"Let's potentially tank the world economy, because it would embarrass China, except let's not follow it up with evidence of their responsibility for a couple ye

"Let's potentially tank the world economy, because it would embarrass China, except let's not follow it up with evidence of their responsibility for a couple years!" I think it's highly unlikely that this was an intelligence op. There would have been incontrovertible proof of responsibility and one or more clear culprits. Instead, the pieces have had to be assembled indirectly, by experts, in ways that intelligence organizations aren't equipped to facilitate. Never attribute to malice that which can be explained by incompetence or laziness. To my view, the Wuhan lab was a pretend institution operated by pretend scientists so CCP officials could check boxes and tout their academic and institutional credibility. They were doing things that they shouldn't have under conditions that wouldn't pass muster in western countries. The world presumed on their competence and integrity and we are now paying out the nose.