Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2017 October 12

= October 12 =

Cuban sonic attack
Is there a WP article on the Cuban sonic attack -- or whatever you call it? 2606:A000:4C0C:E200:852E:7393:15B7:B79E (talk) 22:52, 12 October 2017 (UTC)
 * I only found mention in existing articles Embassy of the United States, Havana and Sonic weapon. PrimeHunter (talk) 22:57, 12 October 2017 (UTC)
 * Hmmm ... okay. — [OP]: 2606:A000:4C0C:E200:9480:46FD:8725:3114 (talk) 07:50, 13 October 2017 (UTC)


 * I wondered why the source can't be located. I should think installing listening devices throughout the embassy would allow for triangulation on the source whenever it is turned on.  And, since I doubt that the Cuban government is responsible, since they want US tourism dollars, I'd have to think they would cooperate to arrest whoever is at that location.  Would a focused beam be harder to detect in this way ?  Some type of moving source is also possible, but coordination with video surveillance should reveal if a passing van is responsible, and hopefully take a pic of the license plate.  Also, the obvious place to relocate the embassy is GITMO, where it can be better protected.  StuRat (talk) 15:58, 15 October 2017 (UTC)


 * I didn't intend this to be a "request for opinion or debate"; that being said,...
 * Perhaps the Cuban government is not "responsible", but it is inconceivable that something like this could occur in totalitarian Cuba without official consent, or at least their knowledge. [OP]:2606:A000:4C0C:E200:4C0B:CDC2:99AA:D3FA (talk) 18:13, 15 October 2017 (UTC)


 * I don't see why. Can you explain why Cuba would try to improve relations with the US while allowing an attack on the US embassy ?  Seems quite irrational, and while NK fits that profile, the Cuban government of late seems rather pragmatic. I can imagine a hard-liner communist faction in Cuba trying to undercut diplomatic easing, but that would operate outside the government, without their consent or knowledge. StuRat (talk) 22:12, 15 October 2017 (UTC)


 * Its hard to find evidence of factions within the monolithic and ubiquitous MININT: 2606:A000:4C0C:E200:198D:93E0:4AF4:F57D (talk) 02:59, 16 October 2017 (UTC)


 * How would it be possible for a government to not have factions ? However, I can see them being hidden, if operating publicly would get their members arrested or killed. StuRat (talk) 20:59, 16 October 2017 (UTC)


 * Did you actually read the articles (and perhaps the associated refs)? Most experts find the public claims implausible. They have noted things like how even many mobile phones could be used to help find evidence when the attacks were allegedly happening, as well as the size of the equipment needed, the difficulty targetting the attacks, the difficulty of penetrating the walls or even air if ultrasound was involved (meaning that the devices would probably have been inside the room where the person was attacked, if not closer). So either the US (& maybe Canadians) actually know a lot more than they are public suggesting, or the claims of a sonic attack are simply wrong. In other words "I wondered why the source can't be located" is not particularly germane since most likely either the sources were located, or they simply don't exist, and even in terms of the questions that are out there about this attack, it's way down on the list of "stuff which doesn't make sense". Nil Einne (talk) 07:42, 17 October 2017 (UTC)