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's 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 Pentagon says there's no connection between its review of Metfloquine and the murders, but it's refused to confirm or deny... |
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OpedNews volunteer from 2005 to 2013.
Amanda Lang was a wonderful member of the Opednews team, and the first volunteer editor, for a good number of years being a senior editor. She passed away summer 2014.