Understanding America’s Obsession With Unidentified Flying Objects
Al-Ahram, Egypt, August 5
Since I arrived in the US to pursue my studies several decades ago, I have heard Americans speaking about UFOs with different levels of conviction. At first, my lack of knowledge of what these “rolling UFOs” were actually referring to made me timid. By the end of the 1970s, however, interest in UFOs had been sparked by blockbuster films such as Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Finally, I learned that the three letters—UFO—stand for “unidentified flying object.” The topic has become quite common, with the supposed appearance of creatures that were no more than murky light spots in blurry photos. Recently, it was reported that it is possible that the appearance of these objects in the United States may actually reflect Chinese objects being tested for espionage, as happened with the balloons that China claimed “deviated from its airspace” until they reached American territory. What raised the issue of UFOs again, this time in a serious manner, is the fact that the US Congress held a formal hearing on the matter. The House Oversight and Accountability Committee invited three former military officials who testified that they believe the US government knows much more about UFOs than it is telling the public. One of the witnesses, a former US Air Force officer, revealed that nonhuman biological discoveries that were left behind by these objects have been retrieved by the US military. Witnesses from different backgrounds and professions have made similar statements. What is baffling is that no other countries have reported similar findings. From my perspective, I cannot understand why these flying objects seemingly avoid most countries around the world, while only making an appearance in US territory. Similarly, if there is evidence that they exist, why are they being ignored? Are they an American myth or something other governments around the world are well aware of? —Abdel Monem Said (translated by Asaf Zilberfarb)
