Pentagon Stays Silent on Whether Suspect in Afghan Massacre Took Controversial Anti-Malaria Drug

[EFerrari]

As Staff. Sgt. Robert Bales is charged with murdering 17 Afghans, we speak with reporter Mark Benjamin, who revealed the Pentagon recently launched an emergency review of a controversial anti-malaria drug known to induce psychotic behavior. Mefloquine, also called Lariam, is used to protect soldiers from malaria, but has been known to have side effects including paranoia and hallucinations. It has been implicated in a number of suicides and homicides, including within the U.S. military ranks. In 2009, the Army decreed that soldiers who’ve suffered traumatic brain injuries should not be given the drug. But this month, just nine days after Bales’ shooting rampage, the Army issued an emergency decree calling for the review to be expedited. "The military announced that this drug should not be given to people who have brain problems like traumatic brain injuries," Benjamin says. "What the military has discovered is that out on the battlefield, those rules aren’t being followed and some soldiers who do have these kinds of problems are getting this drug." The Pentagon says there’s no connection between its review of Mefloquine and the murders, but it’s refused to confirm or deny whether Bales was given the drug. Benjamin reports for the Huffington Post that the Pentagon initially ordered the review of Mefloquine in January.

http://www.democracynow.org/2012/3/27/pentagon_stays_silent_on_whether_suspect

Video is up now, transcript up soon.

[arcane1]

1. "soldiers who’ve suffered traumatic brain injuries should not be given the drug"

Maybe I'm just stupid, but it seems to me that "soldiers who’ve suffered traumatic brain injuries" should not be in FUCKING AFGHANISTAN!!

We're sending "soldiers who’ve suffered traumatic brain injuries" back into fucking BATTLE???

[EFerrari]

3. I know. It's insane.

They are not only sent back but apparently sent back to remote outposts like Bales was. That's where these soldiers are getting the Lariam, because it's easier to give them a pill a week to avoid malaria than a pill a day of some other medication.

[PufPuf23]

6. Yep "soldiers who’ve suffered traumatic brain injuries" should not be in FUCKING AFGHANISTAN!! "

or even the active military.

I find the actions of this soldier horrid and have never supported the war in Afghanistan.

[Owlet]

2. Upgraded, medicalized and militarized

The 'Twinkie Defense'.

[Hawkowl]

4. Not so much

I have friends who have taken this anti-malarial drug and it has scared the beejeezus out of them. Hallucinations, stark raving terror filled paranoia. They stopped taking it and switched to an alternative that is not as effective but didn't drive them psychotic. Of course, they were both in West Africa and both ended up getting malaria anyways--but both said it wasn't as bad as the side effects of the Mefloquine!

Giving Mefloquine to soldiers with loaded weapons and trained to kill is inexcusable and grossly negligent. But then, such is war.

[EFerrari]

5. Giving it to people with TBI can cause permanent damage.

It doesn't matter if you stop taking it, the damage is done.