Page 31 - 201009 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - August 2010

August 2010_june_july_2009.qxd 30/08/2010 4:00 PM Page 31 31 MKULTRA - A True Case Against the CIA 31 MKULTRA - A True Case Against the CIA MKULTRA (also known as MK-ULTRA) was the code name for a CIA mind control research program lasting from the 1950s through the 1970s. The project's goal was to produce a perfect truth drug for use in interrogating suspected Soviet spies during the Cold War, and generally to explore any other possibilities of mind control. Experiments were often conducted without the subjects' knowledge or consent. The project was headed by Dr. Sydney Gottlieb. Origins MKULTRA was started on order by CIA director Allen Dulles in April 1953, largely in response to alleged Soviet, Chinese, and North Korean uses of mind control techniques on US prisoners of war in Korea. In addition to being able to carry out similar "work" on their own captives (if such a thing ever happened), they consensual, and in these cases the subjects coma for months on end (up to three in one were also interested in being able to manipulate appeared to be singled out for even more case) while playing tape loops of noise or foreign leaders with similar techniques, and horrific experiments. In one case, a selection of simple repetitive statements. His experiments invented several schemes to drug Fidel Castro. volunteers was given LSD for 77 days straight. were typically carried out on patients who had Because most of the MKULTRA records LSD was eventually dismissed by the entered the institute for minor problems such as were deliberately destroyed in 1972 by order of researchers as too unpredictable in its effects. anxiety disorders and post-partum depression, then-Director Richard Helms, it is impossible to Although useful information was sometimes many of whom suffered permanently from his have a complete understanding of the more than obtained through questioning subjects on LSD, actions. 150 individually funded research projects not uncommonly the most marked effect would Perhaps most disturbing, it was during sponsored by MKULTRA and the related CIA be the subject's absolute and utter certainty that this era that Cameron became known programs. s/he was able to withstand any form of worldwide, serving as the first chairman of the interrogation attempt, even physical torture. World Psychiatric Association, as well as The Experiments Another technique was connecting a president of the American and Canadian barbiturate IV into one arm and an psychiatric associations. Ironically, Cameron Central Intelligence Agency documents amphetamine IV in the other. The barbiturates was member of the Nuremburg medical tribunal suggest that radiation was part of the were released into the subject first, and as soon only a decade earlier. MKULTRA program and that the agency as the subject began to fall asleep, the considered and explored uses of radiation for amphetamines were released. The subject these purposes. would begin babbling incoherently at this point, Revelation Other early efforts focused on LSD, and it was sometimes possible to ask questions which appears to have formed the majority of and get useful answers. This treatment was In December 1974, the New York Times research as time went on. Experiments included discarded as it often resulted in the death of the reported that the CIA had conducted illegal dosing CIA employees, military personnel, patient from physical side effects of the drug domestic activities, including experiments on other government agents, prostitutes, mental combination, making further interrogation U.S. citizens, during the 1960s. That report patients, and members of the general public impossible. prompted investigations by both Congress (in with LSD to study their reactions, usually the form of the Church Committee) and a without the subject's knowledge. Canadian experiments presidential commission (known as the The experiments often took a sadistic Rockefeller Commission) into the domestic bent. Gottlieb was known to torture victims by The experiments were even exported to activities of the CIA, the FBI, and intelligence- locking them in sensory deprivation chambers Canada, when the CIA recruited Albany, New related agencies of the military. while dosed on LSD, or to make recordings of York doctor Ewan Cameron, author of the In the summer of 1975, congressional psychiatric patients' therapy sessions, and then psychic driving concept which the CIA found hearings and the Rockefeller Commission play a tape loop of the patient's most self- particularly interesting. In it he described his report revealed to the public for the first time degrading statement over and over through theory on correcting madness, which consisted that the CIA and the DOD had conducted headphones after the patient had been restrained of erasing existing memories and rebuilding the experiments on both cognizant and unwitting in a straightjacket and dosed with LSD. Gottlieb psyche completely. He commuted to Montreal human subjects as part of an extensive program himself took LSD frequently, locking himself in every week to work at the Allan Memorial to influence and control human behavior his office and taking copious notes. Institute, and was paid $69,000 from 1957 to through the use of psychoactive drugs such as Efforts to "recruit" subjects were often 1964 to carry out MKULTRA experiments LSD and mescaline and other chemical, illegal without any drugs being administered. In there. The CIA appears to have given him the biological, and psychological means. They also Operation Midnight Climax the CIA set up potentially deadly experiments to carry out, as revealed that at least one subject had died after several brothels to provide a selection of men they would be tried on non-US citizens. administration of LSD. who would be too embarrassed to talk about the In addition to LSD, Cameron also events. The brothels were equipped with two- experimented with various paralytic drugs, as (Continued on Page 32) way mirrors and the "sessions" were taped for well as electroshock "therapy" at 30 to 40 times later interpretation. the normal power. His "driving" experiments Visit The ’X’ Zone with Rob McConnell Some subjects' participation was consisted of putting subjects into drug-induced www.xzoneradiotv.com