Mike Pompeo: A Criminal Mind

March 25 (EIRNS)—John Bolton’s ally, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, cannot contain his fury that geopolitics may be buried by world solidarity in fighting the coronavirus pandemic. While President Donald Trump publicly walked back the “China caused the pandemic” lie, Pompeo has gone on a religious crusade against “the Chinese Communist Party, Russia, and the Iranian regime,” for refusing to accept that their “disinformation” is responsible for creating the pandemic.

Today Pompeo reported that he had warned the foreign ministers in the Group of 7 countries during their online meeting, about the “intentional disinformation campaign” being waged by China on the coronavirus pandemic. No one should let China wear “a white hat” for helping other countries fight the virus, he demanded.

Pompeo is particularly desperate to prevent any lifting of the “maximum pressure” sanctions against Iran’s economy. On March 23, Pompeo and the State Department each issued separate “Disinformation Fact Sheets” charging that Iran, like China, is spreading the epidemic by “hiding” information about what is happening in Iran. The State Department’s “Fact Sheet” leads with the remarkable quote from Pompeo that “the Wuhan virus is a killer and the Iran regime is an accomplice.”

Pompeo calls the Iranian government liars for charging that the sanctions cripple its ability to save the lives of Iranians in this pandemic. “U.S. sanctions are not preventing aid from getting to Iran. The United States maintains broad authorizations [sic]” that allow U.S. persons to sell Iran food and medicine, the State Department “Fact Sheet” asserts. How gracious and how hypocritical; the U.S. sanctions have stripped Iran of revenues with which to purchase supplies from the U.S. or any other country, by shutting down all its exports.

“The media should know better than to believe and propagate Chinese and Russian propaganda that misleads the public into believing U.S. sanctions are to blame,” Pompeo ordered.