'Havana syndrome' unlikely caused by hostile foreign power, CIA says

[turbinetree]

Source: The Guardian

Julian Borger in Washington
Thu 20 Jan 2022 10.17 EST

Investigation finds majority of cases probably linked to pre-existing medical conditions, environmental factors or stress

An initial CIA investigation into the mysterious set of symptoms known as Havana syndrome has found that it is unlikely to be the result of a worldwide campaign of attacks by a foreign power against US diplomats and spies.

However, two dozen cases, including some of those originally afflicted in Havana in 2016, could not be explained and would be further studied for evidence of a possible attack, according to a senior CIA official who briefed the US press.

“While we have reached some significant interim findings, we are not done,” the CIA director, Williams Burns, said in a statement. “We will continue the mission to investigate these incidents and provide access to world-class care for those who need it.”

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jan/20/havana-syndrome-cia-report-foreign-power

[ck4829]

1. Yes. Unlikely that it was caused by a hostile *foreign* power

Our government and not just the government but institutions of it has exposed our own civilians, soldiers, and government employees to drugs, radiation, diseases, and other agents.

Just putting that out there.

[turbinetree]

2. I thought of Active Denial Systems after I read this article.......

[Bernardo de La Paz]

6. Oh boy, aluminum foil protects against ADS (used to be made of tin, hence tin foil). . . . nt

[VarryOn]

3. Let's call it fibromyalgia and call it a day...covers every conceivable ache, pain or exhaustion. Nt

[BadGimp]

4. OH REAALLY ?!?

Imagine my surprise.

v

[BadGimp]

5. This late stage revelation enrages the crap outta me!

How long do you suppose they have had a 100 percent certainty that this was caused by a hostile force?

[Ford_Prefect]

8. As long as it took to generate another distracting headline.

IMO the CIA doesn't know and wants the story to go away. If they did know and there was a real informational purpose in this press release there would be details explaining either who it was NOT or what they believe is the cause.

They do not know, or they know it is something which they cannot discuss because to do so would admit it is more dangerous to serve in the US diplomatic corps than they want it known.

[twodogsbarking]

7. Dr. Oz did it.

[hydrolastic]

9. This is the whole problem IMHO

The fact that the government thinks they have to lie about it. They think because we can't handle the truth. This is why we are weaker without the real story. Havana syndrome hits groups specifically at inopportune times. We report that we see no evidence of it and round and round we go. groups get sick, they leave the area and we say we see no evidence of it. over and over. Yet if what was known was accurately reported we could look deeper into specific incidents and be a stronger nation for it eventually. Why do we continue to undermine ourselves? Same with redacted Mueller report. Jan 6 committee. Just release the facts and we will do what's right!

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

10. In other news, CTE does not affect any living people.

It has only been diagnosed in the brains of corpses, so CIA concludes that living people are unaffected. Carry on.

The CIA would not be among the first choices of information related to maladies among embassy staff. If only we had something like a Surgeon General, or some Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ...

[oasis]

11. K and R