Mike Pompeo turns his back on humanity by spreading a political virus
U.S. President Donald Trump listens as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House, April 8, 2020, in Washington. /AP

U.S. President Donald Trump listens as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House, April 8, 2020, in Washington. /AP

Editor's note: The following article is taken from the Chinese-language "The Real Point." 

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has come under fire on the political news website Politico, which wrote: "Not only did [he] fail to offer leadership, he's cynically using the pandemic to pound on U.S. adversaries–especially China and Iran–undermining global cooperation against the virus right when it's badly needed."

This criticism joins a growing chorus of outcry being heard across America. A piece published by The Washington Post named Pompeo as one of the worst secretaries of state in history. While the Brookings Institution's foreign affairs scholar, Thomas Wright, added that Pompeo has been largely absent from the fight against COVID-19: "What we know he's done has not been very helpful."

The reason why Pompeo is at the receiving end of so much criticism is simply because he has brought it all on himself.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, this top U.S. diplomatic has contributed nothing to the prevention and control efforts. Instead, he's been enthusiastically dumping dirt on China. On multiple occasions he has deliberately attempted to use the racist "Wuhan Virus" label, he made up the claim that China did not report its virus situation in time, and he has fantasized about demanding compensation from China—all of which sparks confrontation, creates distraction and shifts blame that he deserves.

Pompeo has even gone so far as to suggest that the United States may never restore the WHO funds, triggering a vocal backlash from the international community, including U.S. allies. As CIA director, he led the agency to lie, cheat and steal, and now he is introducing the same practices into the U.S. Department of State. His disgraceful actions are staining the history of American diplomacy, as well as tarnishing its reputation.

The origin of the virus is a question of science, not one of politics. As early as mid-February, a group of 27 prominent public health scientists published an online statement on The Lancet medical journal website, strongly condemning "conspiracy theories suggesting that COVID-19 does not have a natural origin." The statement pointed out that they do nothing but "create fear, rumors, and prejudice that jeopardize our global collaboration in the fight against this virus."

Moreover, Pompeo's allegation that China withheld information on the coronavirus outbreak was utterly unfounded. Upon the emergence of the epidemic, China reported the situation to the WHO in a timely fashion. China also shared the genetic sequence data of the coronavirus with the international community as soon as it became available, plus it proactively pursued international cooperation on prevention and control. On multiple occasions, China offered detailed timelines of its undertakings in terms of epidemic briefings and international cooperation. These are hard facts, which Mike Pompeo is electing to ignore or distort.

Discussion about accountability and compensation from China is even more groundless and delusional. The virus knows no boundaries and the disease spares nobody. China is as much a victim of the pandemic as any other country. There is no legal or factual basis for a ridiculous compensation claim.

As COVID-19 spreads around the world, Mike Pompeo continues to head further down the path of political opportunism. By staging political theater, he is shopping for support from conservative forces whom he hopes will elevate him to a more powerful position.

In his position as a top U.S. diplomat, Pompeo has shown no professionalism or responsibility whatsoever. Instead, he spreads a political virus of estrangement through falsehoods, which hinder international cooperation on public health. He has turned himself into an obstacle setting back all of humanity. One could say, he is an accomplice to the coronavirus. He should be the one to be held accountable.

It would profoundly benefit Pompeo to realize that the enemy of the United States is the coronavirus, not China. Any action aimed at sabotaging unity and mutual trust will only serve to worsen the pandemic. Ultimately, every country including the United States will stand  to lose if the world is unable to unite to bring the virus under control.

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