Gay Bomb: Story Behind The Story

I remember the Gay Bomb story, having covered it in New Scientist a couple of years ago -- -- right after Noah made his initial report -- and being amused by the subsequent media interest. It's in wikipedia and even has its own web site ("Make Love Not War.") The media rediscovered itthis week, and there have been the usual barrage of queries. Had the Pentagon really thought about a chemical weapon which made soldiers irresistibly attractive to each other? (Yes, among a range of other unlikely ideas).

Ed Hammond of the Sunshine Project –- which turned up the documents about the project using the Freedom Of Information Act -- has had the press at his door again:

"It has not yet reached the feverish pitch of 2005, when your humble moderator had three different CNN crews simultaneously trying to corner him (along with about 67,000 other reporters)."

The media seem to be happy to accept this was just another crazy idea that never went anywhere. And granted, the "Gay Bomb" never received any federal funding. But to get the story behind the story it's worth looking at the Sunshine Project's report on the reaction last time around:

*Harassing, Annoying, and 'Bad Guy' Identifying Chemicals
proposes development of a mind-altering aphrodisiac weapon for use by the US armed forces, as well as other biochemicals, including one that would render US enemies exceptionally sensitive to sunlight. *

*With respect to the Air Force proposal, the Department of Defense has recently been quoted as saying the following: *

*"[The proposal] was rejected out of hand." DOD Spokesman Lt. Col Barry Venable to Reuters *

*"It was not taken seriously. It was not considered for further development." JNLWD spokesman Capt. Daniel McSweeney to the Boston
Herald. *

*These statements are untrue. The proposal was not rejected out of hand. It has received further consideration. In fact, it was recent
Pentagon consideration, in 2000 and 2001, that brought this document to the Sunshine Project's attention and resulted in our FOIA request. *

So far from being just a crazy idea that never went anywhere, the concept was being batted around for at least six years. Hammond adds:

*While the Sunshine Project does not have evidence suggesting that Harassing, Annoying, and 'Bad Guy' Identifying Chemicals
has been funded, US Army proposals to weaponize narcotics that were made at the time have moved forward. These include proposals such as
Antipersonnel Calmative Agents and for development of opiate and sedative biochemical weapons. *

We know about the "Gay Bomb" because of the Sunshine Project's work – and because it was bizarre and catchy enough to get the media's attention. If it was not terminated before, it's doubtful whether the project would go forward now. But there are plenty of other developments that may be equally bizarre, and which can quietly flourish because they are not in the glare of public scrutiny.

P.S. Do gay units really have bad discipline? History suggests otherwise: one of the toughest military units in history was the Sacred Band Of Thebes, an 'Army of Lovers' who were more than a match even for the Spartans.