This article was originally published by Tyler Durden at ZeroHedge.
The most ‘credible’ theory about the origin of COVID-19 is that it escaped from a Chinese laboratory, according to US National Security Adviser Matthew Pottinger, who made the comment during a Zoom meeting with UK officials.
“There is a growing body of evidence that the lab is likely the most credible source of the virus,” said Pottinger, referring to the Wuhan Institute of Virology, according to the Daily Mail, which notes that ‘even China’s leaders openly admit their previous claims that the virus originated in a Wuhan market are false.’
Pottinger was one of the first US officials to sound the alarm at the White House over the origins of the virus in January 2020, when he initially suspected that the outbreak originated in a Chinese lab – after which Pottinger ordered US intelligence agencies to search for evidence. Good thing he kept this theory to himself or Twitter may have banned him.
Iain Duncan Smith, the former Tory Party leader who attended the meeting, said Mr Pottinger’s comments represented a ‘stiffening’ of the US position on the theory that the virus came from a leak at the laboratory, amid reports that the Americans are talking to a whistleblower from the Wuhan institute.
‘I was told the US have an ex-scientist from the laboratory in America at the moment,’ he said. ‘That was what I heard a few weeks ago.
‘I was led to believe this is how they have been able to stiffen up their position on how this outbreak originated.’
He added that Beijing’s refusal to allow journalists to visit the laboratory only served to increase suspicion that it was ‘ground zero’ for the pandemic. ‘The truth is there are people who have been in those labs who maintain that this is the case,’ he said.
‘We don’t know what they have been doing in that laboratory. They may well have been fiddling with bat coronaviruses and looking at them and they made a mistake. I’ve spoken to various people who believe that to be the case.’ –Daily Mail
“Even establishment figures in Beijing have openly dismissed the wet market story,” Pottinger told the call participants.
Meanwhile, emails obtained via public records request revealed that influential scientists have been hard at work crafting the ‘natural origin’ thesis while suggesting a lab leak as a ‘fringe conspiracy theory.’ Via USRTK.org:
* * *
Influential scientists and many news outlets have described the evidence as “overwhelming” that the virus originated in wildlife, not from a lab. However, a year after the first reported cases of SARS-CoV-2 in the Chinese city of Wuhan, little is known about how or where the virus originated. Understanding the origins of SARS-CoV-2, which causes the disease COVID-19, may be crucial to preventing the next pandemic.
The emails of coronavirus expert Professor Ralph Baric – obtained through a public records request by U.S. Right to Know – show conversations between National Academy of Sciences (NAS) representatives, and experts in biosecurity and infectious diseases from U.S. universities and the EcoHealth Alliance.
On Feb. 3, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) asked the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) to “convene meeting of experts… to assess what data, information, and samples are needed to address the unknowns, in order to understand the evolutionary origins of 2019-nCoV, and more effectively respond to both the outbreak and any resulting misinformation.”
Baric and other infectious disease experts were involved in drafting the response. The emails show the experts’ internal discussions and an early draft dated Feb. 4.
The early draft described “initial views of the experts” that “the available genomic data are consistent with natural evolution and that there is currently no evidence that the virus was engineered to spread more quickly among humans.” This draft sentence posed a question, in parentheses:
“[ask experts to add specifics re binding sites?]” It also included a footnote in parentheses: “[possibly add brief explanation that this does not preclude an unintentional release from a laboratory studying the evolution of related coronaviruses].”
In one email, dated Feb. 4, infectious disease expert Trevor Bedford commented:
“I wouldn’t mention binding sites here. If you start weighing evidence there’s a lot to consider for both scenarios.”
By “both scenarios,” Bedford appears to refer to lab-origin and natural-origin scenarios.
The question of binding sites is important to the debate about the origins of SARS-CoV-2. Distinctive binding sites on SARS-CoV-2’s spike protein confer “near-optimal” binding and entry of the virus into human cells and make SARS-CoV-2 more contagious than SARS-CoV. Scientists have argued that SARS-CoV-2’s unique binding sites could have originated either as a result of natural spillover in the wild or deliberate laboratory recombination of an as-yet-undisclosed natural ancestor of SARS-CoV-2.
The final letter published on Feb. 6 did not mention binding sites or the possibility of a laboratory origin. It does make clear that more information is necessary to determine the origins of SARS-CoV-2. The letter states,
“The experts informed us that additional genomic sequence data from geographically – and temporally – diverse viral samples are needed to determine the origin and evolution of the virus. Samples collected as early as possible in the outbreak in Wuhan and samples from wildlife would be particularly valuable.”
The emails show some experts discussing the need for clear language to counter what one described as “crackpot theories” of lab origin. Kristian Andersen, the lead author of an influential Nature Medicine paper asserting a natural origin of SARS-CoV-2, said:
the early draft was “great, but I do wonder if we need to be more firm on the question of engineering.”
He continued,
“If one of the main purposes of this document is to counter those fringe theories, I think it’s very important that we do so strongly and in plain language…”
In his response, Baric aimed at conveying a scientific basis for SARS-CoV-2’s natural origin.
“I do think we need to say that the closest relative to this virus (96%) was identified from bats circulating in a cave in Yunnan, China. This makes a strong statement for animal origin.”
Meanwhile, 27 scientists issued a statement drafted by Daszak (who didn’t want to be identified as its author), in which they “strongly condemn[ed] conspiracy theories suggesting that COVID-19 does not have a natural origin,” and reported that scientists from multiple countries “overwhelmingly conclude that this coronavirus originated in wildlife.” The letter included no scientific references to refute a lab-origin theory of the virus.
One scientist, Linda Saif, asked via email whether it would be useful “to add just one or 2 statements in support of why nCOV is not a lab-generated virus and is naturally occurring? Seems critical to scientifically refute such claims!”
Daszak responded, “I think we should probably stick to a broad statement.”
Growing calls to investigate the Wuhan Institute of Virology as a potential source of SARS-CoV-2 have led to increased scrutiny of EcoHealth Alliance.
The emails show how members of EcoHealth Alliance played an early role in framing questions about the possible lab origin of SARS-CoV-2 as “crackpot theories that need to be addressed,” as Daszak told The Guardian.
It Took 22 Years to Get to This Point
Speaking to author and podcaster Dana Parish, former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...
The United States just made a decision that could lead to World War 3. The current ruling class...
This article was originally published by Rhoda Wilson at The Exposé. “This is a war that should...
Ukraine's Air Force Command claimed that Russia has, for the first time in the multi-year war,...
Commenting Policy:
Some comments on this web site are automatically moderated through our Spam protection systems. Please be patient if your comment isn’t immediately available. We’re not trying to censor you, the system just wants to make sure you’re not a robot posting random spam.
This website thrives because of its community. While we support lively debates and understand that people get excited, frustrated or angry at times, we ask that the conversation remain civil. Racism, to include any religious affiliation, will not be tolerated on this site, including the disparagement of people in the comments section.
American pharmaceutical companies were blocked by the FDA from performing “gain of function” research in 2014. They outsourced the work to China. The rest is history.
Many of the politicos want to “inoculate” minorities, prisoners, people on welfare, immigrants, and even foreigners first because they are said to be more deserving than most whites, especially white males because they say we have always had better medical care due solely to white privilege. You know what, they’re more than welcome to have mine because I certainly won’t be receiving the “vaccine” anyway.
That so many people, at least half the population, including a great number of medical professionals, will refuse the vaccine when it becomes available is very troubling to the State. The number of people in the population that is willing be “vaccinated” has now reached it maximum point. The State better realize at this moment they won’t have many more willing subjects.
When people don’t cooperate with the State all the State can do is cause fear, intimidate, threaten. In this case the State will say if you don’t receive the vaccination you cannot attend classes, or travel, or work. Depending what state you live in you may be fined heavily fined, or jailed, or employers could be ordered to release you. They may even threaten to take your children away. In other words, as more people refuse to get the vaccine, the more draconian the State becomes. If this happens millions and millions of more people won’t be working, nor shopping, nor going to school, and not paying taxes. Is this what officialdom wants? Officialdom knows this will only further anger vast numbers of people. But maybe officialdom doesn’t care, they might not. I believe really they don’t understand how pissed off people already are anyway. Let them try to force millions and millions of us to do this, it will be fun.
It is right and just that black people be the first to receive the vaccines. Hundreds of years of slavery means they need to be first in line to get right with the ‘Rona.
White men, however, should not be given the vaccine and neither should white women in the upper US$100,000 income demographic. These are privileged groups.
Leaked?
I’m probably all wet here, but my wild rear ended guess is the chinese ” accidently ” on purpose leaked this virus as a test run to see how far, how fast, and how much it would affect the world and how the world would deal with it. And then deni any knowledge of it. Just my two cents.
The release and the method that China used to let the world get infected while they locked down their country is simply an act of WAR.
It is way beyond my understanding why the rest of the world has just rolled over. Where is the outrage – where is the punishment.
If this is NOT addressed (vigorously) then it gives any nation state the permission to also let loose a pathogen.
China cannot get a pass on this
The military will not do anything because a) it serves itself and money making from all their global scams is just too good to disrupt b) China is a peer competitor meaning they fight back c) China IS America’s project and pet.
Anthony Fauci should explain ‘$3.7 million to the Wuhan laboratory’
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/apr/27/anthony-fauci-should-explain-37-million-wuhan-labo/
Professing “conservatives” (though never conserving any particular thing, in the name of any traditional someone) should also explain to us, the money for Faucci and his intellectual ilk.
No loyal American has voted on CCP leadership or their subservient.
China has declared war on every other country in the world. And we do nothing. Even if Fauci got the virus from a N.C. lab and gave it to thier lab, China is to blame. Maybe India will take care of it. We sure won’t do squat.
every bit of data pertaining to covid-19 is fresh laid bullshit.
I dont care about test or vaccines,or cases or mask or lockdowns or the CDC or any more guessing games.
covid 19 does not behave like other known NATURALLY OCCURING VIRUSES .
it’s time to cut with the bullshit and have an adult conversation about what to do with these bio weapons laboratories.
The US government will say anything to blame China, but the truth is that the “Beer” virus first came from a lab in a school (UNC) went to a military base in MD, then taken to China by the CIA.