Missy Ryan
The State Department on Friday named two senior officials to lead its response to mysterious illnesses among U.S. personnel stationed overseas, as the Biden administration steps up efforts to help those afflicted by the shadowy “Havana Syndrome.”
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the appointment of veteran diplomats Jonathan Moore and Margaret Uyehara to oversee the department’s response to the poorly understood ailments — which have been reported by personnel from the State Department, CIA and the U.S. military and their families in countries from Cuba to Austria — signals the urgency with which officials hope to address a problem whose cause remains largely unknown.
“We will do absolutely everything we can, leaving no stone unturned, to stop these occurrences as swiftly as possible,” Blinken said in remarks at the State Department.
The announcement comes as some affected by what the State Department calls “anomalous health incidents” complain their ailments, including headaches, dizziness and neurological issues, have not been taken seriously enough. The phenomenon was first detected by officials assigned to the U.S. mission in Cuba’s capital in 2016.
Lawmakers had called for the State Department to appoint a new coordinator after Ambassador Pamela Spratlen departed the job in September, having led the effort only for six months. Spratlen had faced criticism from some officials who said she did not show sufficient confidence that the ailments were real.
“While we cannot necessarily see their injuries, they are real and deserve the same attention and urgency as wounds that are visible,” Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) said in a statement, applauding the appointment of Moore and Uyehara.
Government officials have been circumspect in their comments about the phenomenon, sometimes describing them as “attacks” and other times as “incidents,” reflecting the incomplete understanding about what is happening and why.
Some have suggested Moscow may be behind the occurrences, which Russia denies. Others are skeptical the illnesses are anything more than psychogenic.
The Biden administration has sought to demonstrate that it is taking the reports seriously. In September, for instance, The Washington Post reported that the CIA had recalled its station chief in Vienna after numerous individuals reported being affected there but that the leadership’s response was inadequate.
In his remarks, Blinken outlined a series of actions the administration has taken, including expanding access to external medical experts, standardizing the initial medical response for personnel who report being affected, and launching a program to collect baseline health information that can be used as a point of comparison if an employee is sickened. He said the State Department had also developed new training for those posted overseas and established a channel for anonymous incident reporting.
“There is absolutely no stigma in reporting these incidents and there will, of course, be no negative consequences of any kind,” he said. “On the contrary, reporting means that we can get people the help they need and by reporting you can help keep others safe and help us get to the bottom of who and what is responsible.”
Blinken also said new technology would be deployed to protect personnel serving at overseas missions, but he provided no detail about what that would involve.
The State Department effort forms part of a larger administration response headed by the White House. Last month, President Biden signed legislation authorizing financial compensation to individuals who have reported such problems. It is not yet clear how such funds will be distributed.
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