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[Lord_Byron28]

The State Department is expelling 15 Cuban diplomats after slashing the U.S. mission in Cuba last week in response to months of unexplained injuries to American personnel.

The decision announced Tuesday is certain to deepen the rift between the two countries over what the State Department has called “specific attacks” on U.S. diplomats during the past 10 months. The United States has not blamed Cuba, which has denied any involvement and cooperated with FBI agents dispatched there.

“We are not assigning culpability,” said a State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity under administration guidelines for briefing the media. The expulsions, the official said, aim to “underscore to the Cubans that they must take more actions to protect our people on the ground.”

Neither the FBI nor a separate Cuba investigation has been able to determine what and who is causing the maladies that have befallen at least 22 Americans stationed at the embassy, with symptoms ranging from hearing loss to cognitive disorders. They are believed to have been “targeted” either in their residences within compounds owned by the Cuban government, or in hotels. The most recent incident occurred in late August, but some victims are still being diagnosed. Only Monday, the State Department confirmed an additional victim, who is believed to have been attacked in January.

Now what had been hoped was a historic opening is backsliding to an era of mutual suspicion and recrimination. Last Friday, the State Department issued a travel warning advising all American visitors to stay away because their safety could not be guaranteed, a measure that is certain to harm Cuban tourism, the most dynamic segment of the economy. It also suspended issuing visas to Cubans, a step that makes it difficult for Cuban Americans to reunite with relatives.

Cuban officials have said they are disappointed with the U.S. measures, which sent Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez to Washington last week in a futile attempt to dissuade Secretary of State Rex Tillerson from employing them. But the Cubans have said they will continue to cooperate with U.S. authorities in what is already an unprecedented willingness to allow FBI agents into Cuba to investigate.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/worl...ifi_push_breaking-news&utm_term=.7fd5fa072c07


There is more at the link. Disappointing to say the least. While I can understand the withdrawal of Americans from Cuba. I don't understand why they are expelling Cuban diplomats from America when it's not an attack by the Cuban Government.

 

[Lunar15]

It sucks because I don't want to dive into conspiracy, but our moves are so immediately in-line with what this administration wants as far as our relations with Cuba goes.

Like, it's so obvious that whoever is doing these attacks wants this to happen, and we're doing exactly what those people would want.

 

[shnurgleton]

This accomplishes nothing, which is par for the course at Trump International

 

[Oni Jazar]

This story has been going on for some time now and it's really scary. Something really fucked up is going on underneath it all.

 

[Razgriz-Specter]

I don't understand why they are expelling Cuban diplomats from America when it's not an attack by the Cuban Government.

Because any other country would do the same.

 

[shem935]

Because any other country would do the same.

Seems like it would be good to establish cuba was actually at fault for the attack before causing a rift between the countries no?

 

[Lord_Byron28]

It sucks because I don't want to dive into conspiracy, but our moves are so immediately in-line with what this administration wants as far as our relations with Cuba goes.

Like, it's so obvious that whoever is doing these attacks wants this to happen, and we're doing exactly what those people would want.

My thoughts exactly. Whether coordinated or just convenient. Trump has no problem destroying our relations with Cuba. Probably the trifecta of being Anti-Obama, Anti-hispanic and Anti-"globalist". I wonder if this will change the minds of Cuban Conservatives. Granted Obama reopening relations with Cuba didn't seem to do anything.

 

[Slime]

Seems reasonable to me. The Cubans want this relationship to work, and if they know anything or this inspires them to work harder to figure it out, it will have been worth it.

I'm as concerned as anyone about Trump fucking everything up, but this seems like the natural response to a situation like this, in my opinion.

 

[Razgriz-Specter]

Seems like it would be good to establish cuba was actually at fault for the attack before causing a rift between the countries no?

Sadly Cuba is at fault regardless, is how it is seen.

 

[MrNelson]

I wonder if this will change the minds of Cuban Conservatives.

Isn't this exactly what they wanted?

 

[Ether_Snake]

Wouldn't be surprised if this was actually a case of mass hysteria.

 

[Lord_Byron28]

Seems reasonable to me. The Cubans want this relationship to work, and if they know anything or this inspires them to work harder to figure it out, it will have been worth it.

I'm as concerned as anyone about Trump fucking everything up, but this seems like the natural response to a situation like this, in my opinion.

But they are already working with the FBI closer then they ever have been and also are doing their own investigation into it. By all appearances they seem to be taking this seriously and putting serious effort into the investigation. What more should or could they be doing?

Because any other country would do the same.

If it was a coordinated attack by the Cuban Government then yes any other country would. However, this is something both the FBI and Cuban intelligence is trying to get to the bottom of. These attacks starting only after Trump became president makes me wonder.

Isn't this exactly what they wanted?

Much like Obamacare repeal and a million other things conservatives wanted during the Obama era. When reality starts to sink in they realize they don't know what they want and backpedal. I imagine when family members can't visit anymore they may reconsider.

 

[KHarvey16]

Wouldn't be surprised if this was actually a case of mass hysteria.

Huh?

 

[finowns]

Wouldn't be surprised if this was actually a case of mass hysteria.

The hearing loss?

 

[woolley]

Seems like it would be good to establish cuba was actually at fault for the attack before causing a rift between the countries no?

Who else could possibly have access to supersonic sounds that cause brain damage other than at least part of the Cuban government?

 

[hollomat]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/worl...ifi_push_breaking-news&utm_term=.7fd5fa072c07


There is more at the link. Disappointing to say the least. While I can understand the withdrawal of Americans from Cuba. I don't understand why they are expelling Cuban diplomats from America when it's not an attack by the Cuban Government.

As far as I know it’s still being investigated to determine if it was an attack by the Cuban government. Your statement here makes it seem like it’s a fact that it wasn’t.

 

[Ether_Snake]

The hearing loss?

I've heard of symptoms like hearing drilling noises, ringing, being woken up by sounds. All things that happen naturally to people. Heck yesterday morning I heara constant repeating low ping sound that woke me up, could still hear it until I got up. Turns out it was my own heartbeat which I could hear as a result of my ear being pressed against my pillow. Right now I feel a slight pressure in my left ear, probably due to water when I showered this morning.

All kinds of weird things can happen with hearing, that we don't usually notice unless we focus on them.

Mass hysteria in the context of embassy staff in a country where they have not been welcomed in decades is not far fetched.

Unless someone has gone permanently def after this phenomenon started being talked about, it remains possible.

Add to this all the typical symptoms everyone gets all the time like nausea, headaches, tinnitus, fatigue.

Google Cuba mass hysteria, there has been more than one article about it. Psychologytoday.com has an article about it from a phd. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blo...ic-attack-the-us-embassy-likely-psychological

Or search for mass psychogenic illness.