Army chief says he ‘cannot rule out giving British troops steroids’ as rivals develop super-soldiers
AN ARMY chief said he cannot rule out steroids and brain-boosting pills being used to boost soldiers’ performance.
China and Russia are feared to be developing chemicals to give troops superhuman speed and strength.
Deputy Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Chris Tickell, was asked at a Sandhurst think tank if the UK would respond in kind.
He said: “You cannot rule it out, because it is arguably unethical to send soldiers into battle against an enemy that is using such substances, putting them at a disadvantage. However, at the moment, having reviewed these options it is a No for us on ethical grounds.”
Some Allied soldiers in World War Two were given substances to make them more alert. And the Special Forces are thought to have used drugs to stay awake for days.
In 2004 US pilots who had taken “supplements” accidentally dropped bombs on Canadian troops in Afghanistan.
Some enemy countries are believed to be conducting genetic-engineering experiments on troops — including testing if cat DNA helps them see better in the dark, the Mail on Sunday reported.
The MoD said: “The general was participating in a discussion on potential future ethical considerations. Our drugs policy remains the same.”
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