Thread by @davidfrum

This piece has sparked a lot of comment, some of it very angry. Almost all the comments are answered in the body of the piece, but let me underscore one point here ...

https://twitter.com/davidfrum/status/1394692455837077504

The origin of the coronavirus - in a Chinese lab, in an animal - remains unsettled. It's important to resolve the question as best we can. The Chinese authorities have not been transparent - and that's itself a warning that something important may be buried here. 2/x

If the lab-theory proves true, the political consequences will be serious. There's a whole other article to be written gaming out what those consequences would be, but ... serious. 3/x

And since those consequences will be so serious, you want to be very *sure* before designing any plan of action. Very, very sure.

To date, however, US scientists and US intelligence remain deeply *unsure.* There's a long record of dangerous viruses originating naturally. 4/x

But there are people who are sure, fiercely and passionately sure.

For many of these people, the lab-theory fulfills a crucial psychological function: it allows them to absolve President Trump - and excuse themselves for supporting him. 5/x

Strictly logically, that makes no sense.

When the virus erupted, Trump lavishly praised the Chinese authorities. He wanted a trade deal. He wanted China to somehow incriminate Hunter Biden. At the crucial moments, it was *Trump* who covered for China. 6/x

And of course well before that, Trump had enabled Chinese bio-secrecy by winding down the US pandemic preparedness presence inside China. 7/x

As the disease raged out of control inside the US in March 2020, Trump turned to denial - and to arguments that economic reopening take priority over public health. The scientists who said otherwise became cultural enemies in the eyes of Trump world. 8/x

Which explains the weird phenomenon you'll see eg in my mentions on this piece: people who believe *both* that COVID is fake, the vaccines dangerous *and* that coronavirus was fabricated in a Chinese lab. The logically contradictory claims serve the same psychological end. 9/x

Hence also the strange mismatch: that a theory about the misconduct of the Chinese state invests so much of its energy in raging against US scientists. 10/x

theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/…

Wouldn't you *want* US scientists to take care before endorsing so serious an accusation? I often hear people complain that the US Govt was too ready to believe WMD accusations against Iraq - then turn around to complain about excessive caution vs accusations against China. 11/x

But apparently, no, that's not how it seems to work. And so a story about a terrible question over the actions of China becomes an avenue to blame Dr Fauci for crimes against Trump. That's what I wrote about. I hope you'll read it. END

theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/…