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U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Editor's Note : The following article is taken from the Chinese-language opinion column "The Real Point."
In all American history, there has not been another secretary of state like Mike Pompeo. He has introduced the practices of lying, cheating and stealing from his CIA days into the territory of U.S. diplomacy. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, his ceaseless attempts at spreading untruths and sowing discord have challenged the fundamentals of human decency.
For starters, Pompeo was behind the United States' move to cut funding to the WHO, which can only lead to setbacks in the global effort against the pandemic and make the fight harder for underdeveloped nations, as well as vulnerable people.
At a White House coronavirus briefing, he claimed that the United States gives taxpayer money to the WHO for the benefit of America, saying, "We need to make sure it's delivering on those taxpayer dollars." He went on to suggest that the UN agency "hasn't accomplished what it was intended to deliver" and that its funding deserves a reevaluation.
Behind his arrogance and complacency is an assumption that the WHO, a professional organization designed to safeguard global public health, is no more than an instrument to further American interests. This attitude has sparked public outcry across the globe.
On April 25, Richard Horton, editor-in-chief of the medical journal The Lancet, wrote that the U.S. administration's decision was a "crime against humanity". Two days later, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Eliot Engel announced an inquiry into the decision to freeze WHO funding. In a letter to Pompeo, Engel wrote: "The WHO's efforts to help slow the spread and flatten the curve have been invaluable."
Secondly, to cover up the U.S. government's initial inaction against the coronavirus, Pompeo has continued to dump dirt on China. The attempts to instigate antagonism and hatred are obstructing global cooperation.
On multiple occasions, he has used the racist "Wuhan Virus" label and clamored about investigating a Chinese research lab. He has peddled allegations that China may have withheld information on the coronavirus and has pushed for accountability and compensation from China. He has ignored China's efforts in fighting COVID-19, choosing instead to channel racism and essentially spread a political virus.
Susan Rice, the former White House national security advisor to Obama, rebuked Pompeo during an interview on MSNBC's "Andrea Mitchell Reports" for using the shameful "Wuhan Virus" label. "It's certainly not the way the leadership of the United States, the Secretary of State, and the President of the United States, ought to be behaving in the best of times—but certainly not in a crisis."
On top of the trauma the pandemic has caused the world, Pompeo pushed for further pressure on countries including Iran and Cuba, potentially leading to an even greater humanitarian disaster. United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet has said sectoral sanctions should be eased or suspended. "In a context of global pandemic, impeding medical efforts in one country heightens the risk for all of us," she added.
A commentary carried by The Washington Post noted that even close U.S. allies, such as Britain, are calling on the Trump administration to ease sanctions that are inhibiting shipments of medical supplies and humanitarian aid to Iran's 80 million people. However, Pompeo appears to view the situation as a handy way to compound 'maximum pressure', which could lead to the deaths of many innocent civilians.
In addition, Washington has also attempted to monopolize a coronavirus vaccine being developed by a German company. All these immoral behaviors clearly demonstrate the national selfishness of the United States. As the country's top diplomat, Pompeo should be held accountable.
When it comes to pandemic prevention and control inside the United States, Pompeo has been pursuing personal political interests and disregarding the general public's health security. An opinion piece in The Washington Post pointed out that Pompeo has been invisible on the coronavirus issue, appearing at just one daily press briefing. They added that his terrible pandemic performance will ensure a place among the worst secretaries of state ever.
Many staff with the State Department have voiced their frustration with Pompeo. A CNN report cited an American diplomat who complained that they were getting no clear or consistent guidance to help them operate, "meaning embassies are cobbling together their own response on the fly".
The coronavirus pandemic is the most severe crisis the world has faced since the Second World War. It is threatening the lives of countless people, but this has not been enough to evoke any sense of responsibility in Pompeo. Instead, it is viewed as an opportunity to ingratiate himself with the conservative forces in the United States and accumulate personal political capital.
His actions have undermined the trust of the American people, dissolved the country's international credibility and harmed global cooperation in fighting the pandemic. Pompeo has become a figure of shame and misfortune for the United States, and he should be tried by the American people and the international community.
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