The civilian UFO community, often known as "ufology," exists as a multitude of individuals and groups with a common interest in unidentified flying objects. Since 1991 I have shared this passion with other so called "ufologists."

For several years, I was closely associated with Dr. Steven Greer's Center for the Study of Extraterrestrial Intelligence. In the course of my activities with that group, I had a few limited interactive encounters with what appeared to be Extraterrestrial spacecraft.

For a number of reasons, personal as well as professional, I have curtailed many of my UFO oriented activities. At this point I would like to offer my observations concerning what I perceive is the fundamental problem in this field.

It is my assessment that ufology has failed to recognize the importance of how the Extraterrestrial presence profoundly threatens all terrestrial elites. This includes the international corporate, military, political and religious leaders of our planet. Without recognizing and thoroughly analyzing this challenge to terrestrial power, those interested in understanding the phenomenon of Extraterrestrial spacecraft visiting our planet, will be hopelessly confused. More importantly, UFO activists may have unrealistic expectations and maybe wasting important energy in projects that can not bear fruit given the depths of the power structure's opposition to acknowledging the ET presence.

Currently, a number of prominent UFO groups are advocating that Congress hold open hearings on the issue of government secrecy concerning Extraterrestrial spacecraft visiting our planet. Retired military and intelligence officers who have had direct personal experiences with Extraterrestrial intelligence during their official work have been identified. There is now an opportunity to inform the public, if these official witnesses are induced to testify.

As might be expected, the push for public hearings on the topic of the ET presence has encountered resistance. It has been the not too secret hope of many UFO activists that some kind of official disclosure might be underfoot. It is my assessment, however, that no disclosure will take place without tremendous pressure on the terrestrial power structure; more pressure than can be applied to Congress at the current time.

Frustrated by years of official denial, how can UFO enthusiasts work to remedy this predicament? A broad based coalition, employing coordinated political action will be an essential part of the disclosure process. This will probably require dozens of organizations and thousands of activists. Such a campaign will likely take the form of the grassroots movements for social change. Models of such efforts include the union organizing drives of the 1930s and the peace and the civil rights movements of the 1960s. To develop such a coalition of individuals and groups, an analysis of the ET challenge to all terrestrial power is required.

Our planet's population is divided into more than 100 nation states. National political leaders are able to exercise their power on the basis of nationalism. As the prominent ufologist Stanton Friedman has said, "Nationalism is the name of the game." Once the people of the planet are permitted to acknowledge the ET presence, the masses will tend to see themselves as "terrestrial" or simply "human." Faced with what will likely be an incredible diversity of ET cultures, people on our planet may start to identify with the Earth as a whole rather than with their particular nation state. Thus, the power of national politicians would be threatened by the admission that some UFOs represent Extraterrestrial spacecraft built by non-humans from the stars.

From the point of view of ordinary citizens, an end to nationalism and the realization of the slogan "One planet, one people", might not be tragic at all. Given the sad record of this century, with over 100 million killed in wars resulting from national rivalry, it might make good sense to place nationalism in the dust bin of history. Of course, national political leaders who derive their power from "the people", i.e., their nation's people, would understandably be threatened by an outside presence that undermines their ideological power bases.

The Extraterrestrial presence challenges military leaders of every nation. Advanced civilizations visiting our planet appear to be quite capable of producing craft that can fly circles around the military's high performance jets. Military leaders are thus unable to secure our planet's airspace from ET intrusion. This provides one rationale for the military-intelligence community's role in maintaining the secrecy about UFOs.

The Extraterrestrials appear to have access to incredibly powerful energy systems to propel their spacecraft. Speculation within ufology has suggested that their craft use non-polluting "free energy systems." If the authorities acknowledged the ET presence and over a period of time our culture was allowed to download such efficient energy technologies, many of our economic as well as environmental problems might be solved. From the point of view of the multinational oil corporations, this would not be a favorable development. The downloading of ET energy systems would likely threaten the worldwide monopoly that has been the source of much wealth and influence for important sectors of the corporate elite. Considering that the Gulf War and other military actions in the Middle East are driven by a hunger for cheap oil, we see the strategic importance of what has been called the "empire of oil." Thus the ET presence threatens important sectors of the economic elite of our planet.

An important pillar of our planet's belief systems is organized religion. The true history of our planet may reveal that the flying saucer phenomenon is really an ancient process rather than a modern one. A Renaissance religious painting depicting a flying saucer certainly suggests this possibility. The myths of ancient civilizations declaring that their knowledge and technology were obtained from "star people", provides additional support for ancient astronaut theories.

What if the holy men and prophets of biblical times were in reality contactees? Their religious experiences may have reflected encounters with non-human intelligence, some of which might have been Extraterrestrial in nature. If this theory proves true or even possible, acknowledging the ET presence would threaten all organized religion. Thus, the spiritual elite of our planet is threatened by the ET presence.

If this analysis accurately reflects the perceived self-interest of our planet's elites, then the Extraterrestrials visiting our planet must threaten all terrestrial power. The worldwide secrecy campaign concerning UFOs can now be seen as the logical consequence of ruling classes, which understandably, take action in self defense. This need not be seen as a conspiracy. Efforts to deny the ET presence, to resist public disclosure of their visitations is the natural response of any social system attempting to preserve the status quo.

In the course of human development, both evolutionary and revolutionary historical trends can be seen. The creation of Christianity out of Judaism can be viewed as the creation of a revolutionary force that spread monotheism across the planet. The Roman Empire, cognizant of the challenge, violently suppressed the new religion that placed an almighty God over the emperor.

The acceptance of an all powerful and ethical God by this planet's peoples has done much to promote the welfare of the Earth's population. Concepts, such as the rule of law and social justice, as well as the ending of human sacrifice and slavery, all have their roots in the wave of revolutionary monotheism which swept our planet during the first millennium of the common era.

Similarly, the rule of both kings and political despots have been replaced by the democratic revolutions of the 17th through 20th centuries. The old regime never gives up without a fight. Indeed the struggle for democracy continues to this day.

It is only natural that the Earth's ruling elites will combat what some might perceive as the ultimate threat. As long as the Extraterrestrial visitors spare us undeniable displays of their physical presence, indirect means can be employed to maintain the status quo. This includes the ridicule of witnesses and the suppression of credible reports of encounters. If Philip Corso, author of "The Day After Roswell", is to be believed, covert military actions against ET craft are taking place as well.

Corporate control of the mass media has been used to relegate reports of UFOs to tabloid formats which trivialize them. Security oaths, under national security regulations, are employed to silence credible military witnesses of UFO encounters. Ufology is, itself, a likely target for disinformation spread by sections of the intelligence services authorized to deal with the UFO subculture. Terrestrial power can be expected to defend itself. These efforts will surely continue in the future.

The creation of a citizen network to challenge the existing regimen of secrecy and denial, will by necessity be a difficult and prolonged struggle. There will be the need for accelerating the educational process to alert the public of the reality of Extraterrestrial spacecraft visiting our planet.

One of most important factors in this equation is the actions of the Extraterrestrials themselves. For reasons that are only known to them, they have chosen not to impose on our culture irrefutable displays of their physical presence. Although the tempo of sightings and other types of human-ET interactions appears to be accelerating, it seems likely that the proverbial "landing on the White house lawn" will not occur any time soon. It may never take place.

Rather than passively waiting for the power structure to acknowledge the reality of ET spacecraft visiting our planet, those who feel passionately about this issue should be prepared to take action. Non-governmental organizations have a long tradition of finding innovative solutions to important problems. As a former peace activist from the 1960s through the 1980s, I recall the slogan, "When the people lead, the leaders will follow."

If a broad based people's movement is to be created there will be the need for much organizing. A special role for building unity also exists because ufology is rife with sectarianism. The UFO community has in many ways been isolated from the mainstream culture. Breaking free from this isolation will require a balanced program of public education.

I would like to encourage ufology to consider this analysis. It is my sincere hope that by understanding the power relationships that are at work here we can do much to change the current situation. I invite comments on the points raised here and look forward to a productive dialogue.

Joseph Burkes, MD
COPYRIGHT - Joseph Burkes 1998 - 2012

Cosmic Peace
Dr. Joseph Burkes

Summary: To help prevent war and hopefully usher in a new era of interplanetary cooperation, the creation of a new kind of peace movement is required. One which acknowledges the ET presence and resists those social forces which are systematically fanning the flames of war. Such a movement will definitely require a strong spiritual base. The realization that we are not alone compels humanity to ask the question, "What then is our true place in the universe?"

A phantom has appeared in the skies of Earth. It is the specter of Unidentified Flying Objects. On the slopes of volcanos in Mexico, over US ballistic missile bases, in the vicinity of large cities as well as in remote locales, these unearthly craft are being seen by millions. Who is piloting these strange vehicles? Are they visitors from other planets? If so, then what is their mission? Are they friend or foe? No one seems to know for sure.

A growing number of people find the Extra-terrestrial explanation most reasonable for the UFO dilemma. Yes, many sightings are undoubtedly due to other types of phenomenon. Honest skeptics as well as prejudiced self styled debunkers would have us believe that all structured craft which appear to defy the laws of nature, are simply advanced terrestrial military craft. Despite the skeptics' pronouncements, the UFO phenomenon is quite robust. The number of close encounters with true unknowns continues to increase. Sightings of unearthly craft, appearing as flying golden globes, saucers and triangles, persist in defiying the mandates of debunkers.

From 1992 till 1998 I was closely associated with Dr. Steven Greer's Center for the Study of Extraterrestrial Intelligence, (CSETI). While participating with his group I had a number of limited interactive encounters with what appeared to be Extra-terrestrial spacecraft. In addition my field work with individual contactees has demonstrated to me that consciousness mediated, or in other words, mind to mind interactions, is a mode of communication with non-human intelligence. I have worked with a number of credible investigators who have quietly described their having direct face to face encounters with non-human beings of presumed ET origins. Thus the Extraterrestrial hypothesis for some witnesses to the UFO phenomenon approaches the level of certainty. I count myself among that group.

The reaction of terrestrial elites, governments, scientific and religious authorities, has been a predictable, albeit not an enlightened one. It is my assessment that the current Et presence profoundly threatens all terrestrial power. This includes the international corporate, military, political and religious leaders of our planet. Without acknowledging and thoroughly studying this challenge to terrestrial power, those interested in the phenomenon of Extra-terrestrial spacecraft visiting our planet, will in my opinion be hopelessly confused.

In the absence of undeniable evidence that the Extra-terrestrials are here, our leaders have simply attempted to ignore their presence. A de facto policy of denial of the ET visitations has been in effect for half a century. Witnesses to the Extra-terrestrial presence are routinely subjected to ridicule in an attempt to secure their silence.

Sadly within the civilian UFO research community, harrowing tales of routine abuse by of non-human beings are being peddled non-stop. The so called "alien abduction" experience is the focus of much investigation by sincere private citizens. The highly bizarre nature of these numerous accounts leads many to question the reality of what is being told. UFO investigators often lack the scientific research tools and financial resources to adequately study this phenomenon. Volunteer investigators often can not provide professional counseling for witnesses who claim to have experienced psychological trauma at the hands of non-human beings. Thus a popular mythology appears to have emerged. Frightful tales portray humanity as being the helpless victim before the onslaught of "alien abductors". On scandal sheets, in sci-fi horror films and in tabloid television reportage, fear of the unknown is being exploited to promote xenophobic, racist and militaristic fantasies in response to what appears to be a growing Extra-terrestrial presence.

Under the current conditions of general societal denial that we are being visited by ETs, the predominant human response to a sighting has been a passive one. The UFO literature is rife with accounts describing how those observing ET craft make no attempts at interacting with the intelligence piloting these strange vehicles. The response of passive amazement, as well as fear based approaches to the ET presence, are not the only ones that humanity is capable of. The situation is beginning to change in positive ways.

Individuals and small groups with a more active and upbeat approach to the ETs have taken the daring step of deliberately inviting contact with Extra-terrestrial Intelligence. As a result of these efforts, numerous encounters with Extra-terrestrial spacecraft have been documented in the course of field work. A smaller number of human initiated close encounters with Extra-terrestrial Biological Entities (EBEs), have also been described.

One long standing example of such an effort has been the extraordinary work of the group known in the past as Mission Rama. It was founded in 1974 around the contact experiences of Sixto Paz Wells and his coworkers in Peru. For over two decades Rama has been quietly facilitated human initiated close encounters for thousands of people. The result has been the creation of a world wide network of contactees who are promoting interplanetary solidarity and peace.

Another organization seeking positive interactions with the Extra- terrestrials is the Center for the Study of Extraterrestrial Intelligence (CSETI). Founded in 1990 by the North Carolina physician Steven Greer, it has carried out a campaign to initiative contact called the CE-5 Initiative. The designation CE-5 stands for Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind, which is the term CSETI has coined to describe human empowered contact with the Extra-terrestrials. The CE-5 Initiative is openly organizing teams of UFO researchers to go out at night to secure locations. There Dr. Greer and his followers are attracting ET craft for limited peaceful interactions. As a former facilitator of a CSETI working group, I can testify to the efficacy of Greer's approach to initiating limited contact.

Unfortunately these preliminary attempts at citizen's diplomacy are not the only examples of humans interacting with ET beings visiting our planet. There is growing evidence indicating that secret military programs focusing on the ET presence are also underway. Although initially these covert groups probably worked under government aegis, informed sources have reported that private defense contractors now play a predominant role.

CSETI Director Steven Greer has reported meeting with many retired military and intelligence officers who allegedly have been involved with the UFO phenomenon as a result of their work. He has also described having a December 1993 private briefing with then CIA Director Woolsey.

In the May 1994 CSETI Newsletter Dr. Greer wrote the following,

"I have reached the tentative conclusion that virtually all of the U.S.'s elected and appointed officials, including the President and Cabinet members, are "out of the loop" on this subject. This is an informal opinion based on significant meetings with relevant and knowledgeable people. Exactly who, then, is at the reins of this whole area, both in the U.S. and internationally, remains a mystery. But we have a good idea of the nature of this group. It is probably:

1. Multi - National
2. Multi - Agency
3. Quasi - Governmental
4. Quasi - Private
5. Extraordinarily Secret

If true, this means a number of things:

The President of the U.S., the Cabinet, and perhaps even the Joint Chiefs of Staff may not be able to disclose anything on this subject, since they probably do not have access to the real information. And if they ask, I am not at all confident that they would be told the truth, if anything at all.

Those controlling this subject may do so without any legal, constitutional, or moral authority. This would be true both in the U.S. and abroad."

It appears more than possible that "those controlling this subject" may covertly be taking direct military action against the Extra- terrestrials. In his 1998 book "Confirmation", author Whitley Strieber's analyses a controversial NASA video tape made on space shuttle Discovery during mission STS-48. This video has been featured several times on national television. It displays what appears to be unidentified flying objects being fired upon by some sort of particle beam weapon. The incident transpired on September 15, 1991. The Discovery was flying near Australia, approximately 1500 miles northwest from a secret US military base located at Pine Gap near Alice Springs. Strieber details a thorough analysis of the video tape by physicist Dr. Jack Kasher and imaging specialist Dr. Mark Carlotto. Their conclusion is that the prosaic explanations provided by NASA are simply not credible.

Support for the notion that covert military forces are fighting a secret war against the Extra-terrestrials has also been provided by Philip Corso, a retired US Army Colonel and author of the controversial book, "The Day After Roswell." Corso was a former staff member of President Eisenhower's National Security Council. Colonel Corso worked under General Trudeau at the Army's Research and Development Division's Foreign Technology desk. In "Day After Roswell" Corso alleges that he passed out pieces of the wreckage of a crashed UFO to high tech firms. This supposedly allowed advanced alien technology to be analyzed and then integrated into our industrial culture.

Philip Corso after publication of his book quickly became a celebrity within the flying saucer subculture. Sadly few UFO experts criticized his openly bellicose response to the ET presence. On page 267-267 he states,

"These creatures weren't benevolent alien beings who had come to enlighten human beings....As long as were incapable of defending ourselves, we had to allow them to intrude as they wished. ... We hid the truth and the EBEs(Extra-terrestrial Biological Entities) used it against us until 1974 when we had our first real shootdown of an alien craft over Ramstein Air Force base in Germany."

It is difficult if not impossible to verify the particulars of Philip Corso's account. In "Day after Roswell" he does not offer the names of others who might corroborate his version of the events described. On July 16, 1998, at the age of 83, he reportedly passes away from a heart attack.

As a former peace movement activist, I find Philip Corso's extremist views chilling. I suspect that his perspective on the ET-human relationship nevertheless has great value. It is my suspicion that Corso's diatribes may provide us with an insight into the mind set of a very important group, the wing of military-industrial complex which will likely try to use disclosure of the ET presence to unleash a new cold war.

Now that the US has presided over the downfall of the Soviet Union, defense expenditures have decreased dramatically. Thus is threatened the good fortune of some of the most economically powerful and politically influential corporations on the planet. In the current political atmosphere I fear that any disclosure of the ET presence will be used to fuel xenophobia and to precipitate a costly arms race against an unlikely adversary.

Open war with advanced ET civilizations is an extremely remote possibility given the likelihood that UFOs are an ancient phenomena. Extra-terrestrials have probably been here for centuries if not for millennia. If the ETs were planning aggressive action against human- kind, why should they wait so many years before mounting an open attack? Thus, by passing a test of time, their non-harmful posture is confirmed.

If disclosure of the ET presence were suddenly made today, defense corporations,their military and political allies would probably use such a revelation for their own narrow interests. This would result in an accelerated " Star Wars" program. I imagine the slogan, "we must negotiate from a position of strength," would be featured prominently in the congressional sales campaign for space based weapon systems. A trillion dollars could be needlessly wasted to prepare against an enemy which we could never truly fight. On a planet where some 10 million children every year die from hunger and preventable disease, squandering our limited economic resources on such weaponry would be particularly tragic.

How can socially responsible citizens respond to the threat posed by a future arms race aganist the Extra-terrestrials? As long as there is general societal denial of the ET presence, political action will be difficult to say the least. Fortunately things are changing. Ever increasing numbers of people are having their own sightings of anomalous craft and other contact experiences. Thus there is a greater acceptance of the ET hypothesis. Government secrecy and press ridicule are no longer potent weapons against the credibility of UFO witnesses. Recent opinion polls confirm this shift.

Nevertheless the risks of conflict are ever present as long as the planet's elites are unwilling to adequately prepare humanity for what appears to be an inevitable disclosure of the ET presence. The situation is even more dangerous because these elites have not reeled in the militarists who are planning, and if Philip Corso is correct, even fighting a secret war against ETs.

To help prevent war and hopefully usher in a new era of interplanetary cooperation, the creation of a new kind of peace movement is required. One which acknowledges the ET presence and resists those social forces which are systematically fanning the flames of war. Such a movement will definitely require a strong spiritual base. The realization that we are not alone compels humanity to ask the question, "What then is our true place in the universe?" This has enormous religious implications which will need to be addressed by those promoting cosmic peace.

Such a movement will naturally stand on the shoulders of pioneering groups like Rama and CSETI, as well as other networks of contactees who have remained mostly secret up until now. Individuals who affirm that they have experienced positive, long lasting relationships with non-human intelligence, will likely be prominently featured in the cosmic peace campaign. These contactees' direct personal bonds with the Extra-terrestrials appear quite bizarre at the present time. Hopefully they could serve as an example of how humanity might coexist, and perhaps even prosper, within the context of an ET-human relationship. A new internationalism could emerge based on the realization that here on Earth we are truly one people living in one homeland. If this sounds too idealistic let us consider the following.

Humanity is facing a constellation of man-made problems which threaten the very existence of life on our planet. Global environmental destruction from pollution is becoming an increasingly probable end point as the atmosphere heats up with the release of greenhouse gases. Nuclear proliferation will continue as long the great nuclear powers do little to reduce their obscene stockpiles of nuclear weapons. Without a robust program of nuclear disarmament, it is most likely that these instruments of genocide will be used at some point during the decades to come. We should never forget that some 100 million people have died from war, revolution and the resultant famines during this century alone. Regional wars continue across the globe and threaten to be the sparks for another world wide military conflagration.

I urge those who insist that the Extra-terrestrials are a potential enemy to entertain this consideration. Preconditions for any culture to become star-faring, likely include conditions of enduring peace and ethical development far beyond anything accomplished on Earth. The enormous energy required to move between the stars, if used for military purposes, would likely cause a civilization to self-destruct. Thus if a race of intelligent beings have survived long enough to be able to arrive here, then they are probably wise enough to live in peace, not only with us, but with other civilization they might encounter while voyaging across the sea of stars.

The UFO literature of the modern era provides some support for the notion that the so called "aliens" are friendly. A growing number of individuals claim to have experienced Close Encounters of the Third and Fourth Kinds. These witnesses often describe different races of EBE's working together cooperatively on the same alien spacecraft. To accept the hypothesis that Extra-terrestrials are non-harmful however, most of the "alien abduction" literature would have to be discounted. At this time few UFO enthusiasts are willing to take such difficult step.

My personal view is that by acknowledging the ET presence we can promote a new hope that a better future is possible right here on Earth. I view the benefit of accepting the reality of Extra- terrestrial visitations as being primarily an ideological one. After all, our planet is beset by what appear to be unsolvable problems. If these so called "aliens" have survived their own dark times, similar to those we currently face, then perhaps we too can survive and prosper. If they can curb self destructive tendencies and travel to distant solar systems, then God willing, we too can make it to the stars! This is our hope.

It is extremely unlikely however that the Extra-terrestrials will save us from ourselves. Nor in the opinion of many observers is it likely that they will seriously harm us. As Dr. Steven Greer in his many lectures has pointed out, "The ETs are neither Darth Vader nor Jesus Christ in a spaceship." Humanity will have to overcome its own problems by exercising wisdom, compassion and a fierce determination to survive.This is our promise.

This upbeat message is particularly important for the current generation of youth. So often they experience a sense of hopelessness when threatened with what appears to be insurmountable social, economic and environmental problems. To Earth's young people, the realization that they are not alone in the universe, will in my opinion inspire them to join a campaign promoting interplanetary peace and cooperation. Youth already exhibit a tremendous interest in the UFO topic. If a link could be made between the ET presence and the ongoing struggles to save humanity from its self-destructiveness, it is my firm conviction that such a movement would change the course of history. There is much work to be done!

This draft position paper is the first in a series of documents. I will endeavor to outline the parameters of a future movement for cosmic peace, solidarity and cooperation. For those interested in this subject, I suggest that you visit the web sites of both CSETI and Rama. As always I encourage dialogue on this important topic and look forward to email correspondence.

Joseph Burkes, MD
COPYRIGHT - Joseph Burkes 2012

Biography of the Author

Dr. Joseph Burkes is a Board Certified Internist living in Southern California. He is a partner in a medical group serving a large Health Maintenance Organization and works in the emergency room. Burkes received his M.D. degree from Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston Massachusetts. He was born in New York City in 1949.

Dr. Burkes has been a lifelong activist in peace and social justice movements. During the Vietnam War he organized students in antiwar protest activities and in 1979 he co-founded the Los Angeles Committee on Occupational Safety and Health, a coalition of medical and legal professionals assisting the labor movement to make the American work place safer.

During the 1980s, as the nuclear arms race intensified, he and thousands of other medical doctors joined Physicians for Social Responsibility(PSR), an organization established to educate the public and government leaders about the medical consequences of nuclear war. Serving in PSR's Los Angeles chapter, he co-produced a weekly radio talk show titled, "Prescription for Survival" heard on listener-supported KPFK-FM.

As head of Los Angeles PSR's speakers training, he assisted his colleagues in becoming effective public speakers in PSR's campaign against the arms race. He was appointed the Pacific Regional Director for the organization and served on PSR's National Board of Directors.

During his years in the physician's peace movement he engaged in citizens' diplomacy and traveled to the USSR four times. There he met with Soviet doctors who were engaged in a similar educational effort under the auspices of the organization International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, which was awarded the 1985 Nobel Peace Prize.

In May of 1992 he met Dr. Steven Greer, a fellow emergency room physician. Dr. Burkes was named the Los Angeles Working Group Coordinator for the CE-5 Initiative. He is of Russian-Jewish descent and speaks both Spanish and Russian. Dr. Burkes currently is no longer part of the CSETI leadership but he continues working for universal peace.

He is a board certified internist and has done Emergency Medicine from 1987 to 1998. Prior to that Dr. Burkes has had a group internal medicine practice for 8 years. Prior to that he was in training. Currently he is dividing his time between a Workers' Compensation Practice, i.e. Occupational Medicine, and serving as a medical consultant for hospitalized patients in the San Fernando Valley. His special medical interests include mind-body medicine and industrial toxicology.

md1jb3@pol.net

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