Comments on: The Burmese connection http://cominganarchy.com/2007/09/29/the-burmese-connection/ Speak Victorian, Think Pagan Mon, 22 Mar 2010 00:30:55 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: A Realistic Take On China & Burma, Wild Cards Included « Hidden Unities http://cominganarchy.com/2007/09/29/the-burmese-connection/comment-page-1/#comment-379989 A Realistic Take On China & Burma, Wild Cards Included « Hidden Unities Tue, 02 Oct 2007 12:34:33 +0000 http://cominganarchy.com/2007/09/29/the-burmese-connection/#comment-379989 [...] of a Japanese journalist and an evolving foreign policy lead Younghusband at Coming Anarchy to ponder Japan’s potential role.  The potential for Japan to make Burma the test case for its more [...] [...] of a Japanese journalist and an evolving foreign policy lead Younghusband at Coming Anarchy to ponder Japan’s potential role.à The potential for Japan to make Burma the test case for its more [...]

]]> By: Ken http://cominganarchy.com/2007/09/29/the-burmese-connection/comment-page-1/#comment-379860 Ken Sun, 30 Sep 2007 05:07:42 +0000 http://cominganarchy.com/2007/09/29/the-burmese-connection/#comment-379860 May be old news/OT but- www.hillerphoto.com/burma ; err, I don't think I did that correctly...so sorry. May be old news/OT but-

http://www.hillerphoto.com/burma ; err, I don’t think I did that correctly…so sorry.

]]> By: Robert J Prescott http://cominganarchy.com/2007/09/29/the-burmese-connection/comment-page-1/#comment-379842 Robert J Prescott Sat, 29 Sep 2007 18:09:10 +0000 http://cominganarchy.com/2007/09/29/the-burmese-connection/#comment-379842 Witnessing the latest round of oppression in Myanmar, formerly Burma, the US and world community has appropriately denounced the cabal of generals running the country, the Orwellian named State Peace and Development Council. However, the recourse to speeches demanding action and new economic sanctions is misguided. These words and penalties will do little to dissuade the military junta. The appropriate target is the PRC leadership; the time for this leadership to demonstrate its rise in indeed peaceful and that its role will be a responsible one is now. The PRC leadership is main backer of the Myanmar junta and is they who possess the leverage to end these deplorable acts. However, restraining its clients in Myanmar will not be enough. In the past six months, other challenges the US has taken upon itself in other regions of the world can be best addressed by the PRC and pressure should be applied. The US and world have lamented the genocide occurring in Darfur, Sudan, while the PRC has bolstered the regime with commercial ties and military forces. Recently, North Korea arbitrarily canceled the most recent round of nuclear disarmament talks. And now, the PRC is silent as its client undertakes a brutal crackdown on Buddhist monks proceeds in Myanmar. US diplomacy should link all three matters and demand PRC action, but the path does not lie the halls of the United Nations, but the conference rooms of the International Olympics Committee (IOC). The PRC has shown little appetite for empowering the UN beyond a forum for deliberation, but it would respond immediately to any hint the IOC would spoil Beijing's meticulously planned hosting of the Games in 2008; the last thing it wants is a labeling of its long sought prize as the Genocide Games. Where the UN resolutions and sanctions would fail against the Myanmar junta, decisions and declarations by the IOC would spur PRC action on all these issues ”“ anything to preserve the shine of the Beijing Olympics. It is time the PRC learns being a responsible stakeholder is more than cleaning the air over Beijing and enforcing manufacturing standards; rectifying the intransigence of North Korea, Sudan, and Myanmar are within its power. The question is whether the United States can recognize the opportunity in front of them. Witnessing the latest round of oppression in Myanmar, formerly Burma, the US and world community has appropriately denounced the cabal of generals running the country, the Orwellian named State Peace and Development Council. However, the recourse to speeches demanding action and new economic sanctions is misguided. These words and penalties will do little to dissuade the military junta. The appropriate target is the PRC leadership; the time for this leadership to demonstrate its rise in indeed peaceful and that its role will be a responsible one is now. The PRC leadership is main backer of the Myanmar junta and is they who possess the leverage to end these deplorable acts. However, restraining its clients in Myanmar will not be enough.

In the past six months, other challenges the US has taken upon itself in other regions of the world can be best addressed by the PRC and pressure should be applied. The US and world have lamented the genocide occurring in Darfur, Sudan, while the PRC has bolstered the regime with commercial ties and military forces. Recently, North Korea arbitrarily canceled the most recent round of nuclear disarmament talks. And now, the PRC is silent as its client undertakes a brutal crackdown on Buddhist monks proceeds in Myanmar.

US diplomacy should link all three matters and demand PRC action, but the path does not lie the halls of the United Nations, but the conference rooms of the International Olympics Committee (IOC). The PRC has shown little appetite for empowering the UN beyond a forum for deliberation, but it would respond immediately to any hint the IOC would spoil Beijing’s meticulously planned hosting of the Games in 2008; the last thing it wants is a labeling of its long sought prize as the Genocide Games. Where the UN resolutions and sanctions would fail against the Myanmar junta, decisions and declarations by the IOC would spur PRC action on all these issues ââ anything to preserve the shine of the Beijing Olympics. It is time the PRC learns being a responsible stakeholder is more than cleaning the air over Beijing and enforcing manufacturing standards; rectifying the intransigence of North Korea, Sudan, and Myanmar are within its power. The question is whether the United States can recognize the opportunity in front of them.

]]> By: IJ http://cominganarchy.com/2007/09/29/the-burmese-connection/comment-page-1/#comment-379837 IJ Sat, 29 Sep 2007 15:46:03 +0000 http://cominganarchy.com/2007/09/29/the-burmese-connection/#comment-379837 The BBC study shows the international community is divided. Some in the West are asking China, India and ASEAN to persuade Burma/Myanmar to change its politics - but change to what, and how forcefully it's to be encouraged, isn't clear exactly. Not that this matters - the response seems to be that governments in the East will do no more than give mild cautions unless they see a spread of instability to surrounding countries. It is clear that the West are losing their <a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/bf484d66-6df3-11dc-b8ab-0000779fd2ac.html" rel="nofollow">influence</a>. Anyway the whole thing will be examined when the rules for the global economy (IMF) are comprehensively rethought. The BBC study shows the international community is divided. Some in the West are asking China, India and ASEAN to persuade Burma/Myanmar to change its politics – but change to what, and how forcefully it’s to be encouraged, isn’t clear exactly. Not that this matters – the response seems to be that governments in the East will do no more than give mild cautions unless they see a spread of instability to surrounding countries.

It is clear that the West are losing their influence.

Anyway the whole thing will be examined when the rules for the global economy (IMF) are comprehensively rethought.

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