Former CIA Officer Criticizes Agency's Handling of Havana Syndrome Investigation A former CIA officer has publicly criticized the agency’s investigation into Havana Syndrome, a mysterious illness affecting U.S. intelligence personnel. Marc Polymeropoulos, who served the agency for nearly three decades, alleges that the CIA failed to provide adequate medical care after he was struck in 2017 during a mission in Moscow. He claims the agency dismissed his symptoms as psychosomatic and refused to acknowledge the severity of his condition, leaving him with long-term health issues and a sense of betrayal. Polymeropoulos described the incident as a “terrifying” experience, noting he woke up with vertigo, a severe headache, and tinnitus. He emphasized that the symptoms were unlike any physical trauma he had endured in combat zones like Iraq and Afghanistan. Despite his medical needs, he says the CIA did not offer proper treatment, leading to his eventual retirement due to disability. “I did some very interesting things for the U.S. government, always with the idea that they would have my back if I got jammed up,” he said. “I just needed to get medical care when I came back, and they wouldn’t even do that.” The former officer is among a group of victims who have long sought vindication for their conditions, which they attribute to a previously unknown weapon linked to Havana Syndrome. Polymeropoulos claims the CIA’s investigation into the incidents essentially ended in 2022, with officials pushing a conclusion that the illnesses were psychosomatic or caused by environmental factors. He alleges that some superiors mocked the victims, which he found deeply troubling after witnessing the personal impact of the syndrome on fellow officers during a posting in Central Asia. Dr.#white_house #cia #marc_polymeropoulos #stanford_university #david_relmann
