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a To reduce the potential for a panic reaction in society, the
Announcement should be spearheaded by civilian researchers and
scientists. A government announcement alone may appear abrupt and
alarming.
2. Given the current increasing trend in extraterrestrial activity and
increasingly successful CSETI attempts to establish contact with these
spacecraft (See CSETI Briefing Document), there is a very high
probability that a major UFO event of a publicly undeniable nature will
transpire before the current President's term expires in January, 1997.
A controlled and well thought out Announcement and disclosure of
evidence is much preferred over an uncontrolled and surprising event.
While the former, if handled wisely, could have a unifying and beneficial
effect on humanity, the latter would veiy likely have a negative and very
destabilizing effect. Therefore, the highest risks are associated with
non-disclosure.
q Failure to effect a change in policy and to provide disclosure on this
subject by the end of 199* may result in regrettable outcomes for the
Administration because: y
1. The window of opportunity will have been lost, insofar as the end of
the Cold War would be a relatively distant event and the new President
and his appointed officials would have lost the protective aspect of
being new to their responsibilities.
3. By 1995, re-election concerns and other factors would make this
process of disclosure increasingly risky due to the competitive and
divisive nature of political campaigns.
4. Other governments are moving in the direction of disclosure on this
subject, and the Japanese government is funding and has plans to open
a major museum on UFOs/ETI in 1996, before the current President's
term expires.
5. Other civilian UFO groups who have a decidedly confrontative
approach to the U.S. government are building a base of both
congressional and grass roots support which may prove embarrassing
to the government and military in the U.S. In contrast, Project Starlight is
committed to working cooperatively with the U.S. government and
avoiding language or evidence which would be harmful or
embarrassing.