Jonathan Moreno’s book is certainly timely, as military research into neuroscience and other brain and behavior-related research is certainly taking off. For instance, see this September 19 ExtremeTech article, “DARPA combines human brains and 120-megapixel cameras to create the ultimate military threat detection system.” (Readers will be glad to know Mind Wars has an entire chapter on the history of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.)

Meanwhile Moreno asks the primary question: Is anyone minding the ethical store? Who is addressing the problems and dilemmas of subjugating science to national defense concerns?

Jeffrey Kaye and Jason Leopold of Truthout published an exclusive on a Defense Department (DoD) report on the alleged drugging of prisoners in the custody of the US military that had been declassified. The report put together by the DoD inspector general acknowledged that “powerful antipsychotic and other medications ‘could impair an individual’s ability to provide accurate information.’” And, while the report didn’t confirm the prisoners’ allegations that system drugging was taking place, the reporting done by Kaye and Leopold indicates there were several gaps in the investigation. The report should not be considered conclusive evidence that the drugging alleged by prisoners did not take place.

I spoke with Kaye about his exclusive story.

It is with great excitement that I welcome you to The Dissenter, a Firedoglake blog that will cover civil liberties and digital freedom issues. It will feature regular coverage of the torture scandal that continues to wear on and the ongoing US government war on WikiLeaks, along with coverage of the Orwellian expansion of the surveillance state, Internet privacy rights, the mass incarceration of people of color in this country and the current and historic repression of dissent.