Page 33 - 200205 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - May 2002

CIA and MK-Ultra 33 CIA and MK-Ultra 33 MKULTRA is one of the most millions: lysergic acid diethylamide, or heavy criticism. One Senate committee questioning" disturbing instances of intelligence LSD. The CIA was intrigued by the put it this way in 1975: "lower the ambition and community abuse on record. drug, and harbored hopes that acid or a "From its beginning in the general working efficiency of men similar drug could be used to early 1950s until its termination in when administered in undetectable clandestinely disorient and manipulate 1963, the program of surreptitious amounts" MKULTRA: target foreign leaders. (The Agency administration of LSD to unwitting "promote weakness or CIA Mind Control would consider several such schemes non-volunteer human subjects distortion of the eyesight or hearing in its pursuit of Cuban leader Fidel demonstrates a failure of the CIA's without preferably faculties, Castro, who they wanted to send into a leadership to pay adequate attention to permanent effects" drug-induced stupor or tirade during a the rights of individuals and to provide Few of MKULTRA's public or live radio speech.) LSD was effective guidance to CIA employees. objectives were realized, but the very also viewed as a way to loosen tongues Though it was known that the testing conduct of these experiments caused in CIA interrogations. was dangerous, the lives of subjects many critics of the CIA to argue that In his thorough book on were placed in jeopardy and were successful or not, CIA scientists MKULTRA and similar projects, The ignored.... Although it was clear that shouldn't pry at the doors of Search for the "Manchurian the laws of the United States were perception. Candidate," John Marks reports that being violated, the testing continued." DEAR ROB..... most of the CIA researchers tried LSD Though the most prominently DEAR ROB..... themselves. In fact, an early phase of discussed aspect of MKULTRA is the the experiments was probably the CIA's LSD work, the program included The following questions are setting for the first acid trip in the many other unusual investigations from readers throughout North United States -- experienced by a relating to the science of mind control. America. If you have a question that courageous CIA man no less! CIA researchers probed the potential of you would like to ask Rob, please sent The fact that these numerous parapsychological them to Rob McConnell, The ‘X’ experiments took place is remarkable phenomena, including hypnosis, Media Group, Suite 231, 210 Glendale in and of itself, but the story of the telepathy, precognition, photokinesis Avenue, St. Catharines, Ontario, CIA's LSD trips approaches the and "remote viewing." Canada, L2T 3Y6. unbelievably bizarre when the cast of These studies weren't by Jon Elliston characters is considered. In his recent conducted merely to satisfy the CIA's Dear Rob: I used to listen to you every history of the early exploits of the CIA, scientific curiosity -- the Agency was weekend on 610 CKTB in St. For many Americans, the The Very Best Men, Evan Thomas looking for weapons that would give Catharines and my husband and I 1950s were a docile decade. In U.S. describes Sidney Gottlieb, the the United States the upper hand in the went to many of your live on-location history books, the period is mostly Stranglovian scientist who ran the mind wars. Toward that objective, the broadcasts. Will you be going back on portrayed as a mellow, orderly one, MKULTRA project: "Born with a Agency poured millions of dollars into the radio in the near future. Sherry L., especially in light of the social clubfoot and a stutter, he compensated studies probing literally dozens of Fonthill, Ontario. upheavals that followed in the 1960s. by becoming an expert folk dancer and methods of influencing and controlling But for the CIA, the "I Like Ike" years obtaining a Ph.D. from Cal Tech. A the mind. One 1955 MKULTRA Dear Sherry: We are presently were packed with adventure and pleasant man who lived on a farm with document gives an indication of the working on a radio deal with an action, much of it conducted outside of his wife, Gottlieb drank only goat's size and range of the effort; the memo American network that will see The the public's view. Few programs were milk and grew Christmas trees, which refers to the study of an assortment of ‘X’ Zone back on the airwaves sheltered with more secrecy than the he sold at a roadside stand." When he mind-altering substances which would: throughout Canada and the United Agency's mind control experiments, wasn't busy on the farm, Dr. Gottlieb "promote illogical thinking States by September 1st. Presently, I identified together with the code-name was dosing subjects with LSD-laced and impulsiveness to the point where am working on the pilot of The ‘X’ MKULTRA. drinks, scrutinizing their reactions, and the recipient would be discredited in Zone Television Show which will also Concerned about rumors of searching for qualities of the drug that public" be hitting the airwaves in September. communist brainwashing of POWs would benefit CIA covert actions. "increase the efficiency of during the Korean war, in April 1953 The CIA's LSD experiments mentation and perception" Dear Rob: Is it true that you are very CIA Director Allen Dulles authorized were conducted on many unwitting "prevent or counteract the good friends with Art Bell? Karen G, the MKULTRA program, which would subjects, most often prisoners or intoxicating effect of alcohol" Calgary, Alberta. later become notorious for the unusual patrons of brothels set up and run by "promote the intoxicating and sometimes inhumane tests that the the Agency, which had installed two- effect of alcohol" Dear Karen: Yes, it is true that Art and CIA financed. Reviewing the way mirrors in the establishments to "produce the signs and I are very good friends. If it was not experiments five years later, one allow for observation of the drug's symptoms of recognized diseases in a for Art Bell, and his dedication and secrecy-conscious CIA auditor wrote: effects (these studies were referred to reversible way so that they may be determination, a number of New Age "Precautions must be taken not only to as "Operation Midnight Climax"). used for malingering, etc." Broadcasters, including yours truly protect operations from exposure to Some of the MKULTRA subjects who "render the indication of would not have had the opportunity of enemy forces but also to conceal these were informed faced even more hypnosis easier or otherwise enhance doing radio and television in the activities from the American public in inhumane treatment: during one its usefulness" “fringe regions” that we explore on general. The knowledge that the experiment in Kentucky, seven "enhance the ability of our shows.. Thanks for everything agency is engaging in unethical and volunteers were given LSD for 77 days individuals to withstand privation, Art! illicit activities would have serious straight. torture and coercion during repercussions in political and One of the experiments interrogation and so-called Dear Rob: Since going on air in 1995, diplomatic circles." probably proved fatal. On November 'brainwashing'" who do you classify as the most “out- Though many of the 19, 1953, an Army scientist and germ "produce amnesia for events to-lunch” guest you have ever documents related to MKULTRA were warfare specialist named Frank Olson, preceding and during their use" interviewed? Joshua G, Roswell, New destroyed by the CIA in 1972, some who was working on an MKULTRA "produc[e] shock and Mexico. records relating to the program have project, was slipped a solid dose of confusion over extended periods of made it into the public domain, and the LSD in his drink. Then, after spending time and capable of surreptitious use" Dear Joshua: Well, I knew I would get work of historians, investigative eight days stumbling about in what "produce physical disablement this question one day, and I must say, reporters, and various congressional many observers described as a such as paralysis of the legs, acute without any hesitation, it was a committees has resulted in the release paranoid, depressed state, Olson anemia, etc." Western Canadian who claims to be of enough information to make jumped through his hotel window in "produce 'pure' euphoria with able to communicate with aliens MKULTRA one of the most disturbing New York and fell ten stories to his no subsequent let-down" orbiting the Earth using a instances of intelligence community death. "alter personality structure in sophisticated “Light Beacon” abuse on record. As writer Mark The Agency covered up its such a way that the tendency of the apparatus that he invented. However, Zepezauer puts it, "the surviving role in Olson's demise, and twenty-two recipient to become dependent upon he soon lost credibility when he told history is nasty enough." years would pass before his family another person is enhanced" our international audience that the The most notorious would learn of the events leading up to "cause mental confusion of “Light Beacon” which consists of a MKULTRA experiments were the his death. When the CIA's acid such a type that the individual under its car battery with a brake light assembly CIA's pioneering studies of the drug exploits were made public in the mid- influence will find it difficult to that he purchased from Canadian Tire that would years later feed the heads of 1970s, the Agency found itself facing maintain a fabrication under - a total investment of $22.35!