Myanmar Military’s Achilles heel

_ By Dr San Oo Aung

Myanmar Military is quite strong and powerful nowadays. We will look at the list of countries by size of armed forces and display the national troop levels by active troop strength.

We must note that this list’s ranking is solely based in the number of troops but not in the numbers of tanks, aircraft, ships or power of the armed forces. And we are just ranking the quantity but not the quality and skills of the troops.

** – Declared nuclear weapon state.
* – Undeclared nuclear weapon state.

Please notice that Germany, France, Japan, Japan, United Kingdom and Israel have 200+ but Myanmar has 428, Active troops (thousands) .

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The military of Myanmar, officially known as Tatmadaw has played the most prominent part in Myanmar’s struggle against the 40 or more insurgent groups since 1948 and acquired a reputation as a tough and resourceful military force. The Myanmar Army maintains the second largest active force in Southeast Asia.

In 1981, it was described as ‘probably the best [army] in Southeast Asia, apart from Vietnam’s’, Far Eastern Economic Review, 20 May 1981.

“Myanmar’s infantry is generally rated as one of the toughest, most combat seasoned in Southeast Asia” Far Eastern Economic Review, 7 July 1983.

It had successfully fought the invasion of the Kuomintang (KMT) troops leaded by General Li Mai. KMT invaded Myanmar, with support from US and used our country’s frontier as a springboard for attack against People’s Republic of China. Deposed PM General Khin Nyunt had successfully dealt with 17 major insurgent groups, whose ‘return to legal fold’ at the present.

Tatmadaw strategy is based on guerrilla warfare with limited conventional military capabilities. The present Military leaders wrongly hope that even after the defeat of Tatmadaw’s regular forces in conventional warfare, they falsely expect that there would be a followup by a persistent guerrilla warfare in the occupied areas by “their people”, militias and dispersed regular troops which would eventually wear down the invading forces, both physically and psychologically, following the example of IRAQ.

Tatmadaw updated its military hardware by buying from Israel, China, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Russia, North Korea and from the black-market.

Tatmadaw personals were trained in Asean countries, China,Russia, Israel etc.

In addition, Myanmar Tatmadaw has the support of a strong police force and a formidable power of pro-junta militant organizations such as Swan Ah Shin, Kyant Phut, etc. to steam roll all the opposition. They are seemingly getting the upper hand in confronting the political opposition and even seen as a threat to its neighbors, esp. Thailand, Laos and Bangladesh, but there is an obvious weak point in the Myanmar Military.

The weak point of a person or the organization is known as its Achilles’ heel. The name Achilles’ heel comes from Greek mythology. Achilles was the son of the mortal Peleus, king of the Myrmidon in Troy, and the immortal sea nymph Thetis. When Achilles was born his mother, the goddess Thetis, received a prophecy of her son’s death. Thetis tried to make him immortal by dipping him in the river Styx, which protected his entire body from harm. However, in order to dip him into the river, she needed to grab onto his heel. But, she forgot to wet the heel she held him by, leaving him vulnerable at that spot. During the Trojan War, Achilles was struck on his unprotected heel by a poisoned arrow, which killed him.

Myanmar Military’s Achilles’ heel is the Trojan Horse, which is already deeply rooted in the Heart and Minds of the most of its soldiers, rank and file and even amongst the senior officers.

Let me explain about the word Trojan Horse before revealing this open secret. Trojan Horse is part of the myth of the Trojan War, as told in Virgil’s Latin epic poem The Aeneid. From this mythological episode comes the term Trojan horse as a general term describing an apparent advantage that is actually a trick; “Trojan horse” tactics are those considered sneaky, underhand, deceitful. The term can also refer to a “sneak attack” in general.

That “Trojan horse” which is already deeply rooted in the Myanmar Tatmadaw is the love and respect of their founding father Bogyoke Aung San’s daughter Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

Yes, even many of the top leaders would disclose to their trusted friends about the frustrations of their present top generals and hope the day of Daw Suu’s rise of power.

With the power of universal love, or loving kindness, not only that Daw Suu had not retaliated the force or aggressiveness with violence but also she had successfully preached the whole world to understand the right path of loving kindness and non-violence.

Just look back at the 8888 movement; there were numerous Burmese Socialist Program Party cadres, auxiliary (BSPP) Party members, Friends of BSPP, BSPP MPs, military personals, Diplomats, Government servants etc joining the opposition demonstrations. And NLD won a lot of votes even at the military dominated areas or townships.

If SPDC Generals realize the love and respect to Daw Suu by all the people of Myanmar, including the many Tatmadaw personals and started to reciprocate the Metta or loving kindness, it may be the Win-Win formula for all the interested parties. All the people of Myanmar/Burma could also reap the fruits or consequences of the National Reconciliation and peaceful transformation of the democratic process. If not the SPDC Generals should start a countdown for their demise.

Acknowledgement. Some data are taken from Wikipedia.