The Men Who Stare at Goats
| Company type | Book |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 2004 |
| Founder | Jon Ronson |
| Products | Non-fiction book |
The Men Who Stare at Goats (2004) is a factual work by Jon Ronson that investigates the U.S. Army's exploration of New Age ideas and paranormal phenomena for military applications. The book’s title alludes to efforts aimed at stopping goats’ hearts through focused staring. It was released alongside a three-part Channel 4 documentary series titled Crazy Rulers of the World (2004) and later loosely inspired a 2009 film adaptation.
Book overview
The initial five chapters focus on the late 1970s and early 1980s when U.S. Army personnel pursued incorporating paranormal abilities, New Age philosophies, and human potential movement concepts to improve intelligence gathering and operational effectiveness. This period includes references to the First Earth Battalion Operations Manual (1979) and a psychic espionage unit stationed at Fort Meade, Maryland—commonly known as the Stargate Project, though this name is not used in the text. Ronson investigates the so-called "men who stare at goats," Special Forces members who reportedly conducted psychic experiments on goats at Fort Bragg’s "Goat Lab." Among them, martial arts expert Guy Savelli asserts he was the master sergeant who successfully caused a goat’s death by merely staring at it.
Chapters six through eleven shift to events in 2004, following the revelations of abuse at Abu Ghraib. Ronson connects earlier military psychic initiatives with abuses that occurred during the post-9/11 War on Terror, including psychological warfare tactics used in Iraq, such as deploying children’s songs against detainees. He also explores overlaps between these programs, FBI activities like the 1993 Waco siege, and private firms established by former psychic unit veterans. Furthermore, Ronson proposes potential associations between these privatized psychic operatives and the 1997 mass suicide of the Heaven's Gate cult.
The concluding chapters revisit the 1950s, linking Army psychic endeavors and interrogation methods with the CIA’s MK-ULTRA mind control experiments and the suspicious death of Army scientist Frank Olson in 1953. Ronson follows Olson’s son, Eric, as he probes whether his father was assassinated due to ethical concerns over classified information. The narrative ends by implying that "psychic warriors" might still be active within U.S. military circles, potentially engaged in covert missions.
Interview subjects
- Glenn B. Wheaton, retired U.S. Army Special Forces sergeant from 5th SFG; psychic and remote viewer; initiated Ronson’s inquiry into the "men who stare at goats"
- Albert Stubblebine, retired major general and military intelligence officer; proponent of psychic warfare, levitation, spoon-bending, and walking through walls
- Jim Channon, retired lieutenant colonel; author of the First Earth Battalion Operations Manual; consultant on New Age concepts
- John B. Alexander, retired colonel; advocate for non-lethal weaponry and paranormal military applications; linked Channon’s manual to Stubblebine
- Frederick Holmes "Skip" Atwater, retired lieutenant; Stubblebine’s recruiter for psychics; later president of the Monroe Institute
- James V. Hardt, research psychologist specializing in electrophysiological correlates of spiritual experiences; assisted the "men who stare at goats"
- Steven Halpern, new-age musician consulted by the Army regarding music as a tool for mind control or weaponization
- Guy Savelli, martial artist and psychic; recruited by Col. Alexander for Special Forces; claimed to have caused death of a goat and hamster using psychic abilities
- Pete Brusso, martial artist and psychic; creator and marketer of "the Predator," a personal defense device; competitor with Savelli for military contracts
- Uri Geller, Israeli spoon-bender and celebrity psychic entertainer; self-identified as a U.S. military consultant
- Prof. Courtney Brown, political scientist at Emory University and paranormal advocate; reportedly banned from Art Bell radio show after influencing the Heaven's Gate cult suicide
- Prudence Calabrese, psychic collaborator with Brown; also prohibited from Art Bell show appearances
- Christopher Cerf, songwriter for Sesame Street whose compositions were utilized by U.S. Army psychological operations in Iraq
- Jamal al-Harith, Jamaican-British Muslim convert; subjected to musical psychological techniques while detained at GTMO
- Edward ("Ed") A. Dames, retired major, intelligence officer and psychic; frequent guest on Art Bell radio show known as "Dr Doom"
- Joseph McMoneagle, retired non-commissioned officer and chief warrant officer; intelligence operative and psychic; currently operates a remote viewing enterprise
- Lyn Buchanan, retired intelligence NCO and psychic operative
- Eric Olson, son of Frank Olson; lifelong campaigner investigating his father’s enigmatic demise
- Bob Ricks, American law enforcement official; incident commander during 1993 Waco siege
- Norman Cournoyer, colleague of Frank Olson at Ft. Detrick; confirmed to Eric Olson his belief that Frank was murdered by CIA agents
In-Depth Figures
- Michael Echanis, known as a "soldier of fortune" and psychic martial artist; recognized as a Special Forces legend; perished in a 1978 accident in Nicaragua
- Gen. Manuel Noriega, Panamanian dictator noted for his superstitious nature and use of sorcery and witchcraft; opponent of Gen. Stubblebine
- Art Bell, late-night radio personality who advocated paranormal phenomena and conspiracy theories; served as a mentor to Ed Dames
- Tony Robbins, motivational speaker and firewalking practitioner; provided guidance to Gen. Stubblebine
- Frank Burns, former Army colonel and early Internet innovator; co-credited with Channon for the 1980s Army motto "Be All That You Can Be"
- Igor Smirnov, Russian psychiatrist specializing in mind control and thought transmission; consulted by FBI during the 1993 Waco siege
- Frank Olson, American bacteriologist and Army biological weapons expert who died under suspicious circumstances linked to the CIA in 1953
- Sidney Gottlieb, American chemist and CIA operative responsible for administering LSD to Frank Olson shortly before Olson’s death
- "Dr. Bucha", an alleged U.S. Army scientist from the 1950s investigating tactical applications of helicopter-induced flicker vertigo; possibly a myth due to lack of verifiable identity
- David Koresh, leader of the Branch Davidians sect, subjected to psychological tactics involving music prior to his death during the 1993 Waco siege
Critical Response
Ronson’s work garnered predominantly favorable critiques, with the Boston Globe describing it as "both hilarious and unsettling," likening Ronson’s style to a blend of Comedy Central’s Jon Stewart and The New Yorker’s investigative journalist Seymour Hersh. The New York Times critic Janet Maslin commended its "wry, precise agility" in examining early New Age innovation.
Nevertheless, some reviewers expressed doubt regarding Ronson’s reasoning and assertive statements. In U-T San Diego, Alex Heard contended that while the book attempts to connect psychic espionage programs with contemporary events, it largely falls short, resulting in a mix of conspiracy theories and weak associations that leave readers feeling as if they have encountered a "shaggy-goat story."
Television Adaptation
The 2004 British Channel 4 broadcast featured a three-part series titled Crazy Rulers of the World, which comprised:
- Part 1: "The Men Who Stare at Goats"
- Part 2: "Funny Torture"
- Part 3: "The Psychic Footsoldiers"
Film Version
A dramatized movie version, The Men Who Stare at Goats, debuted in 2009 under director Grant Heslov with screenplay by Peter Straughan. Although set in Iraq, filming took place in Puerto Rico and New Mexico. The narrative follows Bob Wilton (Ewan McGregor), a journalist who encounters Lyn Cassady (George Clooney), a former covert U.S. military psychic operative reactivated post-9/11. The cast also includes Jeff Bridges as Bill Django, founder of the program, and Kevin Spacey portraying Larry Hooper, a renegade PsyOps unit commander. The film opens with a disclaimer stating "More of this is true than you would believe." The DVD release features an additional documentary including interviews with Ronson and key individuals from the book.
Following the film’s premiere, John Sergeant, producer of the TV series Crazy Rulers of the World, accused Ronson of excluding his contributions. Despite Ronson dedicating his book to Sergeant and acknowledging his research efforts, Sergeant’s role was not credited in the film adaptation.
External links
- PDF version of the original First Earth Battalion manual