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produce an acoustic wave. Ifa pulse stream is used, it should be mainstream of military think-tanks after the Korean War when possible to create an internal acoustic field in the 5-15 kilohertz returning prisoners of war exhibited significant behavioural range, which is audible. Thus, it may be possible to 'talk' to select- changes. In 1956, the following was written into the United States ed adversaries in a fashion that would be most disturbing to them. Congressional Record: "In comparison to the discussion in the paragraphs above, the "Reports of the treatment of American prisoners of war in Korea concept of imprinting an experience set is highly speculative, but have given rise to several popular misconceptions, of which the nonetheless highly exciting. Modern electromagnetic scattering most widely publicized is 'brainwashing'. The term itself has theory raises the prospect that ultrashort pulse scattering through caught the public imagination and is used, very loosely, to describe the human brain can result in reflected signals that can be used to any act committed against an individual by the Communists. construct a reliable estimate of the degree of central nervous system — Actual 'brainwashing' is a prolonged psychological process, arousal. The concept behind this 'remote EEG' is to scatter off of designed to erase an individual's past beliefs and concepts and to action potentials or ensembles of action potentials in major central substitute new ones. It is a highly coercive practice which is irrec- nervous system tracts. Assuming we will understand how our skills oncilable with universally accepted medical ethics. In the process are imprinted and recalled, it might be possible to take this concept _ of ‘brainwashing’, the efforts of many are directed against an indi- one step further and duplicate the experience set in another individ- vidual. To be successful, it requires, among other things, that the ual. The prospect of providing a ‘been there—done that' knowledge _ individual be completely isolated from normal associations and base could provide a revolutionary change in our approach to spe- environment.""” cialized training. How this can be done or even if it can be done are The ethical considerations have not changed, but the military's significant unknowns [sic]. The impact of success would boggle position on the ethics has changed as it has gained significant the mind!'* capabilities in these areas. "Psychological warfare is becoming The above report was a forecast for the year 2020. However, the increasingly important for US forces as they engage in reality is that these technologies already exist and there are a num- peacekeeping operations. 'In the psychological operations area, ber of patents in the open literature which clearly show the possibil- we're always looking to build on our existing technologies, so much ities. This research is not new but of this is evolutionary,’ [military goes back to the 1950s. planner] Holmes said. 'It is critically "A new class of weapons, based on The "data" the body receives important that we stay ahead of the electromagnetic fields, has been technology curve."'' The temptation to added to the muscles of the military from external sources, such as dabble in this area has now overcome organism. The C3I [Command, electromagnetic, vortex or acoustic the ethical considerations. Control, Communications and energy waves, or creates through its A Russian military article offered a Intelligence] doctrine is still growing . . . . slightly different slant to the problem, and expanding. It would appear that | OWN electrical or chemical stimuli, declaring that "humanity stands on the the military may yet be able to com- can be manipulated or changed brink of a psychotronic war" with the 3 pletely control the minds of the civil- . . mind and body as the focus.'" These ian population."” just as the data in any hardware "psychotronic” weapons aim to control : The targeting of civilian popula- system can be altered. or alter the psyche, or to attack the var- tions by the military is a significant ious sensory and data-processing sys- departure from its history. In the past, tems of the human organism. In both the military has used persuasion cases, the goal is to confuse or destroy through real information rather than using deliberate deception and _ the signals that normally keep the body in equilibrium. mind manipulation to win populations over. According to a US Department of Defense directive (S-3600.1, "A decoy and deception concept presently being considered is to December 9, 1996), "information warfare" is defined as "an remotely create the perception of noise in the heads of personnel by information operation conducted during time of crisis or conflict to exposing them to low power, pulsed microwaves. When people are —_ achieve or promote specific objectives over a specific adversary or illuminated with properly modulated low power microwaves the adversaries". An "information operation" is defined in the same sensation is reported as a buzzing, clicking, or hissing which seems directive as "actions taken to affect adversary information and to originate (regardless of the person's position in the field) within information systems". These "information systems" lie at the heart or just behind the head. The phenomena occurs [sic] at average of the modernisation effort of the US armed forces and manifest power densities as low as microwatts per square centimeter with themselves as hardware, software, communications capabilities and carrier frequencies from 0.4 to 3.0 GHz. By proper choice of pulse highly trained individuals. characteristics, intelligible speech may be created. Before this tech- Information warfare has tended to ignore the role of the human nique may be extended and used for military applications, an under- body as an information or data processor in this quest for domi- standing of the basic principles must be developed. Such an under- nance, except in those cases where an individual's logic or rational standing is not only required to optimize the use of the concept for thought may be upset via disinformation or deception... Yet, the camouflage, decoy and deception operations but is required to prop- _ body is capable not only of being deceived, manipulated or misin- erly a afety factors of such microwave exposure."* formed but also shut down or destroyed—just as any other data- Actual testing of certain systems has proven "that movements, processing system. The "data" the body receives from external sensations, emotions, desires, ideas, and a variety of psychological sources, such as electromagnetic, vortex or acoustic energy waves, phenomena may be induced, inhibited, or modified by electrical or creates through its own electrical or chemical stimuli, can be stimulation of specific areas of the brain. These facts have changed — manipulated or changed, just as the data (information) in any hard- the classical philosophical concept that the mind was beyond ware system can be altered. If the ultimate target of information experimental reach."” warfare is the information-dependent process, "whether human or The first widespread interest in the subject of mind control hit the | automated", then the definition implies that human data-processing 40 = NEXUS www.nexusmagazine.com FEBRUARY — MARCH 2006