Comments on: Will the US Forsake Burma? http://burmadigest.info/2009/09/24/will-the-us-forsake-burma/ Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:12:04 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: tocharian http://burmadigest.info/2009/09/24/will-the-us-forsake-burma/comment-page-1/#comment-18658 tocharian Sat, 26 Sep 2009 21:08:15 +0000 http://burmadigest.info/?p=16268#comment-18658 The issue here is clearly geopolitical. The USA and China are competing for global hegemony. The burmese "ethno-democratic" opposition always forget to mention that for more than 20 years China supported the junta, not because China really cares about who rules Burma, but because they are greedy for natural resources and naval bases. During that whole period the West tried to change the regime by imposing sanctions (which didn't work, again mainly because there were big gas leaks to China and Thailand!). Besides the pro-democratic opposition is supported by the West (US, Norway, UK etc.) and not by China. Burmese (ethnic) refugees and asylum seekers prefer to live in the West and not China. C'mon, let's be honest and not be so hypocritical about where our loyalties should lie, given the choice between China and the US. The USA has a legitimate interest in trying to prevent Burma from becoming a total Chinese colony and it is actually to the benefit of everyone in Burma (ethnic-democratic or otherwise!) for the USA to do Realpolitik in Burma. The issue here is clearly geopolitical. The USA and China are competing for global hegemony. The burmese “ethno-democratic” opposition always forget to mention that for more than 20 years China supported the junta, not because China really cares about who rules Burma, but because they are greedy for natural resources and naval bases. During that whole period the West tried to change the regime by imposing sanctions (which didn’t work, again mainly because there were big gas leaks to China and Thailand!). Besides the pro-democratic opposition is supported by the West (US, Norway, UK etc.) and not by China. Burmese (ethnic) refugees and asylum seekers prefer to live in the West and not China. C’mon, let’s be honest and not be so hypocritical about where our loyalties should lie, given the choice between China and the US. The USA has a legitimate interest in trying to prevent Burma from becoming a total Chinese colony and it is actually to the benefit of everyone in Burma (ethnic-democratic or otherwise!) for the USA to do Realpolitik in Burma.

]]> By: Roland Watson http://burmadigest.info/2009/09/24/will-the-us-forsake-burma/comment-page-1/#comment-18657 Roland Watson Sat, 26 Sep 2009 17:40:26 +0000 http://burmadigest.info/?p=16268#comment-18657 Well said, Kanbawza Win! While many if not most American people are friends of the Burmese, America's political leaders, of whatever party, are not. Who is Jim Webb, and why does he have the right to set a United States policy of appeasement towards the SPDC, instead of the sincere determination asked for by the people of Burma to help them win their freedom? Well said, Kanbawza Win!

While many if not most American people are friends of the Burmese, America’s political leaders, of whatever party, are not. Who is Jim Webb, and why does he have the right to set a United States policy of appeasement towards the SPDC, instead of the sincere determination asked for by the people of Burma to help them win their freedom?

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