Harger: Congress can’t keep dodging UFO questions because 80 years of ‘we don’t know’ isn’t enough

Happening on Capitol Hill Tuesday, members of Congress are holding another hearing on UAPs. That’s the government’s term for “unidentified anomalous phenomena.” They don’t like saying “UFOs” anymore. Too much baggage. “UAP” sounds more scientific. More … Pentagon-friendly.

As this hearing unfolds, I hope lawmakers are asking some very basic questions.

The subject has fascinated me since childhood. It began with “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.” The eerie music, the flashing lights, Richard Dreyfuss molding Devil’s Tower out of mashed potatoes.

Later came “The X-Files,” with its tagline: I want to believe.

That’s about where I am. I want to believe. But I’d also like something stronger than a grainy clip. The jury is still out for me.

Here in the Pacific Northwest, we’ve been part of the story from the beginning. The very first “flying saucer” sighting was in 1947, right over Mount Rainier. People have been seeing strange things in Washington skies ever since. Personally, I never have. But I keep looking up.

And lately, this isn’t just a late-night talk radio topic. The most intriguing information has come from credible sources: U.S. Navy pilots, the Pentagon’s UAP office, and even NASA.

UAP reports from Navy, UAP office, NASA

One Navy pilot described a white, capsule-shaped object. They called it the “Tic Tac.” It had no wings, no exhaust, no visible engine. Yet it accelerated instantly, changed direction sharply, and dropped from high altitude to sea level in seconds. Physics says a human pilot inside would have been crushed by the forces involved. Shouldn’t Congress be pressing for an explanation of that? And why haven’t they been given the full radar and cockpit recordings?

And if these objects really aren’t UAPs, but rather advanced surveillance platforms from Russia or China, that should be even more alarming. Because it would mean a rival nation has leapfrogged our technology and is operating in our skies with impunity. If that’s the case, what does that say about the strength of our intelligence system?

Then there’s Lue Elizondo, who once ran the Pentagon’s UAP program. At first, the Pentagon denied it. Then Elizondo produced the documents that said yes, he was there and worked on a program they denied existed, and suddenly their story changed. That suggests there’s more here than officials want to admit.

And here’s a big one: In 2021, the Pentagon’s own Inspector General opened a review of how UAP reports were being handled. Inspectors don’t launch reviews for fun. They do it when there are serious concerns. So what did that review uncover? And why hasn’t Congress, let alone the public, been allowed to see the findings?

Something about this doesn’t feel straightforward. Clips dribble out. Reports are redacted. Witnesses insist more exists than what Congress has been allowed to see.

I think we can handle the truth. Whatever it is.

If these things are foreign technology, say so. If they’re sensor glitches, put it on the record. And if they’re something we’ve never seen before … then admit it.

Because after nearly 80 years, “we don’t know” just doesn’t cut it anymore. The truth is out there.

Charlie Harger is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries here. Follow Charlie on X and email him here. 

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