Trump's Withdrawal from the WHO Will Cost Lives Just to Cover For His Disastrous Virus Response
Donald Trump is perhaps the most transparent individual to ever hold public office and his withdrawal from the World Health Organization [WHO] is the perfect example. Even many in his political base question his leadership during the Covid-19 crisis so he needs some type of scapegoat. For Trump, the WHO is the perfect fall-guy because many of his nationalist supporters aren't enamored with global organizations to begin with.
Withdrawing from the WHO serves no useful purpose, even if you believe it could use an overhaul. There is plenty of time for that once the pandemic has passed. But, to be clear, this has nothing, absolutely nothing, to do with reform or China's influence in the organization. This is about Trump trying to find some way of saving his political skin.
And, in doing so, he is quite willing to sacrifice the health of those served by the organization.
Washington Post: "A group of more than 700 experts on global public health and law on June 30 called on Congress to push back against the plan, warning that “cutting funding to the WHO during a global pandemic would be a dangerous action for global health and U.S. national interests.”
"The letter, which was signed by former directors of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the executive director of the American Public Health Association, the president of the National Academy of Medicine, and university presidents and deans, said a U.S. pullout “will likely cost lives, American and foreign.”
Former Vice-President Joe Biden said today that he would rejoin the organization that America helped to found on his first day in office if elected.
BBC, Biden: "Americans are safer when America is engaged in strengthening global health."
Indeed they are. And the world is a safer place when America leads.
By: Don Lam & Curated Content
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