Political Obstacles Slow Disaster Aid for Myanmar

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We have put ourselves in the world issues forever. It makes me proud to know that until the last few years most of the world respected what we stood for and that we do stand up for those that can't for themselves. Lately we have pushed ourselves into places that we had no business being to try to make the world bend to our own way of life. Probably, at this time our approval rating is as low as the president's. We have lost the respect that our forefathers worked and bled so much to earn for so long. Until we can make good on our own integrity and character again we will never get that back.
I come from a long line of military, both men and women, of all branches of the services. My son serves now in the USMC. I believe that it would do them a lot of good to go to help people and make a positive difference. Not just to go as the bullies that we have become. No, I do not believe that we need to invade yet another country. I believe we need to become more trustworthy so that other countries will except help in good faith without having to feel the need to watch thier backs as well as the backs of the neighbors they have.
Please, stay proud of our troops and give them all the support you can! Remember that you only have the rights that they are willing to defend!

of OR 5:07AM June 06, 2008

Part II: Weighting the Alternative Options and the Potential Costs in Human Life
If the advent of 4,000 US marines into Burmese territory [and probably other Western military forces to follow suit] encourages the regime opponents to make another attempt at their infamous dream of toppling the regime in a people’s power revolution, politicizing the disaster and capitalizing their presence, the presence of international aid workers and the usually huge attention of international media, leading to the combat operations of the foreign troops inside and the subsequent military intervention, how many people do you think will die as a result of fighting and shooting? The rosy scenario is that the Burmese military government in a remote location will be overthrown in no time (like Saddam’s) and the return to normalcy will be speedy and the successful reconstruction efforts will be convincing and persuasive enough to sway the public opinion later. Did they also tell you that GIs will be welcomed as liberators with flowers and candies? How many people do you think will die if the Burmese military retreat and engage in guerilla warfare (the urban guerilla warfare like in Iraq and the jungle guerilla warfare like in Vietnam)?
However well-intentioned U.S and our American friends may be in offering to send 4000 US marines for relief operations inside Burma, we will have to, as we should, reject your offer. The U.S government should concentrate its efforts in the realistic and pragmatic ways and means to help my fellow Burmese cyclone victims rather than attempting to open up the feel-good, unrealistic, and dangerous channels of helping us.
Thanks a lot but NO, thanks again.

nyeinc of DC 4:35PM May 12, 2008

Part I: Weighting the Alternative Options and the Potential Costs in Human Life
Knowing how my folks survived in the past and how good they are at their own survival, I would rather let them take the chance with some cholera, diarrhea, etc. than letting the Burmese military government confront with 4000 US marines. (Amy Kazmin and Howard Schneider, U.S. Tries to Persuade Burma to Accept Aid: Military Offers to Deploy Up to 4,000 U.S. Marines, Washington Post, Monday, May 12, 2008; 1:14 PM)
If the sanitation and unclean water causes the disaster-related diseases like cholera, diarrhea, some Burmese are going to die, but NOT as many as the outside world think or NOT as many as the fighting between the troops would cause. Which water do you think my fellow Burmese in the delta region had drunk before the cyclone? Where do you think they had discarded their urines and excretions before the cyclone? Yes, the floating, decomposing, dead bodies of human and animals (a lot of them currently in the water) are unusual and increase the chance of disease outbreak. However, if the dead bodies were to cause us the deadly diseases, we would have never been born because our ancestors would have never been born. Where do you think our ancestors had, well into the second half of the 20th century, disposed the corpses of their loved ones if the cremation is unaffordable? In addition, the smelly corpses naturally repel anyone to seek their drinking and cleaning water away from them.

nyeinc of DC 3:54PM May 12, 2008

Hi dear kevin , with your kind permision,and without any offence to your titlle of your article. I think you sould change the title of the article,insteat of political obstacles that slow disaster aid for Myanmar,in my opinion it should have being not political obstacles but dichtators obtacles, it could have being political obstacles , if Myanmar was under a democratical system, it will be not correct to say political obstacles,when nothing is political or democratical under a dichtatorship system, i hope that i have add my personal thoughts in a contsractive maner.In closing my todays comments i would like to thank you Sir, for your very informative article in The US News . My best regards to you, ................................Daniel Salaman Nicosia Cyprus.

Daniel Salaman Nicosia Cyprus of 11:17PM May 10, 2008