From its appearance in America’s political discussion a little less than a decade ago, the controversial term Deep State failed to resonate with me. First, it’s of
Where did that vital information go? It appears that the DNI and her allies decided that it would be impolitic to publicly blame Russia for harming hundreds of Americans, perhaps more, including some fatalities. So, they didn’t. Considering that AHIs impact spooks too, this constitutes an epic exercise in dishonest cowardice by Joe Biden’s IC.
However, the White House’s desire to see the “Havana Syndrome” issue fade out got a stunning rebuke one week ago, when a journalistic bombshell was dropped simultaneously by multiple outlets, exposing shocking truths about AHIs. This was the outcome of a five-year joint investigation by CBS News’ 60 Minutes with The Insider, a Russian investigative outlet, and Germany’s Der Spiegel. This resulted in an extended TV segment plus finely detailed written analysis, both of which are worth your time. I won’t spoil the story, which is intricate and shocking, but this analysis leaves little doubt that AHIs are the work of GRU, in particularly its shadowy and unpleasant Unit 29155. That sinister wetwork outfit has run amok during the Putin years, conducting assassinations and bombings worldwide, most infamously the poisoning with a lethal nerve agent of GRU defector Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury, England, in 2018.
These new reports offer a remarkable amount of detail, never before seen by the public, regarding what GRU has been up to with AHIs. While the full picture isn’t in focus, the reports nevertheless “bring the receipts” as they say: names, faces, medals, technical details, operations, plus travels by Unit 29155 personnel in multiple countries which happen to coincide with several known “Havana Syndrome” attacks. With this specific information, it seems safe to state that AHIs originate in Moscow.
Moreover, the detailed evidence these reports provide is something which American intelligence, among others, must know about. And presumably has for years. If journalists can access such sensitive Kremlin records, including travel analysis, are we really expected to believe that CIA, NSA, and all their spy-partners, with their vast global intelligence collection capabilities, cannot?
At a minimum, we can now state that Biden’s Intelligence Community hasn’t been honest with the public and its own personnel regarding AHIs. While the nefarious activities of GRU’s Unit 29155 may not be the only explanation for “Havana Syndrome,” at this point they appear to be the most plausible explanation we have.
It’s not difficult to imagine why Team Biden has been unwilling to state the truth about AHIs. Vladimir Putin, an angry fellow with a lot of nuclear weapons, wouldn’t take kindly to having Washington’s finger pointed at GRU and the Kremlin for these attacks. Moreover, admitting that Russia’s behind this mystery would hardly improve the morale of American spies and diplomats, nor would it reassure them that their own government can protect them.
However, honesty matters, as does accountability. Putin has stated that Russia’s already at war with NATO and the U.S. anyway, Ukraine’s just the battlefield, so what’s Team Biden afraid of? By continuing to suppress the difficult truth about this painful issue, Joe Biden’s Deep State has covered itself in mendacious dishonor. The spooks deserve better leaders than this administration has given the Intelligence Community. Regrettably, there’s no reason to think any of this will improve in a second Biden term in the White House.
This is a personal matter for me. I know several spooks who have fallen victim to “Havana Syndrome.” Mike Beck is a former colleague of mine in NSA’s Counterintelligence Division. He’s a good guy and a patriot who deserves better treatment from his own government than he has received. I, too, could have fallen victim to AHIs, since I fit the profile of so many IC personnel who were attacked: spies who work Russian issues and are considered an irritant by Moscow. I believe that during one trip to a location I won’t name I narrowly avoided being attacked with the mystery weapon.
Top Biden officials have spread whispers that the AHI matter was resolved, discreetly, with Moscow in 2022. The GRU bear has ceased his lethal games, supposedly. However, this is merely more dishonest play-acting, since the Pentagon has confirmed that an unnamed senior Department of Defense official was struck down with “Havana Syndrome” symptoms during the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania in July 2023. Therefore, I ask again: How many American spies have to die before we do something here?
In response to queries about the 60 Minutes segment, the White House dodged the issue, saying the IC is correct in its assessment of AHI, while adding the usual Bidenesque blather about how “seriously” the administration takes this issue and treats “Havana Syndrome” victims “with respect and compassion.” Over the past week, there have been no comments on this issue from DNI Haines or other IC leaders.
* Allow me to recommend the new book Big Intel by my friend Mike Waller; it’s a disturbing deep-dive into how negatively CIA and the FBI have been altered in recent years.