This has to be the most bizarre twist in the WMD saga yet. Insurgents in Iraq could very well have chemical weapons. And they may be using them — on themselves.
The story starts over a year ago with a Marine blogger in Iraq. On June 2nd 2004 “The Green Side” — well get back to the signficance of this source later — describes suicidal attacks by insurgents in Fallujah: We could not understand why they kept coming but they did. The reason, it turned out, was drugs: these holy warriors are taking drugs to get high before attacks. It true, as we pushed into the town in April many Marines came across drug paraphernalia (mostly heroin). Recently, we have gotten evidence of them using another drug BZ that makes them high and very aggressive.
BZ is not your typical substance of abuse. Its a hallucinogenic chemical weapon. This weird concept originated in the 1950s when better living through chemistry was a slogan to live by and warfare without blood was the goal. As the Washington Star noted in 1965:
New chemical weapons that win by creating confusion rather than death and destruction have proved so successful that they have been quietly added to the Army’s arsenal. The latest and best, a gas called BZ by the Army, put a number of soldier guinea pigs out of action during field tests at a Utah Army base last November, and did it without harming a man.
BZ or “Agent Buzz” is the military name for 3-quinuclidinyl benzillate, an extremely powerful hallucinogen. After experimenting with a whole stash of mind-altering substances including cocaine, heroin and LSD, the Pentagon selected BZ for weaponizing. Its major advantages are that it can easily delivered in an aerosol cloud, and it is very safe. With many substances, the effective dose can be dangerously close to the amount needed to kill — ask any anesthetist. With BZ, the tiny effective dose (maybe two milligrams) is around one-thousandth the lethal dose. It is also odorless and invisible, and there is currently no means of detecting it.
Agent Buzz was tested between 1959 to 1975 on some twenty-eight hundred US soldiers at several locations. It proved extremely effective as an incapacitant. The physical effects are increased heart rates, pupil dilation, blurred vision, dry skin and mouth, increased temperature, and flushing of skin as a med school mnemonic has it blind as a bat, dry as a bone, hot as Hades, red as a beet.
But the psychological effects are more important than the physical ones, as the subject is also rendered mad as a hatter.
It also produces uncontrollable aggression, Wouter Basson, the man behind South Africas chemical and biological warfare program, notes. His version of BZ, in fact, was modified with CB (Carboxy-Methoxy-Benzoxytropane) specifically to reduce this effect.
The Serb army manual on their BZ munitions implies a violent reaction: it can be expected that such individuals or groups will subsequently, under the effects of [this chemical agent], inflict great damage and losses on their own forces.
Over a hundred thousand pounds of BZ were produced by the US. However, it fell out of favor because its effects were considered to be too unpredictable. Destruction of the BZ stockpile commenced in 1988 and was reportedly completed in Pine Bluff in 1990.
Could any be in Iraq? In 1995, the British reported that Iraq had produced Agent 15, similar or identical to BZ, and possessed large stocks of it. A later CIA report discounts this and concludes that “Iraq never went beyond research with Agent 15a hallucinogenic chemical similar to BZor any other psychochemical. The British do not agree and as of the last updated in 2004, the MoD maintains its claim. This would appear to be the most likely source of any insurgent supplies.
I did not initially take the report from The Green Side too seriously. Posted in the form of letters home from a Marine to his Dad, it looked like just keeping in touch with the folks at home and recording a piece of personal history, not an intel report. But the blog turns out to be the work of Lt Col Dave Bellon (right), not just another Marine but intelligence officer for the First Regimental Combat Team. The blog can no longer be easily accessed as it has now disappeared behind a USMC security screen.
Given Lt Col Bellons access to inside information, his rather specific claim about BZ becomes more serious. Other US sources do not mention BZ by name but do describe drug use by insurgents.
The account of the November 2004’s “Fall of Fallujah” by Bing West in the Marine Corps Gazette mentions crazies rushing out in suicidal attacks as well as others sustained by drugs.
Elsewhere, Dan Senor, a Senior Advisor from the CPA stated: Our delegation has been told by Fallujan leaders that many of the individuals involved with the violence are on some — are on various drugs. It is part of what they’re using to keep them up to engage in this violence at all hours
Other drugs were clearly involved as well, and Lt Col Bellons information about BZ may simply be wrong. But its quite possible than coalition troops are facing a number of aggressive, paranoid insurgents, unable to tell friend from foe and unable to realize that there was anything wrong with them, beyond control and hallucinating their worst fears.
Could the guerillas be taking BZ — sometimes called the ultimate bad trip willingly? This seems unlikely: blurred vision, paranoia and hallucinations are not assets in a firefight. But the British Navy traditionally issued a half-pint ration of rum before action and there were always plenty of takers. In Iraq, cynical leaders might dole out BZ to unwitting cannon-fodder. A homicidally aggressive fighter, even an impaired one, is more useful than one who wont fight against insane odds. This may remind some people of the fabled assassin cult, but dont believe everything you read in Dan Brown.
Back during the first Gulf War, some in the tinfoil-hat crowd tried to argue that the US used BZ on Iraqis. Wouter Basson even claims to have found traces of BZ in the urine of supposed victims. As with the other alleged BZ attacks mentioned above there is no independent confirmation of this. And reading the incredible story of Bassons involvement in the whole area of chemical and biological weapons mind-boggling only begins to describe it you can assess his credibility yourself. Anyone making such claims will need solid evidence.
But just in case: if anyone offers you any performance-enhancing substances with the words Dude, this is weapons grade just say no.
(Speaking of Weapons Grade, my publishers would like me to mention my book of the same title which provides an insight into military high-tech from directed-energy weapons to nanotechnology and how it will change both warfare and civilian life.)
– David Hambling
Is that Tweetie-Bird in the first pic? I’m not high am I?
I can understand some sort of hallucinogen, but heroin?
Good Morning Folks,
Although this story is not new it is good that reporting it has gone up the media food chain.
The flip side is the use of drugs by U. S. forces hat in both Afghanistan and Iraq there is a U.S. drug problem.
The military maintains that it is just not happening but along with shake downs at traffic stops ($100.00 bills are all over the place I’m been told) stories by returning personal from the war zones tell a different story.
It is had to believe with street smart AR/NG’s serving in Iraq and Afghanistan the idea has not crossed someone mind.
ALLONS,
Byron Skinner
David,
It looks like most of the links in your article are borked. The URLs wound up as: http://www.defensetech.org/archives/“www.actualurl.com”. Might want to go through and clean that up a bit. It doesn’t happen to ALL hyperlinks, but most. Starting with “New chemical weapons that win by creating confusion…“
–Chris
Chris:
I fixed ‘em.
nms
I think the recent book by an Iraq vet that talks about the easy availability of drugs such as steroids to US troops is call ‘the last true story I’ll ever tell — and roids may be the more effective of aggression inducing drugs.
I’ve heard that the US military has issued amphetamins to pilots flying out of air craft carriers.
Very interesting… and scary… Thanks anyway.
Go pills! Your a jack a&&! Have you ever been to Iraq dip shi#. MD’s dont hand out go pills!
Get a job!
BZ is an incapacitating agent, not an enabling agent. You’d be lucky to be able to tie your shoes, much less carry out suicide attacks while tripping on this stuff. Even if you could, you’d be moving at about 1/4 speed. Giving uppers to combat pilots is equally stupid. Why would you want a pilot in the air who is strung out and jittery? It’s not like the US has a shortage of qualified pilots and safe places for them to rest, being the dominate military power on Earth. The only drugs that the military employs effectively are nicotine and caffiene. God bless our troops’ smokes and coffee!
Benzedrine was giving out for sure in WWII. Most people got started on it back then. Referred to as Benies, aka Benny and the Jets(elton john). Elvis said he first started using them while in the military. I suggest you read up on the drug use/experimentation of substances involving the military.
Brief History of benzedrine
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/drugs/buyers/socialhistory.html
USAF on speed
http://talkleft.com/new_archives/001211.html
Check out the movie Jacobs Ladder with Tim Robbins. It’s about the use of BZ in the military.
BZ is indeed an incapacitating agent. Its effects are very much like LSD, but with markedly longer effects… up to three days. Confusion and a resulting inability to follow directions is a primary symptom of BZ exposure.
I very seriously doubt that anybody wishing to conduct offensive military operations would take it themselves, or administer it to their soldiers. The result would be a slaughter.
Heroin, is a pain killer. In case of minor injury the fighter would not notice.
by looking at that molecule for BZ I kinda get the feeling that I would not want to try it. by the listed effects it both looks and acts like a tropaine should… I can’t see it being of any use other than to use against an defensive force held up in a city.
add some white phosphor and stand back as people wig out.
Khat/qat was a plant caught up in the hysteria of the anti drug 1960’s the actives are stimulants with one are listed as schedule 1 inthe american anti drug laws.
know your drugs people.
Hate to burst your bubble but the military has a drug policy and it is ‘no tolerence’. Getting shot at is all the body needs to jump into drugless-hypermode. If you dont believe me…try it.
Nice self promo.…
Speaking of Weapons Grade, my publishers would like me to mention my book of the same title which provides an insight into military high-tech from directed-energy weapons to nanotechnology and how it will change both warfare and civilian life.)
A bit off the subject… Pardon me David, are you the same David Hambling that went by the nickname “flip”, and who lived in San Diego in the early 90s?
Thanks and best regards!
TG
I’m afraid I have never lived in San Diego, nor been called Flip.
Perhaps you’re thinking of the other David Hambling, the truck-driving serial killer -
http://www.twiztv.com/scripts/profiler/season1/profiler-118.txt
So? Where are they getting BZ? US-made Iran-Iraq war leftovers? How long before it shows up here?
BZ = BS… I was an “underground” (dope) chemist in the ‘60s & 70s and actually made a few ounces of BZ to test it.. It is an incapacitating agent, not an excitant. It is extremely powerful, so much so that all one can do to survive a dose is to lay there and focus on breathing. The slightest effort to move or resist could result in death. I kid you not. I tried it myself a couple of times, then destroyed the batch. I will give it credit, however, for being an astounding hallucinogen.
The US made tons of it and packed it in bombs to drop on the Viet Cong… then they found that it doent work as an aerosol; it has to be ingested orally… duh…
You can’t stop ths signal!
(Sorry, as a Browncoat I just had to say that when I read this…) Go watch Serenity (movie) , and you’ll know what I mean…
I think this is a very good question and needs to be taken seriously. Not only with the insurgents but with the suicidal bombers.
BZ most certainly is effective in aerosol form!
Given the right delivery medium, it can even work on skin contact.
See safety sheet http://chppm-www.apgea.army.mil/dts/docs/detbz.pdf
It was discontinued as a weapon because of unpredictable effects, as described.
This article on BZ contains several errors. I did the Army research with BZ in the 1960s so I can speak with some authority. It is not a drug that produces aggressive behavior. Rather, like scopolamine (which it resembles in effects) it is a drug that produces initial sedation and stupor (after a delay that is progressively shorter with higher doses). Only after 36–48 hours does the capacity to solve even simple problems return and full recovery takes another 1–2 days (depending on dose. The effects are reversible with physostigmine.
There are a number of official US reports that do point to BZ producing violent behaviour (not necessarily in all exposed), though this may depend on which ‘version’ of BZ is administered and other factors.
And clearly the original report from Iraq took an aggressive reaction as its starting point.
So I would have to ask what the basis would be for suggesting otherwise?
“BZ or “Agent Buzz” is the military name for 3-quinuclidinyl benzillate, an extremely powerful hallucinogen.“
Isn’t this what the movie “Jacob’s Ladder” was about??
Is the James Ketchum in this thread the same man mentioned here at this site?
http://www.lucentsucks.com/Bad-Trip.html
I hope you contact me JK because I want to know more.
“I can understand some sort of hallucinogen, but heroin?“
Heroin (as any opiates) loosens inhibitions, act as a powerfull anxiolytic, alleviate pain (physic and psychic), and make you think less…
a long long time ago experiments caused people to become injured or dead. hullicenigenics were some type of sport used by michievious characters. dithalidimide lysergic acid number 25 was an experimental drug. drugs can fracture the integrity of people. drugs can be the bait that will make a mouse steal the cheese that sells out your country. imaginatively , the touch of toxins can cause instant death. Bruce Lee died by a single touch. a recent westler went on a rampage suspected of killing himself after killing his own wife and children. Doctor Mac Donald Fort Benning Green Beret maintains to this day some hippies invaded his house and murdered his entire family. nanotech neurotoxins can afflict even unsuspecting people. the chemicals can alter the mood of an army. besides sonic ( frequencies that injure personnel ); nanotech weaponry hallucingens chem sprays make possible for silent and deadly attack. nanotechnology make a bloodless victory possible.
Sparky322 / Artichoke,
Please write in a coherent manner instead of a rambling, poorly grammatical manner. It is hard for us to understand you. Or perhaps you are on BZ while writing it.
Thanks
Thanks so much.
so much.
http://www.branddaze.com
nothing like some Khat in your mouth to get your nerves going (mentioned several times in Bowden’s
nice
dada
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