China, Wuhan and coronavirus origins: Maybe not a bioweapon, but fucked-up medical research

So says a Washington Post op-ed. Again, it notes this is a maybe, not a definite. That said, the Bezos Post's hard paywall and my refusal to pay means linking to a blog.

So, what do we have?

In a nutshell, Chinese scientists have been known to have studying coronaviruses for several years at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. But, for American scientists, they've also been known for several years to have been short-staffed and to have been taking unnecessary risks.

It was bad enough that U.S. State Department officials in Beijing sent cables back home warning about problems after sending science-trained diplomatic staff to WIV.

The story goes on to note that Wuhan's patient zero did NOT go to the Wuhan wet market and that that market doesn't sell bats anyway. And, that Beijing otherwise remains close-mouthed on how it started.

The dots do connect.

And, the blog's link got me past the paywall.

What this does say is there's a good possibility this shows how, in many ways, China is not quite at developed world standards, doesn't it? It looks kind of like Russia and nuclear powered (not just armed) cruise missiles. And yes, they've had accidents, too.

Of course, the US has not incredible room to talk. The post-911 anthrax scare, how it may have happened, and the government's botched investigation of it all come to mind.

Is it possible that this is just Trump Administration leaking? Sure. Some of the alleged outside-the-box stenos seem to believe that. And alt-right conspiracy theory nutters have pushed this once it came out, effortlessly gliding from their old bioweapon claims to this.

I don't think so. If anything, WIV's request for additional funding or other assistance from DC and the Trump Administration saying "no" means that it's not only China's fault.

At the same time, they'll point to Gen. Mark Milley, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, saying he didn't think it came from a lab. Even more so, they'll point to Joint Staff Surgeon Brig. Gen. Paul Friedrichs. BUT — at the end, he specifically uses the word "bioweapon." I'm not sure how clearly he's read Ignatius or Rogan. That said, it's the author of the Hill piece who first used it. Not sure how carefully SHE read.

On the third hand, the stenos might claim this is a mix of the MSM and "Deep State" careerists at State attacking Trump.

On the fourth hand, Trump's China hardliners have been most pushing this.

On the fifth hand, WHO now rejects this (albeit with a small bit of wiggle room).

On the sixth hand, going beyond what Trump has said, WHO did kowtow to Beijing early on.

On the seventh hand, if you want to believe anything, you'll believe anything.