NP? Psychopharmalogical Warfare

July 2, 2002

Bombing the Mind
The Pentagon's Program for Psychopharmalogical Warfare

by Edward Hammond


[...] The Advantages and Limitations of Calmatives for Use as a Non-Lethal
Technique, a 49 page report obtained last week by the Sunshine Project
under US information freedom law, has revealed a shocking Pentagon program
that is researching psychopharmacological weapons. Based on "extensive
review conducted on the medical literature and new developments in the
pharmaceutical industry", the report concludes that "the development and
use of [psychopharmacological weapons] is achievable and desirable." These
mind-altering weapons violate international agreements on chemical and
biological warfare as well as human rights. Some of the techniques
discussed in the report have already been used by the US in the "War on
Terrorism".  The team, which is based at the Applied Research Laboratory of
Pennsylvania State University, is assessing weaponization of a number of
psychiatric and anesthetic pharmaceuticals as well as "club drugs" (such as
the "date rape drug" GHB). According to the report, "the choice
administration route, whether application to drinking water, topical
administration to the skin, an aerosol spray inhalation route, or a drug
filled rubber bullet, among others, will depend on the environment." The
environments identified are specific military and civil situations,
including "hungry refugees that are excited over the distribution of food",
"a prison setting", an "agitated population" and "hostage situations". At
times, the JNLWD team's report veers very close to defining dissent as a
psychological disorder. [...] Calmative is military, not medical,
terminology. In more familiar medical language, most of the drugs under
consideration are central nervous system depressants. Most are synthetic,
some are natural. They include opiates (morphine-type drugs) and
benzodiazpines, such as Valium (diazepam). Antidepressants are also of
great interest to the research team, which is looking for drugs like Prozac
(fluoxetine) and Zoloft (sertraline) that are faster acting. [...] The
chemical cocktail proposals bear a resemblance to South Africa's
apartheid-era weapons research, whose director claimed under oath to have
attempted to develop a BZ and cocaine mixture for use on government
enemies. [...] The US has admitted that it forcibly sedates Al-Qaida
"detainees" held at the US base in Guantanamo, Cuba. Former JNLWD commander
and retired Col. Andy Mazzara, who directs the Penn State team, says has he
sent a "Science Advisor" to the US Navy to assist the War on Terrorism.

...read it all at:


http://www.counterpunch.org/hammond0702.html



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