JUST CAUSE

Magazine Overview

Title: JUST CAUSE
Issue: Number 25
Date: September 1990
Publisher: Lawrence Fawcett
Editor: Barry Greenwood
Country: USA
Price: $10 US, $15 Foreign

This issue of Just Cause, a publication focused on government UFO involvement, features a critical review of Howard Blum's book "OUT THERE." The magazine expresses skepticism regarding Blum's reporting and the U.S. intelligence community's investigations into UFO phenomena.

Review of Howard Blum's "OUT THERE"

The central article of this issue dissects Howard Blum's book "OUT THERE," which details a 1987 gathering of seventeen members of the American intelligence community to discuss the possibility of intelligent extraterrestrial life. The book reportedly covers mysterious events, including UFO sightings involving NORAD and the Defense Intelligence Agency's "Project Aquarius," an experiment in psychic remote sensing. One session of "Project Aquarius" allegedly detected a UFO.

The review notes Blum's credentials as a former New York Times journalist but criticizes the book for containing "a good dose of preposterousness." While acknowledging Blum's role as a reporter, the reviewer suggests he could have benefited from the advice of a more experienced UFO investigator to avoid the pitfalls in his text. The article questions the logic of a sophisticated government operation wrestling with basic UFO cases, citing the "UFO Working Group's" (UFOWG) dismissal of the Gulf Breeze incidents as a classified, low-flying Air Force surveillance plane. The reviewer finds this dismissal laughable and points out the lack of clarity in Blum's account, particularly regarding the numerous photos and video evidence from Gulf Breeze.

The UFOWG's investigation then moved to the mid-1980s Hudson Valley "boomerang" reports, which were dismissed based on a press story, a method the magazine criticizes as unreliable. The group's ultimate choice for investigation was the "various close encounters over the small town of Elmwood, Wisconsin," a decision the reviewer finds questionable given the town's known for its "UFO Days" and a proposed $50,000,000 UFO landing pad.

The review asserts that the UFOWG's priorities and methods, as described by Blum, make even amateurish UFO groups seem skilled. It highlights the lack of investigative knowledge displayed by the UFOWG, citing Don Schmitt of the J. Allen Hynek Center for UFO Studies' curiosity about the government's focus on Elmwood.

MJ-12 and Government Intrigue

A significant portion of the review addresses the MJ-12 issue, detailing Bill Moore's alleged involvement with government operatives. The reviewer criticizes Blum for seemingly not knowing about Moore's co-authored book "THE PHILADELPHIA EXPERIMENT," mischaracterizing it as a novel rather than an attempt to document a historical event. The MJ-12 story is presented as a conflict between Moore and Philip Klass, with the issue remaining unresolved. The review notes Blum's omission of the dissenting views on MJ-12 within the UFOlogist community.

The article quotes an FBI agent stating that the government "doesn't know what it knows" regarding the MJ-12 papers, suggesting a complex web of secret levels and potential disinformation. The magazine expresses concern about the government's intelligence apparatus if Blum's depiction is accurate. It also references a previous report in Just Cause (March 1989) about an FBI preliminary inquiry indicating MJ-12 papers were not genuine and that a source for MJ-12 information, Richard Doty, was under suspicion for another document hoax.

SETI and Other UFO Cases

The review then discusses Blum's exploration of the history of government UFO interest and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI). The editor expresses personal support for SETI research and scientifically-based attempts to detect extraterrestrial life, noting that confirmation of intelligent signals could bolster the idea of Earth visits by extraterrestrials.

Blum also covers other behind-the-scenes UFO cases and administrations that are difficult to verify. The reviewer questions the validity of crashed UFO stories if the government was still investigating basic UFO presence in 1987, suggesting that if Blum's reporting is accurate, it implies a lack of crashed UFO evidence or that the UFOWG was created as a distraction.

The magazine concludes that the most compelling information in "OUT THERE" relies on hearsay and that the reproduced documentation consists of the "tired, old MJ-12 papers," which Blum reportedly now feels are hoaxes.

Editorial Stance

The editorial addresses reader feedback regarding the magazine's critical coverage of MJ-12, defending its stance that important UFO information is being withheld and that the UFO topic warrants research. It acknowledges that some UFO documents may be withheld for "national security" reasons, but rejects this as a blanket excuse. The editorial clarifies that Just Cause is a "single-issue" publication focusing on government UFO involvement and has not extensively covered other UFO-related issues like the Gulf Breeze activity because they fall outside its specific area of focus.

The magazine emphasizes its role as an "insiders newsletter" working within its limitations. It explains that the amount of coverage given to an issue is directly related to its perceived importance. The MJ-12 story is deemed important due to its "devastating effect" on legitimate government document research on UFOs. The editorial states that CAUS has documented flaws in the MJ-12 story to correct the situation, acknowledging that the story has damaged the credibility of the field.

The editorial concludes by stating that CAUS will not stand idly by when signs of fraud and deception obscure the path to reality, especially when it impacts the magazine's core mission.

Fund Releases MJ-12 Report

This section discusses the release of Stanton Friedman's "Final Report on Operation Majestic 12" by The Fund for UFO Research, financed by $16,000 in contributions. Friedman concluded that the primary MJ-12 documents are authentic and that a secret government group has withheld proof of extraterrestrial life. The magazine criticizes Friedman's report for offering nothing new or compelling and disputes his characterization of the editor's opposition to the Eisenhower briefing paper. The article questions the Fund for UFO Research's action of awarding a large sum to a proponent of MJ-12 to "settle the controversy," deeming it ethically questionable and biased.

New Periodical: Independent Aerial Phenomena Research (IAPR)

The magazine introduces a new publication, "Independent Aerial Phenomena Research" (IAPR), written by Phillip Robertson. IAPR is described as a publication that re-examines old UFO cases, offering sensible explanations for some sightings while leaving others unexplained. It is noted for being free of "drum-beating" and for logically presenting case details and reasoning. IAPR is priced at $30 per year, with seven issues released since 1989.

Subscription Rates Increase

Due to rising printing and postal costs, Just Cause announces an increase in subscription rates to $15 per year for U.S. subscribers and $20 per year for foreign subscribers, effective January 1990. The magazine notes the increasing difficulty and cost of obtaining information in the current economic climate.

CAUS Library Research Yields Results

CAUS is actively upgrading its resources by locating and scanning government and military reference books and periodicals related to UFOs, including publications like the Armed Forces Journal and Air Force Times.

UFO Materials Found at FBI Academy

This section reports that the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, has collected press clippings on the UFO subject since approximately 1978, stored on microfilm. A curious heading under which these clippings are filed is "TRANSPORTATION!"

CIA Documents Unveiled on UFO Reports

This article, reprinted from The Arizona Republic (January 12, 1979), details information acquired by Ground Saucer Watch (GSW) through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against the CIA. The documents, dating from 1950-1956, suggest the CIA feared that UFO sightings could be a cover for Russian air attacks or be used for psychological warfare. The CIA reportedly believed it was illogical to assume UFOs were Russian or U.S. spacecraft, but acknowledged the potential for psychological manipulation. The article also mentions other documents including correspondence from U.S. State Department and military personnel regarding UFO sightings in various countries. A detailed report describes a 1976 sighting near Tehran, Iran, where two F-4 Phantom jets pursued a large UFO, experiencing power loss and system malfunctions. The article concludes that these documents provide "absolute proof" of the CIA's involvement in probing UFOs since 1949.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around skepticism towards sensationalized UFO reporting, particularly concerning the MJ-12 documents and Howard Blum's book "OUT THERE." The magazine emphasizes the importance of rigorous investigation and critical analysis, advocating for a focus on government UFO involvement while questioning the validity and motives behind certain UFO claims and investigations. The editorial stance is one of critical inquiry, aiming to expose potential disinformation and protect the credibility of UFO research by demanding factual evidence and sound methodology. The publication positions itself as an "insiders newsletter" dedicated to uncovering the truth about government UFO activities, even when faced with public skepticism or emotionally charged responses.