title: Open Skies, Closed Minds: Official Reactions to the UFO Phenomenon
author:  Nick Pope 
description: <span>"Pope's is the first book on UFOs from someone with inside knowledge and access to Top Secret material" - The Sunday Times</span><br /><span></span><br /><span></span><br /><span>"If you have the slightest interest in unidentified flying objects, you owe it to yourself to read what Nick Pope has to say." - The Independent</span><br /><span></span><br /><span></span><br /><span>"A provocative book, written in a reasoned, dispassionate manner." - Review of Books</span>
zlib_text: 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  **Operation  
  Lightning Strike**
  
  
  **Nick Pope**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  All Rights Reserved
  
  
  Copyright © Nick Pope 2000, 2015
  
  
  First published in 2000 by Simon & Schuster
  
  
  This edition published in 2015 by:
  
  
  Thistle Publishing
  
  
  36 Great Smith Street
  
  
  London
  
  
  SW1P 3BU
  
  
  [www.thistlepublishing.co.uk](http://www.thistlepublishing.co.uk)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  To Michèle.  
  With love and thanks . . .  
  Moo!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  AUTHOR'S NOTE
  
  
  A number of experts helped me while I was writing this book, supplementing my
  understanding of military and scientific matters with their own specialist
  knowledge. The assistance was priceless, and I am eternally grateful to them
  for being so generous with their insights and their time. These people have
  asked to remain anonymous, because being publicly associated with any
  speculation about the extraterrestrial nature of UFOs can be detrimental to
  career prospects. Although I will honour these authorities' requests for
  anonymity, it would be wrong of me not to pay tri