Thanks @realDonaldTrump, but I& #39;m going to explain it anyway

[THREAD] https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1262577580718395393">https://twitter.com/realDonal...
The timing of Trump& #39;s letter is no accident.

Yesterday and Today is the @WHO World Health Assembly Conference https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/18/world-health-assembly-what-is-it-and-what-is-the-coronavirus-inquiry-china-taiwan-origins">https://www.theguardian.com/world/202...
World Health Assembly: what is it, and what is the coronavirus inquiry proposal?

This year’s meeting of the WHO’s decision-making body will be held virtually, and the stakes couldn’t be higher

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/18/world-health-assembly-what-is-it-and-what-is-the-coronavirus-inquiry-china-taiwan-origins
A key item of discussion at the conference is this draft resolution calling for a full inquiry into the origins of #COVID19

Source: https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA73/A73_CONF1Rev1-en.pdf">https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/...
Trump wants an investigation (but hasn& #39;t yet signed the above declaration) ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZe3S91vNXc">https://www.youtube.com/watch...
Also, as Trump reminded everyone with the first paragraph of his letter, the US is withholding funds from the @WHO as it looks into the @WHO& #39;s relationship with China.
And Trump upped the ante by threatening to make the cuts permanent
Side note: this is straight from Trump& #39;s @NATO playbook https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/natosource/trump-confirms-he-threatened-to-withdraw-from-nato/">https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/nat...
Trump Confirms He Threatened to Withdraw from NATO - Atlantic Council

I went to meet the leaders of the folks that run NATO, all of the leaders of NATO, and they weren’t paying their bills. They were delinquent. I love real estate. When someone does not pay rent, you...

https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/natosource/trump-confirms-he-threatened-to-withdraw-from-nato/
In short, the US is using "sticks" to make the @WHO do what it wants.

Just so happens that this could be a useful election strategy for Trump https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/04/25/senate-gop-talking-points-coronavirus-blame-china-not-trump/">https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/...
Republican strategy memo advises GOP campaigns to blame China for coronavirus

‘Don’t defend Trump,’ the memo says. ‘Attack China.’

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/04/25/senate-gop-talking-points-coronavirus-blame-china-not-trump/
But here& #39;s the thing: China is not too keen on starting up an inquiry https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/19/asia/xi-jinping-china-who-coronavirus-investigation-intl-hnk/index.html">https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/1...
China's Xi plays the long game as he accepts WHO investigation

As Xi Jinping prepared to address the World Health Assembly on Monday, it seemed like the Chinese leader might be in a vulnerable spot.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/19/asia/xi-jinping-china-who-coronavirus-investigation-intl-hnk/index.html
But whereas the US is threatening to withdraw funds, China made a big money pledge toward the creation of a vaccine https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-who/us-savages-who-as-it-promises-pandemic-review-but-china-pledges-2-billion-idUSKBN22U111">https://www.reuters.com/article/u...
U.S. savages WHO as it promises pandemic review, but China pledges $2 billion

The World Health Organization said on Monday an independent review of the global coronavirus response would begin as soon as possible and it received backing and a hefty pledge of funds from China,...

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-who/us-savages-who-as-it-promises-pandemic-review-but-china-pledges-2-billion-idUSKBN22U111
This pledge puts specifics on a vague commitment China made a few weeks ago at the @WHO Virtual Telethon https://twitter.com/ProfPaulPoast/status/1257642946083590144">https://twitter.com/ProfPaulP...
But China took the pledge a step further: it promised to make any vaccine developed in China a "global public good". For those who study International Relations Theory, such language is significant https://twitter.com/ProfPaulPoast/status/1262520419095064577">https://twitter.com/ProfPaulP...
"Hegemonic Stability Theory" is in reference to the theory first articulated by Charles Kindleberger... https://twitter.com/ProfPaulPoast/status/1135146653827117057">https://twitter.com/ProfPaulP...
... and later expanded by scholars such as Stephen Krasner and Robert Keohane https://twitter.com/ProfPaulPoast/status/1256919617395585025">https://twitter.com/ProfPaulP...
In contrast, the US has made not such "global public good" promises with respect to a vaccine. Instead, "Operation Warp Speed" (no joke) is an "America First" policy

Source: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/remarks-president-trump-vaccine-development/">https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings...
So Trump& #39;s letter & China& #39;s pledge are just the latest in the ongoing saga of "Pandemic Power Politics Posturing"

[END]
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