Otherwise, we’re relegated to appeal to authority arguments. There is just no way to challenge their claims.
I completely agree.
I don't think the purpose of this hearing was to convince Americans of the truth or falseness of the claims being made. I think the purpose of it was to turn the heat up on the Pentagon and to present this testimony to Congress as a whole.
I think the bottom line of this entire matter is that we don't know what is going on but something certainly is AND Congress needs to get the Pentagon to disclose (at the very least to Congress, in open or classified hearings or both) what it (the Pentagon) knows.
Unfortunately for Congress and the American people, the Pentagon has refused to be transparent or to even provide any reasons for their lack of transparency.
There is a huge amount of witness testimony and sensor-recorded evidence that supports the premise that there's a "there, there." What Congress and the American people want to know is "what is it and is it a threat to national security?"
I’ve seen the explanation that almost all video and sensor data is not disclosed due to also disclosing US military capabilities.
We supposedly have done of the brightest and most innovative minds. They need to figure out a way to release the data and be able to be questioned on it.
At least for myself after watching the testimony, it’s not compelling without corroborating material.