Friendly Fire Deaths Linked to US Pilots on Speed
Dexedrine is a go-pill' given to pilots when they set off on missions. Restoril is a no-go pill' to help them sleep. The use of drugs by American pilots is an open secret in the defence world.
By Andrew Buncombe

AMERICAN PILOTS in Afghanistan, blamed for a series of "friendly fire" incidents and devastating erroneous attacks on innocent civilians, were routinely provided with amphetamines to tackle fatigue and help them fly longer hours. Pilots were allowed to "self-regulate" their own doses and kept the drugs in their cockpits.

The pilots were provided with the stimulant Dexedrine, generically known as dextroamphetamine and referred to as a "go-pill" by the airmen, when they set off on missions. When they returned, doctors gave them sedatives or "no-go pills" to help them sleep. Pilots who refused to take the drugs could be banned from taking part in a mission. The use of the drugs is outlined in a 58-page document seen by The Independent entitled Performance Maintenance During Continuous Flight Operations, produced by the Naval medical research laboratory in Pensacola, Florida. It says: "Combat naps, proper nutrition and caffeine are currently approved and accepted ways ... to prevent and manage fatigue. However, in sustained and continuous operations these methods may be insufficient ..."

A statement issued yesterday by the US Air Force Surgeon General's Office confirmed the use of amphetamines by pilots. It said: "During contingency and combat operations, aviators are often required to perform their duties for extended periods without rest. While we have many planning and training techniques to extend our operations, prescribed drugs are sometimes made available to counter the effects of fatigue during these operations."

The use of stimulants by American combat pilots appears to be an open secret within the defence world, although it is believed this is the first time the Pentagon has confirmed their use was officially condoned.

The revelation has fuelled speculation that the use of amphetamines may have been a factor in a series of devastating errors by pilots that led to attacks on Afghan civilians as well as so-called friendly-fire incidents. In the worst friendly-fire incident of the campaign, four Canadian soldiers of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry were killed and eight injured in April when an American pilot dropped a 500lb laser-guided bomb on their position.

The F-16 pilot, Illinois Air National Guard Major Harry Schmidt, had flown three hours from Kuwait to the combat zone and faced a three-hour flight back afterwards. F-16 missions from Kuwait routinely took up to nine hours.

In addition, few of the pilots based in Kuwait - where they were originally deployed to patrol the no-fly zone over southern Iraq - received the recommended 12 hours rest between missions as they were on double duty.

John Pike, director of Globalsecurity.org, a defence think-tank, said: "Better bombing through chemistry. I think enquiring whether amphetamine use had a role in the bombing errors is an obvious question to ask. I am surprised that the question has not been asked before.

"When you look at the original story of the Canadian friendly-fire incident it seems that the pilot was being inexplicably aggressive. It goes beyond fatigue or lack of experience or being a cowboy or trigger happy or any of the standard prosaic explanations. The simplest explanation is that the guy had eaten too much speed and was paranoid."

Two unpublished reports into the friendly-fire incident reportedly concluded that Mr Schmidt made his error because he failed to properly assess the supposed risk before striking.

Mr Schmidt, a former Navy pilot and instructor at its elite "Top Gun" training school, said he saw muzzle flashes on the ground and believed he was acting in self-defence. Moments later he was informed there were "friendlies in the area". It later emerged the Canadians were taking part in live-firing exercises which America was aware of.

Mr Schmidt's lawyer, Charles Gittins, was unavailable to comment yesterday on whether his client had been taking amphetamines. However, he told the Toronto Star, which revealed the use of amphetamines by pilots: "I don't know. I never asked my pilot if he was medicated. But it's quite common."

The Performance Maintenance manual reveals just how common the use of amphetamines by pilots is. A survey of pilots who took part in the 1991 Desert Storm operation suggests 60 per cent of them took Dexedrine. In units most heavily involved in combat missions, the rate was as high as 96 per cent. During Desert Storm, the standard dosage of Dexedrine was 5mg. In Afghanistan it was 10mg.

The manual itself warns of the potential dangers of amphetamine use, particularly from repetitive dosage. It says: "The risk of drug accumulation from repetitive dosage warrants serious consideration."

Despite this it appears that pilots are under a considerable degree of pressure to take the drugs. A consent form that all pilots are required to sign says use of the drug is voluntary. But it adds: "Should I choose not to take it under circumstances where its use appears indicated ... my commander ... may determine whether or not I should be considered unfit to fly a given mission."

Last month scores of Afghan civilians were killed in the village of Karakak, 100 miles north of Kandahar, after being bombed by American forces which may have mistook wedding celebrations as hostile fire.




hmmm, man not only should that guy be charged with murder but half the damn airforce with drug use(duh speed is illegal)

heres good link for more info on the drug and friendly fire (not only against canadians) in afgan

http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=13791

and this one is on the actual bombing of canadians
http://www.globalsecurity.org/org/news/ ... speed1.htm

[Totenkopf]

I guess they don't give U.S. pilots piss tests then eh? hake:

why would they piss test the air force gave them the speed. hence its not illegal. for them

I noticed this when reading the articles,

both pilots will be charged with four counts of INVOLUNTARY manslaughter (hhow is it involuntary when they were told to hold their fire but instead went in and attack?)

and eight counts of assault. If convicted could face 64 years in prison.. Not enough in my book. Should be murder, and more like life sentance for each of the four men killed.

[Totenkopf]

[quote="Founding_Law":f7610]why would they piss test the air force gave them the speed. hence its not illegal. for them[/quote:f7610]

I guess you couldn't "read" my sarcasm.

[ninty]

Its actually a well know fact that almost ALL militaries in the world use some sort of drugs while in combat situations including CANADA.

I'm in no way defending what happened. The pilots did a wrong. But I think its wrong to treat this case this way. If Americans got bombed, those pilots wouldn't be going though this. This is the American government trying to appease Canada. They made a mistake.

People die every day. An american was shot today in Afghanistan and A chopper carrying Germans went down as well. I think we need to give this shit up.

Things need to be done to avoid this from happening. But we don't need to handle this case different than any others. Americans have killed British and i'm sure a lot of other guys. Why? Because they have the air power and are always the one on the ground. FF is going to happen. But I can't help but say some of the blame should be on Canada. The media as well as the government. Our forces should ahve the technology and the funding to keep up with our allies to make it as safea s possible. Out government hasn't done this.

At first I thought this was horrible and it is, but I think Candaians need to shut the fuck up about it. Shit happens. But we need the support of everyone to make sure it doesn't happen again. If we don't haev the technology, thats our fault, not the americans and we shouldn't be going into battle.

It shouldn't have happened. But like I said before this case shouldn't be taken any more or less seriously than all the others just cause they bombed canadian and not americans.

I see a lot of bullshit going on in this country. The media isn't doing much to help. Their feeding off Canadians anger.
Its sad.

[Totenkopf]

It does seem difficult to rationalize charging someone with murder in a war. Humans under extreme stress make bad decisions, it happens. However, the the policy of the Air Force to feed it's pilots drugs is probably suspect at best. This is where the investigation should be focused.

What movie is that quote from, "Charging someone with murder in this place is like handing out speeding tickets at the Indy 500"?

ninty9 this has ntohing to do with technology.. Infact how can any blame be on canada? we were doing training, it had nothing to do with technology its they use the same procedures when its american soldiers too. They have the AWACS confirm wether its friend or foe, and this pilot didnt wait for that.
It only took 38 seconds after the bomb was dropped for them to confirm it was friendly and the controller said to the flight commander "get him the hell out of there"

and the fact is he was ordered to hold fire, he didnt. the weather was clear and they had night vision. He disobeyed orders and if you would read more you would see did not follow ANY of the standard procedures, flew below the designated height to do a delibrate attack.

nint9 you need to realise that if a canadian would have bombed an american in the same way he would already have been charged and convicted.

There had already been many friendly fire incidents happen and there continue to be. Hell the americans bombed a fucking wedding in afganistan.

once again you add about technology. this has nothing to do with it ninty9. Its about people not following orders and murdering people.

[The Counter-Sniper]

The U.S. is not trying to sweep it under the carpet, I'm glad to see. These guys are going to hang, so to speak. The U.S. and it's allies went out of their way to keep civilian casualties to a minimum, they don't want the people turning against them. That's the mistake the Russians made.

[Eight Ace]

[quote="CSF_Jaizen":b8b8e]There had already been many friendly fire incidents happen and there continue to be. Hell the americans bombed a fucking wedding in afganistan.[/quote:b8b8e]

...just on that wedding bombing, that's a hell of a story...apparently the US
got information from a "reliable" Northern Alliance informant that the house
was a weapons cache and an al queda meeting place, and a meeting
of leaders would soon be taking place.
When observers reported all the activity on the wedding day, the info clicked
and the strike was called in. Turns out the "informant"s clan and the
families at the wedding were involved in one of Afghanistans
many "blood-fueds", and the US was duped into being the hitman.
"The road to hell is paved with good intentions..." eek:

[BallisticWookie]

Just cant let it go can ya Jaizen.... hake: No-one around here has made this such a big deal except you, just fucking get over it. What happened was terrible, yes. Are the pilots to blame, yes. Do FF incidents happen ? FUCK YES THEY DO ! This isnt an isolated case, and it will happen again and again and again. Just fucking get over it.

[Bazooka_Joe]

So they have a couple of cups of coffee with the pill. SO??!!? heh

Originally Posted by BallisticWookie

Just cant let it go can ya Jaizen.... hake: No-one around here has made this such a big deal except you, just fucking get over it. What happened was terrible, yes. Are the pilots to blame, yes. Do FF incidents happen ? FUCK YES THEY DO ! This isnt an isolated case, and it will happen again and again and again. Just fucking get over it.

wtf? most of it originally had nothing to do with the FF, i just learned that the air force was giving pilots speed.

It went probably something more like a superior officer told teh pilots to attack, then when he realized he fucked up he made a story about how he said don't attack but they did anyway.
Don't you know that the Leiutenants (sp?) get teh blame for everything wether they are guilty or not, one can't very well have a Colonel take the blame.

actually you should read the reports. they were told to hold fire untill confirmation, and schmidt (i think) instead went head on and fired.,