Originally published August 31, 2023 6:00 pm PDT
In a recent revelation, an unclassified research paper suggests evidence of the lab-based origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Pentagon’s Defense Intelligence Agency’s National Center for Medical Intelligence (NCMI) unveiled that certain characteristics of the virus, SARS-CoV-2, indicate bioengineering.
Experts Robert Greg Cutlip and Navy Cmdr. Jean-Paul Chretien highlighted that the disease’s properties for infecting humans and previous experimentation at the Wuhan Institute of Virology are consistent with bioengineering, according to The Washington Times.
This NCMI working paper titled “Critical Analysis of Anderson et al. The proximal origin of SARS-CoV-2” contested a widely recognized paper in Nature Medicine by Kristian G. Andersen and colleagues, which concluded: “Our analyses clearly show that SARS-CoV-2 is not a laboratory construct or a purposefully manipulated virus.”
The internal document emphasizes that the evidence in the Nature Medicine paper doesn’t negate the possibility of a lab origin. “We highlight the features of SARS-CoV-2, noted by Anderson et al, are consistent with longstanding and ongoing laboratory experiments; the evidence Anderson et al. present does not lessen the plausibility of laboratory origin,” the NCMI research states.
Furthermore, the NCMI paper discusses the binding ability of the COVID-19 virus to human cells, a characteristic deemed by some to have arisen naturally. “This is not a scientific argument but rather an assumption of intent and methodology for a hypothesized scientist,” the report counters.
In addition to these findings, the NCMI asserts that SARS-CoV-2 could have been crafted by fusing elements of a bat virus with that of another virus from pangolins.
They surmise that such research might either have been unreported due to the outbreak or could have been executed covertly.
However, the Office of Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) remains divided over the virus’s origin.
Their latest report in June leans towards the theory that SARS-CoV-2 wasn’t a product of lab work in China, with the assessment stating: “Almost all [intelligence community] agencies assess that SARS-CoV-2 was not genetically engineered.”
In a separate development, reflecting heightened concerns over China’s growing missile arsenal, Australia plans to buy more than 200 Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles from the U.S.
Australia’s Defense Minister Richard Marles explained, “We are investing in the capabilities our Defense Force needs to hold our adversaries at risk further from our shores and keep Australians safe in the complex and uncertain world in which we live today.”
Previously, only the U.S. and the UK had been equipped with Tomahawks, a missile known to be among the most dreaded in China’s defense circles, The Times notes.
Japan, following suit, announced its intention to purchase 400 Tomahawks this year.
This move signifies a strategic pivot in the region.
Instead of solely focusing on defensive anti-missile systems, allies like Australia and Japan aim to deter potential Chinese missile threats with an offensive approach.
Raytheon, the manufacturer of Tomahawk missiles, reveals that the newest model, Tomahawk Block V, boasts advanced navigation, communication systems, and the capability to evade interception.
The model promises precise targeting over 994 miles and can adapt its trajectory during flight.
