Stargate Project: The CIA’s Psychic Operations Declassified
The Stargate Project was a classified, top-secret research and development program conducted by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) during the late 20th century. The project, which was centered around investigating the phenomenon of remote viewing, aimed to gain military intelligence through unconventional means. This article delves into the history, objectives, and declassified documents of the Stargate Project, exploring the extent to which the CIA pursued psychic experiments.
History and Background of the Stargate Project
The term “Stargate” refers to the code name used by the U.S. Army during the early 1970s when it initiated a small-scale investigation of psychic phenomena for military purposes. The project evolved significantly under the auspices of the CIA, which sought to harness the potential of psychic abilities for strategic advantages.
Objectives and Scope of the Investigation
The primary objective of the Stargate Project was to explore the feasibility of psychic phenomena, particularly remote viewing, as a means of obtaining intelligence. Remote viewing involves perceiving information about a distant or sealed target without being present or having access to conventional information. The CIA was interested in whether this unconventional method could provide tactical and strategic advantages.
Declassified Documents and Presidential Records
Recently declassified CIA documents reveal that the agency conducted numerous experiments involving remote viewing and other forms of psychic phenomena. These experiments often involved individuals with self-proclaimed psychic abilities, including G urgeon Edmeades and Ingo Swann. Among the most significant experiments were those led by John Alexander, a retired U.S. Army military intelligence officer, and his collaboration with Ingo Swann.
Famous Experiments and Their Outcomes
Experiment at Fort Meade: One of the most well-known experiments was conducted at Fort Meade by Ingo Swann in the 1970s. During this experiment, Swann was asked to visualize a target site, which was a Soviet missile silo in England. Despite the controls, Swann was able to accurately describe the layout and even specific details of the silo. This experiment has since been cited as one of the most convincing pieces of evidence that remote viewing is a real phenomenon.
Remote Viewing of the "Zasulchik" Submarine: Another significant experiment involved remote viewing of a submarine named "Zasulchik." The CIA provided Swann with a description of the submarine, and Swann was able to describe it accurately, including details such as its design and location. These outcomes, coupled with the seemingly consistent results of the experiments, made the CIA believe there was potential for these abilities to be used in intelligence gathering.
Controversy and Critiques of the Project
The Stargate Project faced significant criticism from the scientific community and some within the CIA. Critics argued that the experiments were neither scientifically rigorous nor reliable, and that the results of the remote viewing experiments could have been influenced by other factors, such as suggestion or coincidence. Additionally, the ethical implications of using psychic phenomena for military purposes were also a source of controversy.
Conclusion and Legacy of the Stargate Project
While the Stargate Project has been the subject of extensive debate and scrutiny, it has left a lasting legacy in the field of parapsychology and intelligence studies. It has sparked interest in the exploration of anomalous phenomena and continues to be discussed in academic and popular circles. Declassified documents and presidential records have shed new light on the CIA’s experimentation with remote viewing and other forms of psychic phenomena, providing a more nuanced understanding of this secretive history.