Stanton Freidman=debunker?

[Kebsis]

Friedman (if that's how it's spelled), well-known in UFO believer circles, was on a show on the history channel last night. The show was called 'Area 51', and the first half of it was devoted to the story of some dude named Lazar who claimed to have worked at Area 51 on an alien spaceship. Surprisingly though, Friedman was debunking Lazar, not supporting him, claiming that Lazars credentials were faked (he said he had attended MIT and a couple of other places, none of which had heard of him). The show went on to conclude that Area 51 is simply a testing grounds for experimental gov't aircraft (aside from the obligatory 'but who can really know the truth' tacked onto the end, which is understandable).

So, I was wondering...has Friedman revised his position? Did they quote him out of context...or what?

[01101001]

Meet another debunker: Stanton Friedman!

Usually the tidbit is couched in terms of: Even Stanton Friedman doesn't believe Bob Lazar's tale.

[Moose]

Stan Freidman debunking UFOs. Heh. That's a switch.

It's a little like watching Sibrel debunking Hoagland. Doesn't mean Sibrel's any less wrong, it's just Hoagland's certifiable.

Friedman's relatively tame compared to some of the other fantasists.

[Gillianren]

I watched the same show. as I recall, he did believe in UFOs. he just didn't believe in Bob Lazar, which no one who does a minimum of research should.

here's my question for all the people who believe he's a "disinformation agent"--had you even heard of Area 51 before he started telling his story? doesn't he just draw attention to the secret base?

[Taks]

So, I was wondering...has Friedman revised his position? Did they quote him out of context...or what?

of all the UFO believers, i'd call stanton friedman the most reputable, at least of those that have a public face. he really is a nuclear physicist and he really does doubt most UFO claims. he's the UFO guy that always seems like he's saying "well, you know, this is highly suspect, but there may be something underneath worth looking at."

so, in short, yes, i have heard him knock lazar as a phony.

taks

[Kebsis]

here's my question for all the people who believe he's a "disinformation agent"--had you even heard of Area 51 before he started telling his story? doesn't he just draw attention to the secret base?

Heh, yeah. And if they were actually playing with UFOs at Area 51, isn't his story just 'info' and not 'disinfo'? Wouldn't 'disinfo' just be saying that they are testing secret airplanes there?

[Graham2001]

here's my question for all the people who believe he's a "disinformation agent"--had you even heard of Area 51 before he started telling his story? doesn't he just draw attention to the secret base?

For a lot of information on the Bob Lazar Story, check out a website called Blue Fire which covers Lazars claims and a lot of other stuff about Area 51.

[Gillianren]

okay, I read all the Bob Lazar stuff on that site. basically, what I come away with is the information that Bob's a perjurer who's read A Wrinkle in Time. however, it still doesn't actually answer my question.

[Taks]

anybody that worked for a defense contractor over the course of the last 50-60 years knew about area 51 before mr. friedman. the "disinfo" that gets spread is more of the

reporter:
"mr. gov't agent, if area 51 does not exist, then what is that base over the hill there?"

gov't agent:
"What base? I don't see any base. I don't see any buildings, either, just some natural stone formations and a long strip of rock in front."

reporter:
"But what about the two unmarked SUVs up on the hill right there?"

gov't agent:
"What SUVs? That's nothing more than the reflection of the sun off of a weather ballon! No, wait, it's just some test dummies. No, wait, it's just a weather ballon!"

that is government disinformation!

taks

[Graham2001]

anybody that worked for a defense contractor over the course of the last 50-60 years knew about area 51 before mr. friedman.

Quite right, Area 51 is part of a much larger testing area. Before the UFO storys came out the most well known parts was the Nevada Nuclear Test site.

[Waarthog]

anybody that worked for a defense contractor over the course of the last 50-60 years knew about area 51 before mr. friedman.
Really? I fit this criteria and we have no knowledge of it.

"mr. gov't agent, if area 51 does not exist, then what is that base over the hill there?"
For DOD or the USAF to say Area 51 does not exist is no falsehood. That base over the hill is NOT in any sense "Area 51"

"But what about the two unmarked SUVs up on the hill right there?"
Can you demonstrate that this answer was given to a reporter?

[ToSeek]

Stan Freidman debunking UFOs. Heh. That's a switch.

It's a little like watching Sibrel debunking Hoagland. Doesn't mean Sibrel's any less wrong, it's just Hoagland's certifiable.

Friedman's relatively tame compared to some of the other fantasists.

Actually, if anything it's Hoagland debunking Sibrel. But he has to, since he claims that the Apollo astronauts found signs of aliens on the Moon.

[electromagneticpulse]

From all I've heard is that 'Area 51' is a government testing area for experimental aircraft and personally that seems 5000% more logical then the US army transporting alien space craft obviously cross country (as they'd notice on the roads, as they vehicles would allegedly be wider than the roads) for thousands of miles without anyone getting suspicious of why Mr Military Man needs to remove a couple of mountains to get the big n honkin space ship though.

Also the only 'Alien' things to have ever been there are russian planes, and their still unconfirmed rumours, which would have most likely been classified as a UFO.

Oh and wasn't the whole complex 'area 51' just a test ground for artillery that got shut down and when it got reopened with a different job?

[Jpax2003]

In a bar a friend of mine introduced me to a guy who said he had just been discharged from the USAF who, while initially reticent, seemed to believe that there were alien craft at Groom Lake. I don't believe it was aliens but I think it was possible he might have seen something he couldn't recognize. Although I think it is entirely more likely he was drunk and making up stories.