Pentagon gave secret disinfo against Covid vaccine
Date
6/23/2024 8:51:51 AM
(MENAFN) According to a detailed investigation by Reuters, the United States military executed a clandestine social media operation during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic to undermine confidence in the Chinese-manufactured Sinovac vaccine. The covert campaign allegedly operated from spring 2020 until mid-2021, initially targeting the Philippines and subsequently expanding across Asia and the Middle East.
The Pentagon's strategy reportedly involved the creation of fictitious social media profiles posing as Filipino users. These accounts were used to spread misinformation casting doubt on the quality and efficacy of the Sinovac vaccine, as well as other medical supplies originating from China, such as test kits and face masks. Posts under hashtags like #ChinaAngVirus purportedly propagated messages like "COVID came from China and the VACCINE also came from China, don’t trust China!" to foster skepticism among the public.
Moreover, the investigation highlighted that the campaign sought to influence Muslim communities in Asia and the Middle East by suggesting that the presence of pork gelatin in some vaccines made them non-compliant with Islamic dietary laws. This tactic aimed to dissuade adherents from accepting China's vaccine offerings under religious considerations.
Reuters revealed that its inquiry identified approximately 300 Twitter accounts, now re-branded as X, which matched the descriptions provided by former US military sources familiar with the operation. These accounts were reportedly utilized to disseminate the orchestrated disinformation across multiple regions, leveraging local sentiments and concerns to undermine confidence in Chinese-produced Covid-19 solutions.
The revelation of the Pentagon's covert campaign raises ethical questions about the use of misinformation in international diplomacy and public health crises, sparking concerns about the implications for global vaccine acceptance and trust in medical interventions during times of emergency.
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