The Psychological Kevlar Act. A Moral Labotomy?

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I don't want to run the risk of turning this into a "War Blog" given that I have posted on the subject a few times of late, but this is not just about the war per se, it's the aftermath and it's knock on effect that not only relates to service personnel and their immediate families but the potential to effect society as a whole.

There is far too much material in the article to quote and I think I have done a poor job with what I have offered up.

Basically the proposed use of the drug Propranalol by the Pentagon is to put it mildly quite scary shit indeed.
I have in the past heard of the victims of sexual trauma being treated with this drug, the argument for it's use was quite obvious, to take away the trauma felt by the victim by means of desensitising the feelings and memory of the event.

And it is those very same reasons that are put forward by the opponents of such treatment, it being neither healthy nor wise. A victim should still have regard for the dangers and trauma that might arise from future everyday "at risk situations."

The writer makes brief mention of this towards the end of the article, but the gist is that combat troops would be treated in situ with Propranalol, and by being treated as such while still serving in a combat situation would end up as amoral desensitised killing machines.

At the end of the day it's only our inherent morality that stops us becoming monsters, take that away and the potential for horror is frightening.

Pentagon, Big Pharma: Drug Troops to Numb Them to Horrors of War


In June, the Department of Defense Task Force on Mental Health acknowledged "daunting and growing" psychological problems among our troops: Nearly 40 percent of soldiers, a third of Marines and half of National Guard members are presenting with serious mental health issues.........

And last month, CBS News reported that, based on its own extensive research, over 6,250 American veterans took their own lives in 2005 alone -- that works out to a little more than 17 suicides every day..........


The Psychological Kevlar Act "directs the secretary of defense to develop and implement a plan to incorporate preventive and early-intervention measures, practices or procedures that reduce the likelihood that personnel in combat will develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or other stress-related psychopathologies, including substance use conditions.........

I cannot convince myself that what is really being promoted isn't a form of moral lobotomy.more

Psychiatric Medication

It's only got one side effect,

You really must give it a try,

It's only got one side effect,

It makes you want to die.

Carol Batton