Top Pentagon Scientists Fear Brain-Modified Foes

Source: Wired

There's concern in some corners of the U.S. military about "enemy activities in sleep research," neuro-pharmaceutical performance enhancement, and "brain-computer interfaces." And it's not coming from the Pentagon's scientific fringe, or from some tin-hat kook with a Defense Department badge. The celebrated scientists on the Pentagon's most prestigious scientific advisory panel, JASON, are the ones worried about adversaries' ability "to exploit advances in Human Performance Modification, and thus create a threat to national security."

In a recent report, unearthed by Secrecy News, the JASONs are recommending that the American military push ahead with its own performance-enhancement research -- and monitor foreign studies -- to make sure that the U.S.' enemies don't suddenly become smarter, faster, or better able to endure the harsh realities of war than American troops.

The JASONs are particularly concerned about (and excited by) new drugs that promote "brain plasticity" -- rewiring the mind, essentially, by helping to "permanently establishing new neural pathways, and thus new cognitive capabilities." The military has already tested these neuro-modulators as a way to keep troops alert after sleepless nights.

But these new drugs will certainly have extensive off-label use for improvement of memory and cognitive performance. [They] may have the additional effect of weakening or overwriting existing memories. Depending on the ultimate performance of these drugs, adversaries might use them in training programs or field operations... to increase troop effectiveness or modify troop behavior and/or emotional responses.

The scientific group also wants the military to keep close watch on the hardware and software which connects the human brain to machines. American researchers have used these brain-computer interfaces to develop new prosthetics -- and to train monkeys to control robotic limbs. Northrop Grumman just won a Pentagon contract to develop binoculars that will tap the subconscious mind. The JASONs believe "the primary threat potential for adversarial use of a Brain-Computer interface...

...may arise in a feedback mode, in which a the interface provides a soldier with a simple signal or a pain/pleasure pulse in response to externally provided situational information. Longer term adversarial developments may include prosthetic applications providing specialized sensory input or mechanical output.

None of this is likely to happen soon, of course. Even the most basic of these advances -- a drug to effectively, consistently fight sleep deprivation -- still isn't read for wartime. "If an opposing force had a significant sleep advantage, this would pose a serious threat. However, the technical likelihood of such a development is small at present," the JASONs note.

But since "existing neuro-pharmaceuticals" are "used rather commonly... as study aids." And since "the US military will certainly test whether, and to what extent, the new lessons of neuroscience can be used in military training... it is reasonable to expect that adversaries will do so as well. We do not expect the development of super-soldiers as a result of improved training, although enhanced military capability can certainly be expected."

While it is possible to improve athletic performance using supplements, or banned substances (e.g the former East German sports teams), such improvements often are either small in effect, highly variable from individual to individual, or dependent on coordination with highly disciplined training regimes. As a result, the tactical advantage that might be gained by any adversary employing supplements is not likely to be overwhelming in general operations. Special circumstances, as in the use of khat in Somalia, can however contribute to unexpected enemy behavior. Therefore it is important for the US to establish and maintain awareness of adversaries’ uses of performance modifying substances (either as part of local culture, or officially established military policy).

Iran vows 'painful' response to any Israeli attack

by Staff Writers
Tehran (AFP) June 9, 2008
Iran on Monday vowed a "very painful" response to any Israeli action after a senior minister of the Jewish state warned of attacks if Tehran did not halt its atomic drive, the ISNA news agency reported.

"If anyone is to commit such a stupid act, (the) response will be very painful," Defence Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said in reaction to attack threats by Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz.

"However, as soon as the comments are made, they deny it. It is evident that the words they fabricate stem from shortcomings in domestic issues," Najjar added.

Israeli officials on Sunday slammed Mofaz's threat to attack Iran unless it halts the controversial atomic work, accusing him of exploiting the issue for political gain.

Tehran had protested the previous day to Mofaz's remarks, in a letter to the UN Security Council and Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

Iran does not recognise Israel and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has drawn international condemnation by repeatedly predicting the Jewish state is doomed to disappear.

Israel and its close ally the United States accuse Iran of seeking a nuclear weapon, a charge vehemently denied by Tehran which says its atomic programme is peaceful.

US leads soaring levels of military spending: report

by Staff Writers
Stockholm (AFP) June 9, 2008
World military spending grew 45 percent in the past decade, with the United States accounting for nearly half of all expenditure, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said Monday.

Military spending grew six percent last year alone, according to SIPRI's annual report.

In 2007, 1,339 billion dollars (851 billion euros) was spent on arms and other military expenditure, corresponding to 2.5 percent of global gross domestic product, or GDP -- or 202 dollars for each of the world's 6.6 billion people.

The United States spends by far the most towards military aims, dishing out 547 billion dollars last year, or 45 percent of global expenditure.

Britain, China, France and Japan, the next in line of big spenders, lag far behind, accounting for just four to five percent of world military costs each.

"The factors driving increases in world military spending include countries' foreign policy objectives, real or perceived threats, armed conflict and policies to contribute to multilateral peacekeeping operations, combined with the availability of economic resources," the SIPRI report said.

The increase is both "excessive and obscene," Jayantha Dhanapala, a SIPRI member formerly in charge of disarmament affairs at the United Nations, told reporters in Stockholm, where the annual report was presented.

Registering the greatest regional growth was Eastern Europe, which saw its military spending skyrocket 162 percent between 1998 and 2007 and 15 percent from 2006 to 2007.

Russia, whose expenditure ballooned 13 percent last year, was responsible for 86 percent of the growth in the region, according to SIPRI.

North America meanwhile saw its military spending swell 65 percent, largely pulled by the United States, which has seen its costs grow 59 percent since the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York and Washington.

"By 2007, US spending was higher than at any time since World War II," the SIPRI report said.

In the past decade, the Middle East has boosted military expenditure by 62 percent, South Asia by 57 percent and Africa and East Asia by 51 percent each.

Western Europe was the region with the least military spending growth at just six percent, followed by Central America at 14 percent.

At a national level, "China has increased its military spending threefold in real terms during the past decade," SIPRI said, adding however that "due to its rapid economic growth, the economic burden of military spending is still moderate, at 2.1 percent of GDP."

As a direct result of the increased military outlay, sales by the world's 100 leading arms producing companies (excluding in China) jumped nearly nine percent in 2006 compared to the year before to 315 billion dollars, SIPRI said.

Sixty-three of the 100 top weapons firms are based in the United States and Western Europe, accounting alone for 292.3 billion dollars in sales in 2006, the last year for which SIPRI has numbers.

In its report, the group also said 14 major armed conflicts raged around the world last year -- the same number as in 2006. In 2001, there were 20, SIPRI said.

"A new type of conflict is emerging and we are seeing a fragmentation of violence," in places such as Iraq and Sudan's Darfur province, SIPRI researcher Ekaterina Stepanova told the Stockholm press conference.

This non-state violence "may have devastating consequences for civilians. All the actors tend to be opportunistic and may change sides," she added.

On an upbeat note, SIPRI chief Bates Gill meanwhile said both candidates in this year's US presidential election could help pave the way for "the most promising opportunities to see real progress in the nuclear arms control that we have seen in the last 10 years."

Scientists warn G8 of climate peril to food

y Staff Writers
Paris (AFP) June 10, 2008
Scientists from Group of Eight countries and the five biggest emerging nations urged next month's G8 summit to ratchet up action against global warming, warning that climate change threatened food and water supplies.

The 13 academies called for leaders to commit to a goal -- sketched in the 2007 Heiligendamm summit as something they would "seriously consider" -- that would halve global emissions of carbon gases by 2050.

They also demanded urgent action to improve energy efficiency and expand renewable energy and for a timetable, to be drawn up by 2009, for building "carbon capture" plants to snare carbon dioxide from power stations and other big emitters.

"Progress in reducing global greenhouse gas emission has been slow," they said. "Climate change is a pressing issue for today."

"Key vulnerabilities include water resources, food supply, health, coastal settlements and some ecocystems, particuarly Arctic, tundra, alpine and coral reef.

"The most sensitive regions are likely to include the Arctic, Africa, small islands and the densely-populated Asian mega-deltas," the statement added.

In a press statement, Martin Rees, president of Britain's Royal Society, said: "Food and water shortages are now a dangerous reality particularly in many developing countries.

"In the coming years, they will be aggravated by rising populations, and climate change. These threats must be properly assessed and solutions identified if we are to avoid costly mistakes from investing in technologies and infrastructure that do not take climate change into account."

The joint statement was signed by the heads of the national academies of science of the G8 countries and of Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa.

It is the fourth appeal on climate change issued by the 13 academies ahead of the annual summit of the G8, which comprises Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States.

The first appeal came ahead of the 2005 summit in Gleneagles, Scotland.

US and EU 'to issue Iran warning'

US President George W Bush is to hold talks with European Union leaders later on Tuesday as they meet in Slovenia for their twice-yearly summit.

The BBC's Oana Lungescu in Ljubljana says they are expected to issue a joint warning to Tehran that more sanctions against Iran's banks are being readied.

They are pressuring Iran to abandon its nuclear programme, rejecting claims it is solely for peaceful purposes.Carrot and stick' policy

There will be a tough joint message to Tehran about further sanctions against Iranian banks linked to nuclear proliferation and terrorism, our correspondent says.

Mr Bush spoke of the work to be done in Afghanistan, ahead of his trip to Europe

Mr Bush is also expected to apply pressure on individual European businesses to take a harder line.

Barclays Bank, based in Britain, has already responded to US pressure, and ended all dealings with Iran's Saderat Bank and Bank Melli.

US hit by heatwave and flooding

The US Midwest is braced for more bad weather after a weekend of storms that left eight people dead and forced hundreds from their homes.

Meanwhile, the US east coast is suffering a heatwave, with temperatures forecast to hit 100F (38C).

Flood warnings remain in place for parts of Indiana, where rescuers have been using boats and helicopters to reach those stranded by rising waters.

More bad storms may hit Indiana, Kansas and Oklahoma on Monday.

State of emergency

President George W Bush declared a major disaster in 29 counties in Indiana late on Sunday, freeing up resources for aid efforts.

US climate change bill is blocked

A US attempt to establish a system of caps and tax relief to cut carbon emissions has been blocked in Congress. The bill was backed by most senators, but did not get the 60 votes needed to stop a delaying tactic - a filibuster - used by the bill's opponents. Even if it had succeeded in passing Congress, President George W Bush had pledged to veto the bill.

Lawmakers will now wait until next year - when there will be a new president - before attempting to pass a new bill.

The bill - sponsored by Republican John Warner and Independent Joe Lieberman - would have introduced caps on carbon dioxide emissions from power plants, oil refineries and factories.