Sunday, 19 Jan On this day ...
Microwave counterdrone tool . Image courtesy Leidos
Q1. Havana Syndrome is a disputed medical condition reported primarily by US diplomatic, intelligence, and military officials stationed abroad.
Victims say symptoms start immediately after hearing a pulsating sound, and include ringing in the ears, nausea, dizziness, and cognitive dysfunction.
Symptoms were first reported by US embassy staff in Havana, Cuba in 2016. Since then, approximately 1500 US overseas officials and family members have reported symptoms in China, India, Europe, and other locations.
Some attribute the condition to foreign attackers using ultrasound or microwave weapons, others, including some US health organizations, say it's mass hysteria, defined as a "constellation of symptoms suggestive of organic illness, but without an identified cause in a group of people with shared beliefs about the cause of the symptoms."
Which do you believe is most likely?
Victims say symptoms start immediately after hearing a pulsating sound, and include ringing in the ears, nausea, dizziness, and cognitive dysfunction.
Symptoms were first reported by US embassy staff in Havana, Cuba in 2016. Since then, approximately 1500 US overseas officials and family members have reported symptoms in China, India, Europe, and other locations.
Some attribute the condition to foreign attackers using ultrasound or microwave weapons, others, including some US health organizations, say it's mass hysteria, defined as a "constellation of symptoms suggestive of organic illness, but without an identified cause in a group of people with shared beliefs about the cause of the symptoms."
Which do you believe is most likely?
male
female
rep
ind
dem
18-29
30-44
45-64
65+
Foreign attackers
49%
45%
55%
54%
46%
46%
19%
39%
61%
61%
Other attackers
2%
2%
1%
2%
3%
1%
0%
3%
1%
2%
Other cause of injury (environmental, etc.)
10%
9%
11%
7%
10%
13%
21%
9%
8%
8%
Mass hysteria
15%
19%
10%
13%
12%
17%
33%
23%
8%
5%
Other
1%
0%
2%
1%
1%
1%
4%
0%
1%
1%
Don't know enough to say
23%
25%
21%
22%
28%
22%
23%
26%
21%
23%
Don't care
0%
0%
0%
0%
1%
0%
0%
0%
0%
Q2. On Sunday, CBS news magazine "60 Minutes" aired a report on Havana Syndrome that they say was the product of a joint 5-year joint investigation with German news organization Der Spiegel, and with The Insider, an investigative publication founded by a Russian journalist known for exposing fake news in Russian media.
The report concludes that a Russian military assassination unit is likely behind the attacks.
Meanwhile, the US intelligence community's 2023 Annual Threat Assessment concluded it's very unlikely a foreign adversary is responsible.
What do you think is the main reason the intelligence community isn't laying blame on Russia?
The report concludes that a Russian military assassination unit is likely behind the attacks.
Meanwhile, the US intelligence community's 2023 Annual Threat Assessment concluded it's very unlikely a foreign adversary is responsible.
What do you think is the main reason the intelligence community isn't laying blame on Russia?
male
female
rep
ind
dem
18-29
30-44
45-64
65+
Russia isn't involved
14%
18%
9%
12%
18%
15%
35%
17%
9%
5%
Don't want to confront Putin
9%
11%
8%
16%
8%
5%
6%
12%
10%
10%
Don't want to admit US vulnerability
27%
27%
27%
32%
24%
23%
18%
25%
30%
28%
Don't want to compromise intelligence
27%
25%
30%
26%
27%
28%
16%
28%
28%
31%
Tactical advantage denying awareness
10%
10%
11%
6%
10%
14%
10%
7%
11%
12%
Other
2%
1%
4%
1%
2%
3%
3%
3%
2%
2%
Don't know
10%
9%
11%
7%
10%
12%
11%
8%
10%
10%
Don't care
0%
0%
0%
0%
2%
0%
0%
0%
1%
Q3. If the US government does conclude Russia is behind this, what should the US response be?
male
female
rep
ind
dem
18-29
30-44
45-64
65+
Nothing
4%
4%
3%
3%
8%
4%
5%
8%
3%
2%
Diplomatic pressure
18%
21%
15%
20%
14%
17%
33%
19%
12%
15%
Economic sanctions
21%
20%
23%
24%
16%
20%
12%
21%
22%
27%
Covert operation
34%
36%
34%
33%
36%
35%
31%
22%
40%
40%
Military operation
6%
5%
6%
5%
7%
7%
4%
9%
7%
4%
Other
4%
5%
2%
4%
4%
3%
4%
6%
3%
3%
Don't know
12%
8%
16%
10%
13%
13%
11%
15%
12%
9%
Don't care
0%
1%
0%
0%
3%
0%
1%
0%
0%
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