Your post is extensive, so I have only started to digest/assimilate it. Thanks for the contribution to dialogue.

Would you accept that the episodes of apparent "punctuated evolution" in ancient inaccessible history might also be explainable by some ongoing mechanism/process, as yet undiscovered/unknown?

I do not myself rule out the idea that "punctuated evolution" might be a symptom of an active "higher intelligence", as you seem to infer on the appearance of AIDS, evidently around ? 1983.

In brief: I'm not convinced of the necessary malevolence of that "natural process" of "punctuated evolution" which may be analagous to the emergence of AIDS. OTOH, maybe AIDS is part of "G-d's" plan. (smirk)

If AIDS was "engineered", then that would offer hope that a cure, along with complete understanding of AIDS is possible fairly soon.

Meanwhile, the intelligently designed, effective "ABC" model, abstinence, b..?, and condoms are already there for the prudent.