Genetic engineering for military purposes?

Should genetic engineering be allowed to be utilized by governments for military purposes? Human engineering for enhancement or even create a new species? Or what about the issue of engineering with viruses and bacteria being developed to be virtually unstoppable. Anyone with links or research on any of this? Anyone have any thoughts on the idea?

this has been happening anyway secretly even without the soldiers knowing it through the foods they eat and such.

Originally posted by oldschoolsuper star
this has been happening anyway secretly even without the soldiers knowing it through the foods they eat and such.

Im not so sure that its being put in their food. Its possible Im sure, but in the military they can pretty much inject you with whatever they want. They just line everyone up and inject everyone on down the line, with out evening really telling them what they are being injected with. Im talking more along the lines of human genetice enhancement or a new species created in a military lab. OR viruses similar to HIV that could be 100 times as lethal and transmittable. Or bacteria completely immune to antibiotics and mutate and evolve faster than normal bacteria. I know they already have technology to actually slice in genetics into human DNA to create a new species. My question is should it be allowed on a mass scale and if so what provisions or guidelines? Or if anyone has any links or research they have found it would be awesome for them to share their findings.

Bio warfare is scary because a virus can be made in a small laboratory, say by a terrorist organization or something it doesn't have to be a giant government funded project, the effects of diseases and their potency are evident all through history. I mean take for example the bubonic plague, It wiped out 1/3 of Europe. As for human enhancement through engineering, I don't know I have wondered that myself but the problem you run into is do they want to stay that way, when they come home from the war they will be freaks in societies eyes and what if they were to reproduce? We would have a whole new species of human running around. Also I personally do not believe that government should utilize this technology for warfare it is just too powerful and if the experiment gets out of control for example a new species that we have invented escapes the lab and is exposed to natural organisms the effects could be devastating. once one of these genetic related experiments gets out of hand their is no going back humans and nature will have to face the consequences. Many terrible diseases have in some opinions been a result of government experiments gone wrong such as the Ebola virus. Also it goes against many peoples morals for genetic engineering to take place. In some peoples eyes things like cloning are "playing the role of god". Hope this helps www.youtube.com...

www.youtube.com...



[edit on 16-3-2010 by XxRagingxPandaxX]

reply to post by XxRagingxPandaxX


I agree, such things should not be tampered with, but none the less, it is a reality and is an interesting topic. I have found they can create a new species of human or even use gene therapy to enhance humans such as blocking the myostatin gene inducing unrestricted muscle growth and strength. Or removing a gene called P21 that would allow humans to regenerate limbs or heal without scar tissue. Or even give special abilites as to adding animal genes to DNA sequences such as giving a human compound eyes to have night vision.

[edit on 16-3-2010 by AzoriaCorp]

Not sure about genetic engineering, but I heard that Hitler was supposedly giving his soldiers steroids. So this was already on the go from the 40's, can't imagine what is happening now? All I could find on Hitler (for now) was this at Wikipedia:

"There are often reported rumors that German soldiers were administered anabolic steroids during the Second World War, the aim being to increase their aggression and stamina, but these are, as yet, unproven.[11] Adolf Hitler himself, according to his physician, was injected with testosterone derivatives to treat various ailments.[12] AAS were used in experiments conducted by the Nazis on concentration camp inmates,[12] and later by the allies attempting to treat the malnourished victims that survived Nazi camps.[11]"

Source: en.wikipedia.org...

[edit on 16-3-2010 by TortoiseKweek]

Originally posted by TortoiseKweek
Not sure about genetic engineering, but I heard that Hitler was supposedly giving his soldiers steroids. So this were already on the go from the 40's, can't imagine what is happening now? All I could find on Hitler (for now) was this at Wikipedia:

"There are often reported rumors that German soldiers were administered anabolic steroids during the Second World War, the aim being to increase their aggression and stamina, but these are, as yet, unproven.[11] Adolf Hitler himself, according to his physician, was injected with testosterone derivatives to treat various ailments.[12] AAS were used in experiments conducted by the Nazis on concentration camp inmates,[12] and later by the allies attempting to treat the malnourished victims that survived Nazi camps.[11]"

Source: en.wikipedia.org...

Thanks for the info! but yes, i had read that as well. Actually the US military is doing that right now. But its usually at the request of the soldier. And they are not denied access or tested for it.

I read a while back that the military were looking into creating some kind of GM bacteria which could be designed to eat concrete...pretty crazy if that stuff escaped,although you would hope they built in some kind of a kill switch.

Sadly I can't find a link for the info,but I expect they are doing stuff like that,and maybe using GM bacteria to find new ways of creating fuels.


Who knows what else?
Super soldiers may not be on the cards right now,but if there was a way to acheieve them,the military would not hesitate IMO.

Genitically engineered clone supersoldiers, genetically engineered viruses and bacteria immune to antibiotics... sounds like ideas that are on the greatness level of self replicating sentient combat robots... nothing can possibly go wrong with that!

Absolutely they need to do this. When you have an enemy that hides amoungst the population, you need a specailized unit that can do the job. For example. A genetically engineered hybrid 60% human 40% dog mix, the more common name "Werewolf" could be trained in this form of combat. They would have a sense of smell to know if you are wearing a bomb vest. With their sense of hearing, they could hear the clanking of hidden guns or said explosives. With human intelligence, they would be able to make snap dicissions wheather or not you are a friend or foe and take approate action, leaving the population completely alone and unharmed.
To bad you did not listen in 2001 when the war started. It would have been over years ago had you gone down that path George Walker Bush.

reply to post by AzoriaCorp


This is an interesting Story . I also Posted a Thread on this Topic HERE......




www.abovetopsecret.com...

Originally posted by AzoriaCorp
Should genetic engineering be allowed to be utilized by governments for military purposes?

Well, there's this angle to consider... Through genetic engineering, we could custom tailor weapons to function ONLY for specific users. So, your rifle would physically become your rifle, with your DNA encoded into the weapon's firing mechanism.

When you pick up the rifle, it samples your perspiration or sebaceous oils in your skin, identifies you as the proper owner, and the firing mechanism is enabled. If anyone else picks up your rifle, they cannot fire it, no matter what... Well, unless they have a specimen of your bodily tissue handy.

No more military weapons left behind to be used by the enemy.

Sounds like a good idea.

Plus, the technology would eventually filter down to the civilian consumer (assuming that the Second Amendment is still intact), resulting in no more stolen weapons, right? Another wise application of genetic engineering.

— Doc Velocity

Originally posted by 6were6wolf6
Absolutely they need to do this. When you have an enemy that hides amoungst the population, you need a specailized unit that can do the job. For example. A genetically engineered hybrid 60% human 40% dog mix, the more common name "Werewolf" could be trained in this form of combat. They would have a sense of smell to know if you are wearing a bomb vest. With their sense of hearing, they could hear the clanking of hidden guns or said explosives. With human intelligence, they would be able to make snap dicissions wheather or not you are a friend or foe and take approate action, leaving the population completely alone and unharmed.
To bad you did not listen in 2001 when the war started. It would have been over years ago had you gone down that path George Walker Bush.

i heard they've been experimenting with this in alabama and mississippi, but not sure if its for military purposes...

but seriously

Well, there's this angle to consider... Through genetic engineering, we could custom tailor weapons to function ONLY for specific users. So, your rifle would physically become your rifle, with your DNA encoded into the weapon's firing mechanism.

only problem with this, if a convoy gets attacked and your rifle goes flying, an enemy is approaching you, and the only option is your dead buddy's weapon, you're screwed at that point

I wholeheartedly support military genetic enhancements.

HULK SMASH!!!

As noted earlier in this thread, this is currently and continues to be done. Both unknowingly and knowingly to some of those subject to the treatment. I have been informed this has been done also within the private sector of the armed forces, along with the collaboration of laboratories. Look at Blackwater/Xe Services. Have a look at the funding they've received over time. For anyone who's capable at sifting out sensitive information. They are a good starting point on the topic. Don't expect to see anything related to it come out among the documents wikileaks has been releasing.

reply to post by TortoiseKweek


Huh, I thought Hitler gave his troops methane phetamines... you know to cover those longer shifts (a day or two without sleep, staying awake and energized)

Originally posted by Doc Velocity
Well, there's this angle to consider... Through genetic engineering, we could custom tailor weapons to function ONLY for specific users. So, your rifle would physically become your rifle, with your DNA encoded into the weapon's firing mechanism.

When you pick up the rifle, it samples your perspiration or sebaceous oils in your skin, identifies you as the proper owner, and the firing mechanism is enabled. If anyone else picks up your rifle, they cannot fire it, no matter what... Well, unless they have a specimen of your bodily tissue handy.

... pretty sure I just saw this in an old sci-fy movie that a friend has been nagging me to see, in reality it is fairly impractical. your DNA is constantly changing as you are exposed to radiation (all the time in not-to-harmful, hopefully, quantities), or diseases (yet again all the time), and mutations occur in duplication of cells (oh yah, all the time again). Hypothetically you could inject a genetic tracker into your troops that the gun reacts to, but than your guns become way overpriced, and they could be modified to override this, and any allies you are sharing guns with would have access to your tracker gene and be able to produce more (yes not everyone in allied military personal are your friends.)

I also just as a blanket statement don't think that we are quite "that good" at GM to do half this stuff. Though I will admit that morals is a big part of what we don't do. creating bio-viruses we have had and kept in storage for decades now, each more deadly than the last, as for our delivery system, we just take dna fragments (genes) and attach them to (I believe it was lead balls though there are likely others used) and than fire them randomly at your tissue hoping that enough of the lead balls will hit their mark. Than we use some good old fashioned trial and error to determine what it dose, than we keep in mind that when we apply it to humans it may have entirely different outcomes, than you attempt to discern the use of individual genes and safety concerns, and there is the problem that you would need to wait until the affected area of the subject's tissue has been replaces to the point at which your little experiment has worn off before you do it again. Not to mention that you would need a pretty big gene gun to effect a whole human (and are better off just going with a zigot), than you are back to waiting a generation or two before you know that it worked correctly, not to mention that you guys are talking about much more than one gene, honestly 40% dog would take a century or two if you wanted only the most adventitious of traits, and even than your best off giving it quite a while longer for eugenics in order to get the best out of your doggieboys. (generally it would be better off sticking to a base species that we know can at least fend for it's self and work our way up than start from scratch making humans with 4 paws and a tail.

I think genetically engineered soldiers have been around since the days of Hitler, and the whole concept of genetics has been tampered and played with endlessly. A clone war is hardly the work of science fiction anymore, and genetic modifications can be made to make mind control or conditioning obsolete and to make tactical commands more precise and efficient. There are plenty of Bio Organic Weapons from chemical warfare to genetic manipulation to the use of drugs and antigens. As for diseases there are plenty of and a lot are man-made such as Swine Flu. The whole concept of genetically altered super soldiers has been around since the test of time, but I doubt it would really be utilized in this day an age due to the costs and controversy. But I have no doubt in my mind that there are some being developed and this is how it all started. www.corpwatch.org...

I beleive soldiers such as these would used against the Nations own citizens ,your going to have trouble ordering Billy Bob from Arkensas to fill a pit full of the bodies of his own country men . Than again one could employ implants or drugs to control Bill Bob. And yes , our freinds at DARPA are experimenting with this
Who else would you use to guard the nations most secret darkest places other than soldiers who comply unquestioningly to all orders and you can retire him at a set time with no loose ends.

reply to post by DeathKnight


yes, we exist not like in those scifi movies we can do more then the average human being

anything that gives them the advantage over their enemy they will use. it's as simple as that. ex. nuke.