claims sweep across the field starting in 2014. Corey claimed to have gone to Mars on a “twenty and back” program starting in his late teens, and then, at the conclusion of his program, was sent back to Earth. But not at his age in his late 30s, and not to an Earth twenty years later. Instead, he was “age regressed” and “time regressed” back to his teenage body, back to the same year he left. Mom never even knew he left the house.

Clearly, I found this story problematic and was amazed at the willingness of so many people to take him at his word. His story is perfectly designed to counter the obvious objections people might have to it: no paperwork, no twenty-year disappearance, no family member who can vouch for him, and so on.

My main issue when it comes to Corey Goode (or Andy or Randy Kramer for that matter) isn’t that I “disbelieve” them, per se. Yes, I find their stories to be unlikely. But the real problem has been that none of these people have provided the evidence that an independent investigator needs to make a determination one way or the other.

There is a concept in science and philosophy called falsifiability. If something is falsifiable, it doesn’t mean it’s false. It means you have the ability to test it, to investigate it, to determine whether it is true or false. It could tell you that my suitcase weighs thirty-five pounds. That’s falsifiable because you can take my suitcase and put it on a scale. Now, I could tell you that five years ago I checked a thirty-five pound suitcase at the airport for one of my flights. That is probably not falsifiable--unless perhaps you find the airline records.

In the instance of my suitcase, you might not doubt my claim, even if you can’t prove or disprove it. After all, it’s perfectly mundane and common.

But when it comes to significant claims being made--really big claims that are not only radical on their own merits but which transform the field (and bring fame and money to those making them), then we clearly need a higher standard than “he seems like a good guy with a detailed story so I believe him.”

Again, I must emphasize that none of these whistleblowers has made a claim that an independent investigator can confirm. Everything is based on trust. Believing such stories without genuine evidence takes us down a dangerous road within an already treacherous field that is constantly in the crosshairs of a skeptical establishment.

The MUFON Symposium

Personal opinions aside, I have had no desire to be in a war with anyone in this field. I don’t have the time or energy to expend on such things. This, despite the fact that nearly every week I receive messages from people who want me to attack these people. For my part, I prefer to do my own research and focus on the fascinating nuances of the UFO phenomenon itself.

But I was unable to stay out of the controversy for a specific reason. Six months ago, I was asked by MUFON Director Jan Harzan to speak at the MUFON International Symposium. It had been six years since I had last spoken there

I decided to accept Jan’s offer to speak at the 2017 Symposium. He then asked me if I would speak specifically about the secret space program. In fact, I didn’t want to, and told him so. I had explored it in the past and was looking at other things. But he really wanted it, and so I thought, sure, I can do fresh research and present my findings.

Several months later, I learned that MUFON had organized this into the conference’s major theme, and that Corey Goode, Andrew Basiago, William Tompkins, and Dr. Michael Salla were not only presenting on that very topic, but that i would be featured on a panel with them. (In fairness I should add that MUFON has also invited other researchers, including Mark McCandlish and Michael Schratt, both highly credible, as well as bringing Gary McKinnon in by Skype).

Before I continue, let me have a word on Michael Salla and Bill Tompkins. I’ve known Michael for over a decade, and have had several long conversations with him. What I say here I have said to him personally: I believe he has done genuine and good research on a number of matters, but has a tendency to be too trusting. From my perspective, it’s always been like that. There are people who love his work, and there are haters. I am neither, but am always looking for information I can use. Sometimes I get good information and insights from his work and so I find him worthwhile to listen to, even if I don’t approve of his quickness to jump to conclusions.

Bill Tompkins is an interesting case. He is in his 90s, and recently wrote a book entitled Selected by Extraterrestrials, which details his life and claims about having participated in the Navy’s top secret program to create a secret space fleet. Unlike the other alleged whistleblowers, Tompkins has a career that has been confirmed: he did work at Douglas Aircraft for many years and has very impressive credentials. That counts for something. I should add that Dr. Salla and Dr. Bob Wood have both done a great deal of work to investigate and confirm Tompkins’ background and found what they believe is at least some corroboration to Tompkins’ claims.

Even so, I have my doubts about Mr. Tompkins. It’s not widely known, but I had the opportunity to be his publisher. After I learned about his credentials from Bob Wood, but before I read his manuscript, I had agreed in principle that I would publish it. But after reading the manuscript, I had to decline. I found the tone of this book to be perfectly designed to bring disrepute to the field and I wanted nothing to do with it. I found a number of obvious errors in the book and what seemed to me examples of self-aggrandisement that didn’t sit well with me. I wished Tompkins well and that was that. I haven’t made my final judgment on Tompkins, and perhaps I never will. If evidence can be brought forth to substantiate his key claims, then I will look at it.

In any case, when I learned I would be on a panel with Corey, Andy, Bill, and Michael, I phoned Jan and politely asked him what was he thinking. I mentioned my concern about MUFON’s decision to bring in individuals with claims that are inherently impossible to verify. MUFON, after all, is supposed to have evidence-based standards.

Jan explained himself as well as he could, essentially saying that he wanted to bring in diverse and interesting opinions and to let attendees decide for themselves. Well, MUFON is allowed to do what it wants, and of course the public is allowed to say what it wants in return. But this left me in an interesting position, and I realized it was time to begin expressing my thoughts on this more forthrightly.

I did this through a few different radio interviews, most definitively with Bill Ryan earlier in July 2017. That interview is on Youtube and gives a good overview of my thoughts (and his) on the matter of these whistleblowers and claims. Judging from the responses, it is obvious to me that the interview has touched a chord with many people out there.

Since then, Andrew Basiago has called me a liar and disinformation agent, but to my knowledge none of the other individuals concerned has.

In fact, I spoke recently with Corey Goode and said to him the same essentials as I am writing here. It’s nothing personal, I said, and while I am skeptical of his story, that is less important than the fact that his claims don’t allow for me to confirm them independently. To Corey’s credit, he didn’t take offense and we spoke cordially and candidly.

I want to make this point as clear as I can. My opinions (and yours, for that matter) don’t mean very much. What matters is the evidence that can be brought forward for these stories. I hold it as possible that there is something in these accounts that is true. After all, I believe that radical technology is being withheld from us. I believe the ARV story and more. But if a story gives me no chance to confirm or deny its basic claims, then it’s essentially useless to me as a researcher.

This is especially so if I cannot even confirm the basics of the person’s alleged career. I’ve said this many times. You can’t be considered a whistleblower if you can’t confirm that you are who you say you are. William Binney is a whistleblower. We know who he is. There are other real whistleblowers. If you can’t even confirm the basics of your alleged career, then you are not a whistleblower.

Disinformation or Something Else?

About a year ago, in an interview with Jimmy Church, I said that if I were responsible for managing the secret space program, I would want to find people who had truly outrageous stories to tell. I would then make sure they received enough publicity to make the whole thing seem crazy. This would keep the mainstream far away while also derailing many genuine investigators and sending them down false leads.

We have to consider this as a genuine possibility. Especially when we consider American history from Cointelpro, through the false flags and color revolutions it has organized around the world, to Snowden’s leaks, and even former Obama official Cass Sunstein’s call for infiltration of allegedly anti-government organizations. If someone wanted to guard the secret space program while laying waste to the UFO field, they very well might cultivate such alleged whistleblowers.

There are many possibilities to what these people are saying. For my part, I don’t adhere definitively to any one of them. I don’t know the answers.

1) Could it be that they participated in a program and were utterly messed with upon being let go? I have known several ex-U.S. military people who were severely damaged mentally (intentionally) so as to protect the classified secrets they were exposed to. I consider this a crime, and one that ought to result in prosecution, were it not for the fact that our system is hopelessly and irredeemably corrupt and has been so for ages. By the way, at least one credible account has come to me describing the same thing happening to a former high-level KGB officer.

If this has happened to one or all of the alleged whistleblowers, is it possible that there is a kernel of truth somewhere in their claims? After all, the hallmark of disinformation is to place an important truth within several obvious falsehoods. That way, the truth is also discredited and the the secret can safely continue for a time longer. When you are running an important secret program, it’s all about buying time, and every little bit counts.

2) Could it be that one or more of them are simply mentally unbalanced? This is not for me to say, but I’ve met my share of such people and they exist. In this case, I really have no idea.

I would like to add something here. If any of these individuals have some form of mental disturbance, whether from induced trauma or simply a random act of the universe, they have my sincere sympathy. If any of them have been subjected to serious traumas, it might be that the only way they could piece their mental life together has been by creating a belief system they can live with, one that helps them make sense of their life and which shields them from an even darker reality. Such a belief would be so important to them that they might feel impelled to maintain it at all cost.

Again, this is all speculative.

3) Is it simply a case of people concocting a good story? Let me tell you a story from my past.

Many years ago, I had a close friend named Bill who was one of the funniest, smartest, and kindest people I ever knew. He died back in 1990 and I miss him to this day. Bill was a member of the DuPont family, so he said. He also talked extensively about having gone to the Juilliard School of Music, one time guest conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra, and even giving a grand piano recital as a child prodigy for Queen Elizabeth. Back then, my much younger self believed my friend. After Bill died, one of our colleagues investigated him. This was all during the pre-Web era, but nevertheless she found (shocker) that Bill wasn’t part of the DuPont family. Instead, his mother had been a secretary at DuPont. Bill never attended Juilliard, never guest-conducted the Philadelphia Orchestra, and certainly never met the Queen of England!

My dear friend was a pathological liar, at least when it came to his own accomplishments. Relating to everything else, as far as I can tell, he was perfectly honest. The interesting thing is that his lies about himself didn’t stop him from being a good and trusted friend to me or to many other people. Bill just liked to glorify himself.

The thing I learned from Bill is that you can be a good person and still lie. Conversely, you can be a real prick and still be telling the truth. When we investigate claims of any sort, we have to remember that personalities must always take a back seat to evidence.

One more thing about lying. When someone is lying to you, most of the time you believe them. That’s why they lie, after all. Because it often works and some people are very good at it. Many people who are genuinely honest have a hard time imagining why someone else could possibly lie. They are trusting to a fault.

So are these whistleblowers lying? Again, I don’t know. If someone is able to document a provable lie, then we need to know. But as of now I am not making any such assertions.

4) Is it a case that these people really did the things they claim, with little to no distortion in their story? If so, then I would think they still realize they have many hurdles to overcome in terms of credibility. I get the distinct impression that some of them realize this while others do not.

Moving Forward

I remain willing to engage in a civil discourse with Corey, Andrew, Bill Tompkins, Michael Salla, or anyone else who has made claims. In a sense, I understand their position, since I know what it’s like to speak to staunch skeptics about the UFO subject.

However, in any sort of engagement I have with such people, they must realize that the onus is on them to provide their evidence. That is what I do regarding UFOs. A story that is inherently unverifiable just doesn’t count, nor does it help if some other random person seemingly supports the story. Words alone aren’t good enough. Nothing can be taken at face value.

I have been in this field long enough to feel a responsibility for defending it. There are countless people out there who would like nothing more than to see the study of UFOs lying in ruins. That would be a great tragedy.

One of the problems of our era is that people seem to enjoy drama and anger. Social media amplifies the situation, allowing sentiments to spread through a community like a forest fire. I would like to encourage the supporters and critics alike to take a step back, take a breath, and before you continue running your mouth and continuing along your personal warpath, please remember that it’s always best to stay away from personal invective and adhere to the facts, wherever they lead.

No one ever became interested in ufology because of the infighting among researchers. They became interested because this is one of the most fascinating subjects of all time. There is something very important going on here, and the only way we have a chance to succeed in learning the truth is by adhering to the main and true path: studying the phenomenon itself with as much care as we can give it.