Pentagon used US citizens
to test chemical and biological weapons

The US Defence Department, in response to questions from 
Associated Press, has admitted that during the 1962-1973 period 
the Pentagon conducted chemical and biological weapons 
experiments using American soldiers and sailors as guinea 
pigs.

The secretive tests involved 5842 soldiers and sailors — many of 
whom did not know what they were involved in. The experiments 
were designed to determine the effectiveness of biological and 
chemical agents in combat and methods to protect troops from 
attacks. An untold number of civilians also may have been exposed 
during some of the tests on the troops.

Tests were conducted in Alaska, Maryland, Florida, Georgia, 
Hawaii, Utah, Panama, Canada, Britain and aboard ships in the 
North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

In most cases, supposedly harmless stimulants were used to mimic 
anthrax, e-coli or other agents, although in a number of cases 
potentially deadly nerve agents were used, including sarin and 
VX.

This is reminiscent of the experiments made by Britain when it 
exploded nuclear weapons at Maralinga in Australia and used 
British and Australian troops as guinea pigs. Many American 
veterans say they are now suffering from illnesses because of 
exposure but the Veterans Affairs Administration has denied 
requests for health care coverage.

The Vietnam Veterans of America organisation is suing Pentagon 
officials on behalf of the sailors, demanding the release of all 
the test documents so the National Academies of Science can fully 
analyse the potential health effects.

An attorney working with the veterans group on behalf of the 
soldiers, said the effects of the chemicals on the sailors has 
not been studied. The levels of exposure that the documents might 
detail is a crucial piece of the puzzle, he said.

Democrat Representative in Congress, Mike Thompson was frustrated 
by the revelation that the Pentagon is still unwilling to share 
information about the tests with the exposed sailors.

"It doesn't sit with me at all," said Thompson, one of several 
Congressmen who pressured the Pentagon into admitting the 
existence of the project after 30 years of denials. "I was under 
the impression that these guys had unearthed everything that was 
out there that was available and they'd done the work they were 
charged with doing. If what Mr Spendlove (a US scientist who was 
involved in the experiments and has now spilt the beans) says is 
true, they haven't done the work."