March 2, 2023

"One agency, which the officials did not name, determined that it was 'unlikely' that a foreign actor was at fault, a slightly less emphatic finding..."

"... that did not appreciably change the consensus. One agency abstained in its conclusion regarding a foreign actor. But when asked, no agency dissented from the conclusion that a foreign actor did not cause the symptoms, one of the intelligence officials said.... 'There was nothing,' the official said. This person added that there was no intelligence that foreign leaders, including in Russia, had any knowledge of or had authorized an attack on U.S. personnel that could explain the symptoms."

I'm reading "'Havana syndrome' not caused by energy weapon or foreign adversary, intelligence review finds/After a years-long assessment, five U.S. intelligence agencies conclude it is 'very unlikely' an enemy wielding a secret weapon was behind the mysterious ailment" (WaPo).

Some attempts to allay suspicion stimulate suspicion. I wonder what else does "not appreciably change the consensus." I remember when "consensus" used to feel reassuring.

The intelligence assessment also examined whether an adversary possessed a device capable of using energy to cause the reported symptoms. Of the seven agencies, five determined that it was “very unlikely,” while the other two said it was “unlikely.”

But what did cause the symptoms? Is every possible cause is unlikely? If so, the unlikely causes remain in play, because something caused them.

“There are multiple possible explanations for the apparent discrepancy between the failure to identify a malefactor and the plausibility of directed energy as a mechanism. One should not necessarily discount the latter,” [said David Relman, who headed a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine panel that reached a similar conclusion]....

Representatives and lawyers for people suffering with symptoms lambasted the new report as incomplete and opaque....

[T]he final intelligence report found that medical experts could not attribute the symptoms to an external cause separate from a preexisting condition or environmental factors, including conditions such as clogged air ducts in office buildings that could cause headaches, the officials aid.... 
Secretary of State Antony Blinken... has long doubted that personnel are suffering from mass hysteria or some psychogenic event, officials have said. Previous investigations, notably by the FBI, had raised the possibility that the symptoms had a psychological origin, not a physical one, outraging many sufferers who felt their pain had been marginalized and their claims not taken seriously by medical personnel....

So it seems the real conclusion is that it's a psychological problem, but they're afraid to say it directly. Look what happened to Spratlen:

[In 2021], the State Department’s top official overseeing cases, Ambassador Pamela Spratlen, left her position after six months amid calls for her resignation. Spratlen had held a teleconference with sufferers who asked about the FBI study that determined that the symptoms were psychogenic.

It seems they've retreated to tactfulness, but it stirs up suspicion that they are hiding something. I'm giving this post my "propaganda" tag, because that's what this is, isn't it? Not very effective propaganda, but maybe it's the best they can do.

30 comments:

Levi Starks said...

I just can’t help being thankful to know we have 5 intelligence agencies.

Sebastian said...

"It seems they've retreated to tactfulness, but it stirs up suspicion that they are hiding something."

At this point, anything "the government" says stirs up suspicion. But in these therapeutic times, when everyone is entitled to their own feelings, tactfulness is the only fall-back option.

"I'm giving this post my "propaganda" tag, because that's what this is, isn't it?"

Sure, but even propaganda is occasionally correct.

But I thought mental health had been accorded equal respect. So if we have a case of hysteria and temporary insanity here, what's the big deal? Why stress the stigma, even if indirectly?

Carol said...

Crap! Blogger just lost its mobile formatting. Now the words aren't wrapping. That's why I never kept an iPhone, always sent them back - their Althouse was unreadable!

I hope this is temporary.

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

We have Such CONFIDENCE, don't we?

Well - the collective left do if they hear it on MSNBC.

Goju said...

Are these the same intel agencies that reached a consensus on the Hunter Biden laptop being Russian misinformation?

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

btw- I often listen to the radio in the car. I hear ads for red-pilled amaerica pod casts - which are really good btw.
I heard an ad for an ABC podcast - and it was about some brave FBI agent who helped crack a case of subversion in Kansas... or something. My first thought was - ' this is the MSM dutifully doing all they can to rehabilitate the FBI'

gilbar said...

serious question: WHY, would ANYONE (ANY ONE AT ALL) believe a single word this government says?

Birches said...

I read this article which leaned me into believing it probably was psychological. I had never considered it before.

"What long COVID means: It's a real disease, but that doesn't mean its sufferers are right about everything"

It connects long COVID and Havana syndrome.

Fred Drinkwater said...

I'm racking my brain looking for a reason to give credence to anything said publicly by any intelligence agency. I suppose it's a bit like Kremlinology used to be; entertaining but not informative.

Birches said...

I just noticed I got a paywall that wasn't there previously. Textify isn't working either. Sorry.

Big Mike said...

It seems they've retreated to tactfulness, but it stirs up suspicion that they are hiding something.

No shit. Nevertheless, [the symptoms] persisted.

Having lived among Washington bureaucrats for most of my adult life, I can read enough into what is said and what is not said that I suspect what they are hiding is a mix of “we don’t know how they did it” coupled with “we couldn’t prove it even if we did know.”

I find the focus on directed energy weapons fascinating. What if the symptoms were caused by a chemical or biological weapon?

Enigma said...

Mass Formation Psychosis? A bunch of anxious bureaucrats who sought emotional comfort and support because of Trump and COVID? They all wanted to sit at the Cool Kids table in the cafeteria?

Hey Skipper said...

Of the sufferers, what is the F-M ratio?

Mark said...

What I think is HIGHLY likely is that if some foreign adversary like Soviet Russia or Communist China were engaged in low-level warfare like this against the U.S., the "intelligence community" would downplay it and say they weren't involved.

Because if our enemies are engaged in low-level warfare against us, that would require a response. Which they don't want to do. So we get the "nothing to see here" report.

Iman said...

Is it just another opportunity for the public employee grift?

rehajm said...

THIS is the thing she tags as propaganda?

Kevin said...

But what did cause the symptoms? Is every possible cause is unlikely? If so, the unlikely causes remain in play, because something caused them.

Quincy wouldn't have stopped until he figured it out.

And he would have cracked the case in 30 minutes.

gahrie said...

I hate to say this, or even think it, but I'm betting in fifty years we find out that it was the U.S. government itself that was responsible.

Achilles said...

It seems they've retreated to tactfulness, but it stirs up suspicion that they are hiding something. I'm giving this post my "propaganda" tag, because that's what this is, isn't it? Not very effective propaganda, but maybe it's the best they can do.

But don't do anything about the corruption or get upset about it continuing.

Feminists have been telling everyone to just bend over and take it for decades.

It is middle aged women that are pushing the acceptance of this Regime and the propaganda and the corruption.

Tom T. said...

Clogged air ducts? Whatever the heck "directed energy" is supposed to be? Our enemies have produced a secret weapon based on completely inexplicable physical principles, and they've given it to the Cubans for the purpose of causing mild headaches in certain US diplomatic staff?

I get why they can't come out and say it, but obviously it's mass hysteria.

Joe Smith said...

Consensus is such a weasel word.

The consensus is two plus two equals four.

Unless it's the answer on a test taken by a woman or a minority.

Then five is also acceptable...

n.n said...

Feminists have been telling everyone to just bend over and take it for decades.

Feminists, masculinists, social progressives, and decepticons.

Ironically, women and girls, most of all, with mass psychosis indulged through liberal license.

Michael K said...

Well, if all 5 intelligence agencies say so, it is obviously a lie like that one about Hunter's laptop. Do they understand that no one believes them anymore, even Democrats?

Narayanan said...

if Chyyyina virus is racisssssss >>> what about Havana syndrome?

Narayanan said...

if some foreign adversary like Soviet Russia or Communist China >> so how and why call it Havana second hand smoke?

Harun said...

Well, one reason why they don't want to say its crazypants people, is a fairly big witness to Trump-Russia collusion, who claimed Kilminik was a Russian asset/spy, is one of these Havana syndrome guys who was the Guangzhou "victim" and claims Russia did it.

Enki? I think is his name. Mueller relied on him for that claim, and Enki turns out to be nutty here, too.

Zavier Onasses said...

"One agency, which officials did not name...."

Ah, yes. The ole "unnamed sources" thing.

...citing the need to keep the Public uninformed and unaware of the agency's existence...."

Scott Patton said...

...an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of underdone potato.

Bunkypotatohead said...

It was all in their heads.

swierczekml said...

Havana Syndrome? Eh. Could be worse. Could be Helvetica Scenario.