Bill Gates Recalls Barack Obama's Mission To Capture Osama bin Laden In Pakistan Using Fake Polio Vaccination Campaign: '…A Lot Of Damage Had Been Done'

Microsoft Corporation co-founder Bill Gates has spoken about the fake polio vaccination campaign orchestrated by former U.S. President Barack Obama’s administration to locate Osama bin Laden in Pakistan.

What Happened: In an interview with The Times U.K. which was published on Friday, Gates discussed the campaign’s objective of gathering DNA samples to identify bin Laden’s kin.

He was speaking about how in countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan, convincing people to use vaccines is the problem because, in some areas, people believe conspiracy theories suggesting that the vaccine is a CIA plot.

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The efforts to capture bin Laden included orchestrating a hepatitis vaccine campaign to collect blood samples for DNA testing to identify matches with his relatives in the compound.

“Obama later said we won’t have the CIA do fake vaccination campaigns again in the future, but a lot of damage had been done,” Gates shared.

Despite the controversy, Gates, who has been a significant player in global health initiatives through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, remains optimistic about the eradication of polio.

He predicts that endemic transmission could be halted in every country within the next three to four years.

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Why It Matters: Gates is known for his business acumen and unique approach to financial management. He co-founded Microsoft with Paul Allen, transforming it from a small startup into a global tech giant.

The tech mogul held the top spot on the Forbes list of the world's wealthiest individuals from 1995 to 2017, for 18 out of 23 years, demonstrating his ability to accumulate, maintain, and grow wealth over an extended period despite market fluctuations and economic challenges.

According to the Bloomberg Billionaire Index, Gates currently has a net worth of $161 billion, making him the sixth wealthiest person in the World.

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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