Summary

This week’s episode is the result of a collaboration with The Sound, a recent limited series podcast exploring the so-called Havana Syndrome. The guests are host and investigative journalist Nicky Woolf (Twitter), former senior CIA operations officer and sufferer Marc Polymeropoulos (Twitter), and attorney and advocate Mark Zaid (Twitter).

What You’ll Learn

Intelligence

What Havana Syndrome is
Who it is affecting
Theories to explain it
The role of intelligence organizations

Reflections

The unending search for truth
Humanity in the intelligence field

Quotes of the Week

"There’s a betrayal I felt when the CIA didn't give me the medical attention that I needed. You know, if you're not feeling well and an employee comes to you, send 'em to the doctor. And they weren't able to do that. And to me, that's just a leadership fail for the ages." – Marc Polymeropoulos.

Resources

SpyCasts

The Past 75 Years: A History of the CIA with Rhodri Jeffreys-Jones (2022)
Dealing with Russia with Jim Olson (2022)
One of the CIA’s Most Decorated Field Officers with Marc Polymeropoulos (2021)
NatSec and the Law with Mark Zaid (2018)

Beginner Resources

Havana Syndrome: What We Know, B. Tau and W. P. Strobel, The Wall Street Journal (2023) [Short article]
What is the “Havana Syndrome?”, Brut America, YouTube (2022) [3 min. video]
What is Havana Syndrome?, B. Cuffari, News Medical (2022)

Video

Who or What is Behind Havana Syndrome?, Al Jazeera, YouTube (2022)
Early Victims of ‘Havana Syndrome’ Speak Out About Ongoing Health Struggles, NBC News, YouTube (2021)

Primary Sources

Wildcard Resource

Havana Syndrome is an example of a toponymic term in the medical field – A name that comes from a geographic place. For more on medical etymology, check out this article that shares the backstory of the name of 7 well-known conditions.

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“Havana Syndrome” – A Panel featuring Nicky Woolf, Marc Polymeropoulos, and Mark Zaid 56:54 Share

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Shownotes Transcript

“Havana Syndrome” – A Panel featuring Nicky Woolf, Marc Polymeropoulos, and Mark Zaid