Stargate Project
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The Stargate Project was a secret
The Stargate Project's work primarily involved
The Stargate Project was terminated and declassified in 1995 after a
Background
Information in the United States on psychic research in some foreign countries was poorly detailed, based mostly on rumor or innuendo from second-hand or tertiary reporting, attributed to both reliable and unreliable disinformation sources from the Soviet Union.[citation needed]
The CIA and DIA decided they should investigate and know as much about it as possible. Various programs were approved yearly and re-funded accordingly. Reviews were made semi-annually at the Senate and House
Remote viewing attempts to sense unknown information about places or events. Normally it is performed to detect current events, but during military and domestic intelligence applications viewers claimed to sense things in the future, experiencing precognition.[10]
History
1970s
In 1970 United States intelligence sources believed that the Soviet Union was spending 60 million
One of the project's successes was the location of a lost Soviet spy plane in 1976 by Rosemary Smith, a young administrative assistant recruited by project director Dale Graff.[14]
In 1977 the Army Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence (ACSI) Systems Exploitation Detachment (SED) started the Gondola Wish program to "evaluate potential adversary applications of remote viewing."
1980s
In early 1979 the research at SRI was integrated into 'Grill Flame', which was redesignated INSCOM 'Center Lane' Project (ICLP) in 1983. In 1984 the existence of the program was reported by
1990s
In 1991 most of the contracting for the program was transferred from SRI to
Closure (1995)
In 1995 the defense appropriations bill directed that the program be transferred from DIA to CIA oversight. The CIA commissioned a report by
In 1995 the project was transferred to the CIA and a retrospective evaluation of the results was done. The appointed panel consisted primarily of Jessica Utts and Ray Hyman. Hyman had produced an unflattering report on Uri Geller and SRI for the government two decades earlier, but the psychologist David Marks found Utts' appointment to the review panel "puzzling" given that she had published papers with Edwin May, considering this joint research likely to make her "less than [im]partial".[1] A report by Utts claimed the results were evidence of psychic functioning; however, Hyman in his report argued Utts's conclusion that ESP had been proven to exist, especially precognition, was premature and the findings had not been independently replicated.[15] Hyman came to the conclusion:
Psychologists, such as myself, who study subjective validation find nothing striking or surprising in the reported matching of reports against targets in the Stargate data. The overwhelming amount of data generated by the viewers is vague, general, and way off target. The few apparent hits are just what we would expect if nothing other than reasonable guessing and subjective validation are operating.[16]
A later report by AIR came to a negative conclusion. Joe Nickell has written:
Other evaluators – two psychologists from AIR – assessed the potential intelligence-gathering usefulness of remote viewing. They concluded that the alleged psychic technique was of dubious value and lacked the concreteness and reliability necessary for it to be used as a basis for making decisions or taking action. The final report found "reason to suspect" that in "some well publicised cases of dramatic hits" the remote viewers might have had "substantially more background information" than might otherwise be apparent.[17]
According to AIR, which performed a review of the project, no remote viewing report ever provided actionable information for any intelligence operation.[18][4]: 5–4
Based upon the collected findings, which recommended a higher level of critical research and tighter controls, the CIA terminated the 20 million dollar project, citing a lack of documented evidence that the program had any value to the intelligence community. Time magazine stated in 1995 three full-time psychics were still working on a $500,000-a-year budget out of Fort Meade, Maryland, which would soon close.[18]
David Marks in his book The Psychology of the Psychic (2000) discussed the flaws in the Stargate Project in detail.[1] Marks wrote that there were six negative design features of the experiments. The possibility of cues or sensory leakage was not ruled out, no independent replication, some experiments were conducted in secret, making peer-review impossible. Marks noted that the judge Edwin May was also the principal investigator for the project and this was problematic, making a huge conflict of interest with collusion, cuing and fraud being possible. Marks concluded the project was nothing more than a "subjective delusion" and after two decades of research it had failed to provide any scientific evidence for the legitimacy of remote viewing.[1]
The Stargate Project was terminated in 1995 following an independent review which concluded:
The foregoing observations provide a compelling argument against continuation of the program within the intelligence community. Even though a statistically significant effect has been observed in the laboratory, it remains unclear whether the existence of a paranormal phenomenon, remote viewing, has been demonstrated. The laboratory studies do not provide evidence regarding the origins or nature of the phenomenon, assuming it exists, nor do they address an important methodological issue of inter-judge reliability.
Further, even if it could be demonstrated unequivocally that a paranormal phenomenon occurs under the conditions present in the laboratory paradigm, these conditions have limited applicability and utility for intelligence gathering operations. For example, the nature of the remote viewing targets are vastly dissimilar, as are the specific tasks required of the remote viewers. Most importantly, the information provided by remote viewing is vague and ambiguous, making it difficult, if not impossible, for the technique to yield information of sufficient quality and accuracy of information for actionable intelligence. Thus, we conclude that continued use of remote viewing in intelligence gathering operations is not warranted.[4]: E-4–E-5
In January 2017, the CIA published records online of the Stargate Project as part of the CREST archive.[19]
Methodology
The Stargate Project created a set of protocols designed to make the research of
It was reported that at peak manpower there were over 22 active military and civilian remote viewers providing data. People leaving the project were not replaced. When the project closed in 1995 this number had dwindled down to three. One was using tarot cards. According to Joseph McMoneagle, "The Army never had a truly open attitude toward psychic functioning". Hence, the use of the term "giggle factor"[20] and the saying, "I wouldn't want to be found dead next to a psychic."[9]
Civilian personnel
Hal Puthoff
In the 1970s,
As with Ingo Swann and Pat Price, Puthoff attributed much of his personal remote viewing skills to his involvement with Scientology whereby he had attained, at that time, the highest level. All three eventually left Scientology in the late 1970s.
Puthoff worked as the principal investigator of the project. His team of psychics is said[
Russell Targ
In the 1970s, Russell Targ began working with Harold Puthoff on the Stargate Project, while working with him as a researcher at
Edwin May
Edwin C. May joined the Stargate Project in 1975 as a consultant and was working full-time in 1976. The original project was part of the Cognitive Sciences Laboratory managed by May. With more funding in 1991 May took the project to the Palo Alto offices at SAIC. This would last until 1995 when the CIA closed the project.[1]
May worked as the principal investigator, judge and the star gatekeeper for the project. Marks says this was a serious weakness for the experiments as May had conflict of interest and could have done whatever he wanted with the data. Marks has written that May refused to release the names of the "oversight committee" and refused permission for him to give an independent judging of the Stargate transcripts. Marks found this suspicious, commenting "this refusal suggests that something must be wrong with the data or with the methods of data selection."[1]
Ingo Swann
Originally tested in the "Phase One" were OOBE-Beacon "RV" experiments at the American Society for Psychical Research,[26][unreliable source?] under research director Karlis Osis.[citation needed] A former OT VII Scientologist,[27][self-published source] who alleged to have coined the term 'remote viewing' as a derivation of protocols originally developed by
Pat Price
A former Burbank, California, police officer and former Scientologist who participated in a number of
Military personnel
Major General Albert Stubblebine
A key sponsor of the research internally at
David Morehouse
In his book, Psychic Warrior: Inside the CIA's Stargate Program : The True Story of a Soldier's Espionage and Awakening (2000, St. Martin's Press,
Joseph McMoneagle
McMoneagle claims he had a remarkable memory of very early childhood events. He grew up surrounded by alcoholism, abuse and poverty. As a child, he had visions at night when scared, and began to hone his psychic abilities in his teens for his own protection when he hitchhiked. He enlisted to get away. McMoneagle became an experimental remote viewer while serving in U.S. Army Intelligence.[9]
Ed Dames
Dames' role was intended to be as session monitor and analyst as an aid to Fred Atwater
References
- ^ ISBN 1-57392-798-8
- ^ Atwater, F. Holmes (2001), Captain of My Ship, Master of My Soul: Living with Guidance; Hampton Roads Publishing Company
- ISSN 0190-8286.
- ^ a b c d Mumford, Michael D.; Rose, Andrew M.; Goslin, David A. (September 29, 1995). An Evaluation of Remote Viewing: Research and Applications (PDF) (Report). The American Institutes for Research – via Federation of American Scientists.
[R]emote viewings have never provided an adequate basis for 'actionable' intelligence operations – that is, information sufficiently valuable or compelling so that action was taken as a result.
- Union-Tribune San Diego, Union-Tribune Publishing Co. [Book review of The Men Who Stare at Goats]: "This so-called "remote viewing" operation continued for years, and came to be known as Star Gate."
- ^ Clarke, David (2014), Britain's X-traordinary Files, London: Bloomsbury Publishing, p. 112: "The existence of the Star Gate project was not officially acknowledged until 1995... then became the subject of investigations by journalists Jon Ronson [etc]... Ronson's 2004 book, The Men Who Stare at Goats, was subsequently adapted into a 2009 movie..."
- ^ Shermer, Michael (November 2009), “Staring at Men Who Stare at Goats” @ Michaelshermer.com: "... the U.S. Army had invested $20 million in a highly secret psychic spy program called Star Gate. ... In The Men Who Stare at Goats Jon Ronson tells the story of this program, how it started, the bizarre twists and turns it took, and how its legacy carries on today."
- ^ Krippner, Stanley and Harris L. Friedman (2010), Debating Psychic Experience: Human Potential Or Human Illusion?, Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger/Greenwood Publishing Group, p. 154: "The story of Stargate was recently featured in a film based on the book The Men Who Stare at Goats, by British investigative journalist Jon Ronson (2004)".
- ^ ISBN 978-1-5717-4482-1.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-5717-4102-8.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Pike, John (December 29, 2005). "Star Gate [Controlled Remote Viewing]". Federation of American Scientists.
- Journal of Scientific Exploration. 10 (1): 89–107.
- ^ Interview, Ray Hyman, in An Honest Liar, a 2014 documentary film by Left Turn Films; Pure Mutt Productions; Part2 Filmworks. (The quoted remarks commence at 21 min, 45 sec.)
- ISBN 978-0-316-34937-6.
- ^ Evaluation of a Program on Anomalous Mental Phenomena Archived June 16, 2017, at the Wayback Machine by Ray Hyman.
- ^ "The Evidence for Psychic Functioning: Claims vs. Reality" by Ray Hyman; Skeptical Inquirer, Vol. 20.2, Mar/Apr 1996.
- ^ "Remotely Viewed? The Charlie Jordan Case" by Joe Nickell; Skeptical Inquirer, Vol. 11.1, Mar 2001.
- ^ a b Waller, Douglas (December 11, 1995). "The Vision Thing". Time magazine. p. 45. Archived from the original on February 9, 2007.
- ^ "Search: 'Stargate'". Freedom of Information Act Electronic Reading Room. Central Intelligence Agency.
- ISBN 978-1-8789-0172-9.
- ^ Popkin, Jim (November 12, 2015). "Meet the former Pentagon scientist who says psychics can help American spies". Newsweek.
- ^ Pilkington, Mark (June 5, 2003). "The remote viewers". The Guardian.
- ^ "Fort Meade, Maryland, where psychics gathered to remotely spy on the U.S. Embassy in Iran during the hostage crisis". Miami Herald.
- ^ Nickell, Joe (March 2001). "Remotely viewed? The Charlie Jordan case". Skeptical Inquirer. Vol. 11, no. 1.
- ^ "Dr. Harold Puthoff". arlingtoninstitute.org. The Arlington Institute. 2008. Archived from the original on March 3, 2013.
- ^ "Interview: A New Biopic Charts the Life of Ingo Swann, the 'Father of Remote Viewing'". Outerplaces.com. Archived from the original on April 29, 2018. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
- ^ "An Interview with Indo Swann". The Wise Old Goat – The Personal Website of Michel Snoeck. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
- ^ "An Outsider's Remote View of All Things: Ingo Swann". Chelseanow.com. Archived from the original on April 29, 2018. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
- ^ "A Dynamic PK Experiment with Ingo Swann". Central Intelligence Agency. Archived from the original on April 29, 2018. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
- ^ Pat Price URL:http://www.scientolipedia.org/info/Pat_Price (Scientolipedia)
- ^ Sources:
- Schnabel, Jim (1997) Remote Viewers: The Secret History of America's Psychic Spies Dell, 1997 , ISBN 0-440-22306-7
- Richelson, Jeffrey T The Wizards of Langley: Inside the CIA's Directorate of Science and Technology
- Mandelbaum, W. Adam The Psychic Battlefield: A History of the Military-Occult Complex
- Picknett, Lynn, Prince Clive The Stargate Conspiracy
- Chalker, Bill Hair of the Alien: DNA and Other Forensic Evidence of Alien Abductions
- Constantine, Alex Psychic Dictatorship in the USA
- Schnabel, Jim (1997) Remote Viewers: The Secret History of America's Psychic Spies Dell, 1997 ,
- ^ "Psychic Warrior: Inside the CIA's Stargate Program: The True Story of a Soldier's Espionage and Awakening". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
- ^ "Stargate: People and researchers". Bibliotecapleyades.net.
- ISBN 978-0-7432-7060-1.
Further reading
- Burnett, Thom, ed. (2006). "Psi-War: Operations Grillflame and Stargate". Conspiracy Encyclopedia: The encyclopedia of conspiracy theories. Franz Steiner Verlag. p. 153. ISBN 978-1-84340-381-4.
- ISBN 0-471-27242-6.
- ISBN 1-57392-979-4.
- Hyman, Ray (1996). "Evaluation of the Military's Twenty-year Program on Psychic Spying". Skeptical Inquirer 20: 21–26.
- Morehouse, David (1996). Psychic Warrior, St. Martin's Paperbacks, ISBN 978-0-312-96413-9. Morehouse was a psychic in the program.
- Crazy Rulers of the World. The US military budget cuts after the Vietnam war and how it all began.
- Sessions, Abigail (2016). "STARGATE, Project (1970s–1995)". In Goldman, Jan (ed.). The Central Intelligence Agency: An Encyclopedia of Covert Ops, Intelligence Gathering, and Spies, Volume 1. ABC-CLIO. pp. 352–353. ISBN 978-1-61069-092-8.
- Smith, Paul (2004). Reading the Enemy's Mind: Inside Star Gate: America's Psychic Espionage Program, Forge Books. ISBN 0-312-87515-0
- Utts, Jessica (1996). "An Assessment of the Evidence for Psychic Functioning". Journal of Scientific Exploration. 10 (1): 3–30. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.685.2525. 0892-3310/96.
External links
- Report from 1995 about the program from American Institutes for Research
- Declassified analytical report (1983) related to the project
- Declassified documents about the project on the website of the CIA