I don't need to convince you of anything :) You are right though, that could just be alpha-build coulds, and they could just be floating around at the same altitudes the clouds float today, but what if they are not? What if they are floating in the upper atmosphere? Also, Flanker 2.5 had these clouds!
I still think the decision was made at one point to turn those clouds off and I would like to know the reason.