The Politics of Reporting for “Havana Syndrome”

by Patricia Burke of Safe Tech International

Last week, mainstream news outlets carried headlines about two new studies investigating Havana Syndrome.

The Washington Post headline stated, “NIH probe of ‘Havana syndrome’ finds no sign of brain injuries”

The New York Times reported, “New Studies Find No Evidence of Brain Injury in Havana Syndrome Cases  (Please use the headline to find the link as it does not copy)

National Public Radio NPR’s headline read, “In Havana syndrome patients, NIH scientists find no physical trace of harm’’

The Guardian noted, “Medical studies find no trace of physical harm in Havana syndrome patients

ABC News reported, “New study finds no brain injuries among ‘Havana syndrome’ patients

CNN’S headline reported, “Despite symptoms, NIH research finds no evidence of ‘Havana syndrome’ in brain scans.”  

Breitbart News declared, “Studies find no brain injury in ‘Havana syndrome’ patients.”

What Did the Articles (not the headlines) Say?

There are a number of implications to be drawn from the contrast between the different headlines and a deeper dive into the content.

 One is that it is important to read the articles, and not just the headlines.

Another is that especially in an election year, priorities regarding issues including national defense can skew “news reporting.”  

1. The studies did not find “no harm.”  As reported by ABC, An array of advanced tests found no brain injuries or degeneration among U_S_ diplomats who suffer mysterious health problems once dubbed “Havana syndrome” “While that couldn’t rule out some transient injury when symptoms began, researchers said it’s good news that they couldn’t spot long-term markers on brain scans that are typical after trauma or stroke.” “A subset, about 28%, of Havana syndrome cases were diagnosed with a balance problem called persistent postural-perceptual dizziness, or PPPD. Linked to inner-ear problems as well as severe stress, it results when certain brain networks show no injury but don’t communicate properly. French called it a “maladaptive response,” much like how people who’ve slouched to alleviate back pain can have posture trouble even after the pain is gone. The Havana syndrome participants reported more fatigue, posttraumatic stress symptoms and depression. The findings are the latest in an effort to unravel a mystery that began when personnel at the U.S. embassy in Cuba began seeking medical care for hearing loss and ear-ringing after reporting sudden weird noises.

CNN noted: “The study concluded that whatever caused Havana syndrome seems to create symptoms “without persistent or detectable physiologic changes. A lack of evidence for a brain injury does not necessarily mean that no injury is present or that it did not occur at the time of the AHI.”

2. One of the most important commentaries about the studies was provided in the CNN article.  “These findings suggest that the origin of the symptoms of participants with AHIs may not be linked to an MRI-identifiable injury to the brain,” the study concluded. This means that harm may not be able to be identified via an MRI. It does not mean that no harm is present. (Most of the symptoms identified by the U.S. military back in 1971 that were associated with microwave exposure would not show up on an MRI, including but not limited to headaches, tinnitus, infertility and cataracts.)

3. The NIH MRI-based research provides no evidence to substantiate a claim that the health damages were not caused by a foreign adversary using directed, pulsed radio frequency energy.  Linking the NIH study to claims from the intelligence community is misleading.

4. Ethics concerns have been raised about the way in which participants were enrolled in the study.

The Back-Story

2020, The National Academies: Directed, Pulsed Radio Frequency Energy

 In December of 2020, the press release “New Report Assesses Illnesses Among U.S. Government Personnel and Their Families at Overseas Embassies” was issued by the National Academies, stating, in part,  “WASHINGTON — Government personnel and their families at the U.S. embassy in Havana, Cuba, in late 2016, and later at the U.S. consulate in Guangzhou, China, began suffering from a range of unusual — and in some cases suddenly occurring — symptoms such as a perceived loud noise, ear pain, intense head pressure or vibration, dizziness, visual problems, and cognitive difficulties, and many still continue to experience these or other health problems.  As part of its effort to ascertain potential causes of the illnesses, inform government employees more effectively about health risks at posts abroad, and determine best medical practices for screening, prevention, and treatment for both short- and long-term health problems, the U.S. Department of State asked the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to provide advice.  After undergoing a security review, the National Academies’ report is now available.

In examining plausible causes of these illnesses, the committee that conducted the study and wrote the report considered the possibilities of directed, pulsed radio frequency energy, chemical exposures, infectious diseases such as Zika, and psychological issues.  An Assessment of Illness in U.S. Government Employees and Their Families at Overseas Embassies says that among the mechanisms the committee considered, directed, pulsed radio frequency energy appears to be the most plausible mechanism in explaining these cases, especially in individuals with the distinct early symptoms.  Persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD) — a functional (not psychiatric) vestibular disorder that may be triggered by vestibular, neurologic, or other medical and psychological conditions — is a secondary reinforcing mechanism, as well as the possible additive effects of psychological conditions. 

The committee could not rule out other possible mechanisms and found it is likely that a multiplicity of factors explains some cases and the differences between others.  In particular, it could not be certain that the individuals with only the chronic set of signs and symptoms suffered from the same causes and mechanisms as those who reported the initial, sudden onset set of signs and symptoms.  The committee noted that it faced several challenges in its assessment, related to the extreme variability in the clinical cases as well as lack of access to specific health or personal information on the affected individuals.

“The committee found these cases quite concerning, in part because of the plausible role of directed, pulsed radiofrequency energy as a mechanism, but also because of the significant suffering and debility that has occurred in some of these individuals,” said committee chair David Relman, Thomas C. and Joan M. Merigan Professor in Medicine, professor of microbiology and immunology, and senior fellow at the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University.  “We as a nation need to address these specific cases as well as the possibility of future cases with a concerted, coordinated, and comprehensive approach.”

2021 JASON and the U.S. State Department: Crickets

On March 18, Scientific American reported, “In 2017, when word of Havana syndrome first broke, news reports widely suggested that “sonic weapons” had played a role. A year later news outlets replaced this claimed potential cause with “microwave” weapons. Then, by 2019, they suggested that “pulsed” microwaves explained the injuries, and the NASEM report later judged that idea as the most plausible cause late that year. Unknown to that report’s writers, a 2018 U.S. Department of State–sponsored technical report conducted by a highly regarded technical group called JASON, which was only declassified later, had already cast doubt on the theory that the injuries were caused by any kind of electromagnetic effect. (Crickets likely explained incident noises, it suggested.) Those doubts also appeared in a 2022 follow-on report from the same experts.

In September of 2021, BuzzFeed News reported “Noises linked to mysterious injuries among US diplomats in Cuba were most likely caused by crickets — not microwave weapons — according to a declassified scientific review commissioned by the US State Department and obtained by BuzzFeed News” “It concluded that the sounds accompanying at least eight of the original 21 Havana syndrome incidents were “most likely” caused by insects. That same scientific review also judged it “highly unlikely” that microwaves or ultrasound beams — now widely proposed by US government officials to explain the injuries — were involved in the incidents. And though the report didn’t definitively conclude what caused the injuries themselves, it found that “psychogenic” mass psychology effects may have played a role.”

The JASON report is here: https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/21068770-jason-report-2018-havana-syndrome

BuzzFeedNews reported, “The team was given eight recordings of incidents linked to injuries and performed an extensive analysis of two cellphone video recordings from one patient. After extensive comparison with recordings of various insect species, they concluded with “high confidence” that the sounds in that case came from a particularly loud species of cricket, Anurogryllis celerinictus.”

“A mainstay of the national security arena for decades, JASON contains the nation’s brightest technical minds. “This is a high-powered group of expert scientists examining this question,” said former Los Alamos National Laboratory chemist Cheryl Rofer. “This appears to be a very thorough scientific analysis, the kind which wasn’t done in the National Academies of Sciences report.” [] “What is available in the report is pretty dubious about directed energy weapons,” she said, “and pretty positive about crickets.”

This is despite the fact that the ‘sound’ of crickets has never been causally linked to brain damage and other documented injuries, and the fact that Injuries to diplomatic personnel were reported in locales and during seasons where no indies short tail crickets were attempting to mate.

“James Lin, a University of Illinois biomedical engineer who has argued that the microwave explanation for the injuries is very likely, told BuzzFeed News “A typical sound recorder would not be able to record the ‘microwave sound’, period,” [] by email, after reviewing the JASON report’s findings.” – Buzzfeed News

A recording of the cricket (dominant frequency 6.9 kHz) can be heard here. (Listening to the sound recording has not been associated with reports of physical harm).

2023: National Intelligence Council: “It Is “Very Unlikely” A Foreign Adversary Is Responsible For The Reported AHIs”

In March of 2023, the National Intelligence Council issued its “Updated Assessment of Anomalous Health Incidents” stating, ”The IC pursued three separate lines of inquiry: the first encompassed work determining whether available data points to the involvement of a foreign adversary in the incidents; the second focused on the feasibility and existence of deliberate mechanisms that an adversary might use against US personnel to cause AHIs; and the third evaluated whether medical analysis can help determine if an outside actor is involved in the broad range of phenomena and symptoms associated with AHIs. Based on the results of these three lines of inquiry, most IC agencies have concluded that it is “very unlikely” a foreign adversary is responsible for the reported AHIs.” SOURCE

The 4-page report explains confidence ratios and provides the opinion of several unnamed intelligence agencies but provides no explanation for its conclusions.

March 2024: Headlines About the NIH Studies Widely Promote the Claim of No-Harm, (even as the articles themselves may contain conflicting information) – Why?

New York Times:  Casting Doubt on Earlier University of PA Research

“The findings from the National Institutes of Health are at odds with previous research that looked into the mysterious health incidents experienced by U.S. diplomats and spies.” “The lead scientist on one of the two new studies said that while the study was not designed to find a cause, the findings were consistent with those determinations.

The authors said the studies are at odds with findings from researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, who found differences in brain scans of people with Havana syndrome symptoms and a control group.”

Studies by the University of Pennsylvania in 2018 and 2019 suggested that people affected by the syndrome had possible brain injuries that were different from typical concussion injuries or other traumatic brain injuries. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania said the two studies were “apples to oranges” comparisons because they looked at different groups of patients, and the N.I.H. study was not designed to replicate theirs. The N.I.H. scientists said they did not diagnose the patients with traumatic brain injuries or concussions. The diagnoses they offered instead, all so-called “functional neurologic disorders,” are often caused by stress. The N.I.H. diagnosis angered several people with Havana syndrome symptoms who said it was insulting and misguided because it was tantamount to calling their symptoms psychosomatic or the result of mass hysteria. Dr. Relman, who was among the leaders of an experts panel established by the intelligence agencies and another by the National Academy of Sciences, said the work of those groups had found that the symptoms of some of the affected government workers could not have been caused by stress or psychosocial factors alone.

But Mr. Zaid said he feared that the C.I.A. and other intelligence agencies would improperly use the study to bolster their findings that they could not determine an external cause for Havana syndrome cases. “The concern is that intelligence community is going to weaponize this study to show that the absence of evidence is evidence,” Mr. Zaid said. “And it is not.” (Please use the headline to find the link as it does not copy)

NPR: Don’t Worry Be Happy

“Two new government studies found no medical explanation for the cluster of symptoms known as Havana syndrome.” “Brain scans also found no significant differences between people who’d experienced an anomalous health incident and similar people with no symptoms. Chan says the results are reassuring, even though they don’t address the potential existence of a mystery weapon. CHAN: I can’t say for sure that there’s not something out there that could do something like this, but your average person walking down the street probably shouldn’t be worried about this.” – https://www.npr.org/2024/03/19/1239388560/nih-scientists-studying-havana-syndrome-patients-find-no-physical-trace-of-harm

And “The results should be “reassuring” to affected government workers and their families, Pierpaolo says. If there had been any progressive disease in the brains, he says, “we would have been able to measure it.” https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2024/03/18/1239087164/nih-studies-no-pattern-harm-havana-syndrome-patients-brains

ABC NEWS:  “An array of advanced tests found no brain injuries or degeneration among U_S_ diplomats who suffer mysterious health problems once dubbed “Havana syndrome”

“While that couldn’t rule out some transient injury when symptoms began, researchers said it’s good news that they couldn’t spot long-term markers on brain scans that are typical after trauma or stroke.” “A subset, about 28%, of Havana syndrome cases were diagnosed with a balance problem called persistent postural-perceptual dizziness, or PPPD. Linked to inner-ear problems as well as severe stress, it results when certain brain networks show no injury but don’t communicate properly. French called it a “maladaptive response,” much like how people who’ve slouched to alleviate back pain can have posture trouble even after the pain is gone. The Havana syndrome participants reported more fatigue, posttraumatic stress symptoms and depression. The findings are the latest in an effort to unravel a mystery that began when personnel at the U.S. embassy in Cuba began seeking medical care for hearing loss and ear-ringing after reporting sudden weird noises.

And in an editorial in JAMA on Monday, one scientist called for more research to prepare for the next such health mystery, cautioning that NIH’s study design plus the limits of existing medical technology could have missed some clues. “One might suspect that nothing or nothing serious happened with these cases. This would be ill-advised,” wrote Dr. David Relman of Stanford University. In 2022, he was part of a government-appointed panel that couldn’t rule out that a pulsed form of energy could explain a subset of cases.

The NIH study, which began in 2018 and included more than 80 Havana syndrome patients, wasn’t designed to examine the likelihood of some weapon or other trigger for Havana syndrome symptoms. Chan said the findings don’t contradict the intelligence agencies’ conclusions. If some “external phenomenon” was behind the symptoms, “it did not result in persistent or detectable pathophysiologic change,” he said.” https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/new-study-finds-brain-injuries-havana-syndrome-patients-108242289

Scientific American: It Was Hysteria

Scientific American reported ,“People with ‘Havana Syndrome’ Show No Brain Damage or Medical Illness” The abrupt onset of these symptoms led to years of debate among scientists and those affected about possible causes, which ranged from pesticides to group psychology to noise from crickets. Now two medical studies that were conducted by the National Institutes of Health and released on Monday morning might finally have an answer. The researchers compared more than 80 of these affected individuals with similar healthy people. The results, detailed in the Journal of the American Medical Association, show no clinical signs or brain image indications to explain those widely varied symptoms. The JAMA findings follow the 2023 release of an intelligence community assessment that found that the injuries were not the result of foreign attacks. More likely, the assessment suggested, they were tied to previous injuries, stress, environmental concerns and “social factors” such as group psychology, in which illness symptoms reported by one individual in a community can spread serially among its members. Such outbreaks have been seen everywhere from hiccupping in high schools to “repetition strain” cases among Australian typists in the 1980s.” https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/people-with-havana-syndrome-show-no-brain-damage-or-medical-illness/

(Scientific American has published a number of articles reflecting skepticism towards reported harm. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-havana-syndrome-investigation-in-congress-rests-on-politics-not-science/ and https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-anomalous-health-incidents-in-cuba-sidelined-science/

Breitbart News: “No evidence of having caused brain injury or biological abnormalities”

“March 18 (UPI) — Severe symptoms from the mysterious “Havana syndrome,” suffered by U.S. diplomats and military personnel overseas, show no evidence of having caused brain injury or biological abnormalities, the National Institutes of Health announced Monday. The NIH conducted two studies over nearly five years, which were published Monday in the Journal of the American Medical Association.” Researchers used advanced imaging techniques, including MRIs, to examine federal employees stationed in Havana and other parts of the world, who had complained of anomalous health incidents — or AHIs — involving odd sounds and head pressure followed by dizziness, headache and cognitive dysfunction. “We didn’t see differences in the structure of the brain or even in the functional connectivity of the brain, said Dr. Leighton Chan, leading author and acting chief scientific officer at NIH Clinical Center. “Our goal was to conduct thorough, objective and reproducible evaluations to see if we could identify structural brain or biological differences in people who reported AHIs.” “While we did not identify significant differences in participants with AHIs, it’s important to acknowledge that these symptoms are very real, cause significant disruption in the lives of those affected and can be quite prolonged, disabling and difficult to treat,” Chan added.

 In one study, NIH researchers examined the brains of those believed to have Havana syndrome and those of a healthy comparison group. Participants underwent a battery of clinical, auditory, balance, visual, neuropsychological and blood biomarkers testing. They also received several MRI scans to look at the volume, structure and function of the brain. The test results show no significant differences and no evidence of brain injury, according to researchers. In a second study, researchers tested 86 federal workers, and adult family members who had reported Havana syndrome, and 30 people with similar jobs who had experienced no symptoms. Again, the two groups were the same. While it is still undetermined what caused the symptoms, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said last year that the health incidents were “very unlikely” to have been caused by a foreign adversary. Instead, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines blamed “pre-existing conditions, conventional illnesses and environmental factors.” https://www.breitbart.com/news/studies-find-no-brain-injury-in-havana-syndrome-patients/

1970’s Irradiation of the Moscow Embassy and Ambassadors, and the Govt. Response

Sixty years ago, another episode involving injuries to diplomats unfolded, and various ‘expert studies’ were also involved. A portion of the American public remembers all too well the sordid chapter of how the government handled (or mishandled) injuries to diplomatic personnel dating back to the 1970’s.

The Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training published diplomat James Schumaker’s account in the article “Microwaving Embassy Moscow — Another Perspective.”

“The existence of the microwave problem had been kept under wraps for years, first because no one knew that there might be health consequences, and later, according to unconfirmed reports, because Henry Kissinger wanted to avoid damaging chances for détente.  When Ambassador Stoessel learned about the problem, he threatened to resign unless the Embassy community was told.  As a result, the microwave story was finally made public in a press conference called by the Ambassador.”

In “War of the Waves: Combating Espionage in Embassy Moscow,” the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training reports, “One of the strangest episodes was revealed in the 1970s, when the U.S. confirmed that the USSR had been beaming microwaves at the embassy for the past 15 years. One concern was that the Soviets were trying to inflict physical harm on the Americans working there. Famed columnist Jack Anderson wrote that a CIA file named “Operation Pandora” described the Soviets’ attempt to “brainwash” Americans.

The level of microwaves was actually lower than what was considered safe in the U.S. at the time; another explanation is that the USSR was apparently trying to jam electronic monitoring devices located at the embassy.

William Andreas Brown discussed the widespread concern among Americans working at the embassy at the time, and their anger at the State Department for its lack of transparency on the issue:

“I have to tell you what a shock it was in about 1972 or 1973 to wake up to the great, microwave scandal and to find that Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and his associates had kept from us the fact that for years we had been bombarded by microwave apparatuses, directed straight at the embassy in Moscow. We learned only years later that this had happened and that information on it had been kept from us. Foreign Service physical examinations routinely include a blood test.” “Unbeknownst to us, the Department of State was testing our blood to see what, if anything had happened to us as a result of the microwave radiation. This was a pretty jolting realization.”

“[] the studies of our blood samples over the years of people who had served in Moscow showed that something like six months after a person arrived in Moscow, his or her white blood counts rose significantly. Some people speculated that this had to do with the water supply. A team led by a doctor was sent out from Washington to look into the matter. [] he had earlier pooh-poohed the notion that the radiation the American staff was receiving was deleterious.”

“[] the point is that microwave emissions were being beamed at us. [] a visiting technician from the State Department came with equipment and said, “Do you mind if I set this up in your office?” I said, “Okay, but why here? Why in my office?” He said, “Because actually there are at least two beams being directed at the embassy. One comes in from the front of the embassy building, and one comes in from that great, white building over there, which is called the ‘White House.’  You know, where the Russian Parliament meets. One beam comes this way, and the two beams intersect right here at your desk.” – William Andreas Brow “

At the same time, journalists like Paul Brodeur were pointing out that the health effects of low-intensity microwaves were not well understood, nor were the possible synergistic interactions of outside microwaves with similar microwave sources within the Embassy itself.

“All in all, many people in Moscow were agitated and offended by what appeared to be efforts to sweep the whole controversy under the rug. The clincher for many Moscow staffers was the unusual incidence of illness on the part of American Ambassadors stationed in Moscow.  An article by Paul Brodeur in the December 20, 1976 issue of New Yorker and an earlier article in Time Magazine reported that not only had two recent American Ambassadors to Moscow died of cancer (Llewellyn “Tommy” Thompson and Charles Chip” Bohlen), then-Ambassador Walter Stoessel was suffering from a severe blood disorder (Ambassador Stoessel, who was universally admired, eventually died of leukemia in 1986).  To most Moscow staffers, it just seemed like too much of a coincidence.” – James Schumaker

See more at: https://safetechinternational.org/in-defense-of-crickets-part-1-of-3-havana-syndrome-and-irradiation-of-diplomats-1953-and-2018/

Paul Brodeur

New York Times journalist Paul Brodeur passed away in 2023.

Louis Slesin of the highly respected Microwave News wrote a must-read chronicle of the history of Brodeur’s work.  “While Mr. Brodeur was widely hailed for his reporting on asbestos and the ozone layer, some scientists said he was unnecessarily alarmist, even conspiratorial, in raising concern about potential health effects caused by power lines, cellphones and other household devices.” As Louis Slesin explains, “How could someone who everyone agreed got it so right on asbestos, now be vilified for getting it so wrong on microwaves and power lines? It’s a long story. The short version is that Brodeur got it right:

• Microwave radiation and power-frequency electromagnetic fields can lead to profound biological changes. The microwave-cancer connection, far from being fanciful, seems more than likely today.

• Beyond any reasonable doubt, there was, and continues to be, a cover-up. Powerful forces —initially the military-industrial complex, and now society as a whole— have insisted that the radiation cannot harm us except through heating. Further research has been consistently delayed and suppressed.”

Microwave News | Paul Brodeur Microwave Pioneer

Questioning the Ethics of Enrollment for the NIH study?

“Carlo Pierpaoli, lead author on the neuroimaging study, said while there is no evidence of brain injury on the MRIs, it is still possible that those reporting AHIs “may be experiencing the results of an event that led to their symptoms, but the injury did not produce the long-term neuroimaging changes that are typically observed after severe trauma or stroke.”

“A lack of evidence for an MRI-detectable difference between individuals with AHIs and controls does not exclude that an adverse event impacting the brain occurred at the time of the AHI,” said Pierpaoli, senior investigator and chief of the NIH’s Laboratory on Quantitative Medical Imaging at the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering.

“Mark Zaid — an attorney representing “AHIs victims from CIA, State, DIA, Commerce, USAID, FBI and NSA, as well as whistleblowers from within the USG” — echoed some of Pierpaoli’s sentiment, writing in a statement, “Of course, the absence of evidence is not evidence.”

Zaid added, however, that “these studies therefore do nothing to undermine the theory that a foreign adversary is harming US personnel and their families with a form of directed energy.”

Zaid stressed his concern that these studies provide fodder to detractors undermining the experiences reported by those with AHIs. He also raised “substantive and ethical concerns” with the way subjects were allegedly approached about participating in the study.

“The problem, however, is that the absence of conclusive proof is disingenuously relied upon by the Intelligence Community and naysayers to support their public assertion that AHI does not exist,” Zaid wrote. “The government is knowingly weaponizing the lack of science that exists in this area and intentionally hiding behind.” – https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/nih-researchers-find-no-evidence-of-havana-syndrome-in-brain-scans/ar-BB1k6Kzq

See also: “Individuals experiencing Havana syndrome symptoms expressed frustration and disbelief at the NIH diagnosis, viewing it as dismissive and misguided. Dr. Relman underscored that certain cases could not be explained solely by stress or psychosocial factors and suggested that concealable directed energy devices might be responsible in specific instances. Concerns were also raised about the ethical implications of the study, with some patients reportedly feeling pressured to participate to receive treatment. Nonetheless, Dr. Chan maintained that participation was voluntary, and individuals could withdraw at any time.” – https://thenationalera.com/new-nih-studies-cast-doubt-on-havana-syndrome-brain-injury-claims/

Cuba as State Sponsor of Terrorism: The Unfolding Story of the Injuries to Diplomats Has Profound Implications

This week, the Intercept published “Havana Syndrome: How The Biden Administration Is Driving Cubans Into Misery which is not about the diplomat’s injuries, but about Cuba.  “Protesters have taken to the street on the island, decrying power blackouts and food shortages. “CHANTING “POWER AND FOOD,” demonstrators have filled Cuba’s streets in recent days. This week on Deconstructed, Ryan Grim delves into the complexities of Cuba’s current economic crisis with Andrés Pertierra, a historian of Latin America and the Caribbean. They discuss the various factors deepening the crisis and driving people to the streets, from the half-century-long U.S. embargo on the island, its own economic policies, pandemic-related destabilization, and sanctions the Trump administration imposed and the Biden administration kept in place.“

See also In a Major Snub to Obama, Biden Is Sticking With Trump When It Comes to Cuba Policy (Dec. 2023) “As one of his final foreign policy acts as president, in January 2021 Donald Trump added Cuba to the list of “State Sponsors of Terror,” []

With an intelligence community that has increasingly turned inward on its own nation, employing the indiscriminate use of microwaves, and with reported harm from both acute and chronic exposures to radio frequencies, and with frenzied election year political interests seeking to exploit safety and security issues, the stakes are higher than defending crickets.

Regarding the recent news, “Critics, including attorney Mark Zaid, cautioned against the misuse of the NIH study by intelligence agencies to support their assertions of an absence of evidence as evidence itself. This, they argued, could undermine efforts to investigate potential external causes of Havana syndrome cases.” – SOURCE

“The concern is that intelligence community is going to weaponize this study to show that the absence of evidence is evidence,”

– No kidding.

Suggested Reading: Neurological Illness and National Security Lessons to Be Learned

“After considering a wide variety of possible mechanisms, both studies concluded that some of the cases with abrupt-onset, location-dependent sensory phenomena could be plausibly explained by exposure to directed, pulsed radiofrequency energy, despite important uncertainties. Others have also pointed to pulsed radiofrequency energy as a plausible mechanism.^10,11 The US Intelligence Community has discounted this possibility and concluded that reported symptoms were probably the result of “preexisting conditions, conventional illnesses, and environmental factors,” influenced by their assessment that no foreign adversary played a role in these cases.¹² [] At least 3 basic issues have undermined efforts to understand and explain AHIs. Neurological Illness and National Security: Lessons to Be Learned | Neurology | JAMA | JAMA Network