Forced Releif in Mayanmar

[iamrefreshed]

If my government treated me like the government of Myanmar is treating its people, I would do something about it.

Revolution is not a bad thing. You can’t sit around and wait for rescuers that may never come.

 

[vern_humphrey]

In fact, several nations offered aid to us during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. We accepted the aid and said, “Thank you.”

 

[roanoker]

A revolt in Burma is next to impossible. The entire government is the military! And the first thing they did when they came into power was to confiscate any and all personal weapons from the people. The people don’t have the means to revolt-no guns, no recourse against a repressive regime. They do not have our constitutional protections. Its a damned shame…Roanoker

 

[vern_humphrey]

A revolt in Burma is next to impossible. The entire government is the military! And the first thing they did when they came into power was to confiscate any and all personal weapons from the people. The people don’t have the means to revolt-no guns, no recourse against a repressive regime. They do not have our constitutional protections. Its a damned shame…Roanoker

Which is why we should never give up the right to keep and bear arms.

 

[BrendanD]

Gotta remember, if they don’t have anything we want (i.e., oil), then we won’t invade.

Except…Burma and Darfur both have oil

 

[Verisimilitude]

Helping others should be a reward unto itself…

You are welcome to send your own money, children, or self without forcing others to do it in your name and maybe earn the reward properly.

Of course, there is also a side benefit of being in that country for an extended period of time…I am sure there is some strategic benefit there.

Please name them. We have soldiers fighting in two wars right now and have over 700 bases in 130 countries already. Will you support an involuntary military draft to keep our empire afloat? Are you willing to give up more of your personal income to the government to keep our strategic benefits?

 

[cynic]

What national interest of the United States is involved here? Of to put it another way, if an invasion is necessary, why should it be Americans who land on the beaches and drop-zones?

…there aren’t any oil reserves to be found in Mayanmar.

 

[Ray_Scheel]

Our government declined foreign assistance even as our own governmental response was less than adequate and the nightmare in the Superdome continued and bodies floated past. Should that situation have made an invasion of the US with forced “help” the right thing? I don’t think so.

Just for the sake of clarity, the portions of the government most responsible for how badly the Katrina relief was implemented were popularly elected by the people of that region, and they even voluntarily re-elected Naglin in New Orleans 9who literally did not follow even step 1 of the city’s prepared response plan for exactly that kind of oncoming storm threat). For reasons beyond my comprehension, the people the people of that region want their local government to not hand control of relief efforts over to the federal disaster response programs and their concurrent ability to coordinate resources, and because that is their choice I really can’t see why the US government response should be held out as so awful when th residents don’t want a local government that will actually cooperate in a pinch.

 

[vern_humphrey]

…there aren’t any oil reserves to be found in Mayanmar.

Obviously you guys found something there – you colonized and exploited that country for a century or so.

Now, why don’t you all live up to your responsibilities, and go straighten things out?

 

[Dale_M]

…there aren’t any oil reserves to be found in Mayanmar.

Apparently oil companies believe otherwise:

Foreign companies are lining up to partner with Burma’s military junta and tap into the country’s lucrative resources, particularly oil and gas fields. This foreign investment provides a crucial source of support to the junta, allowing it to ignore demands that it return Burma to civilian rule and end human rights abuses.

The billions of dollars generated by these projects, which involve at least 27 companies from 13 countries, help to fund the military without bringing benefits to ordinary people.

hrw.org/campaigns/burma/drilling/

Altogether, nine foreign oil companies are involved in 16 onshore blocks exploring for oil, enhancing recovery from older fields, or trying to reactivate fields where production has been suspended, according to Total’s website.

Offshore, nine companies, including Total, Petronas, PTTEP, South Korea’s Daewoo International Corp and Chinese state-run companies China National Offshore Oil Corp, or CNOOC, and China Petroleum & Chemical Corp, or Sinopec, are exploring or developing 29 blocks, Total said.

A block is an area onshore or offshore in which an oil company is granted exploratory and discovery rights.

Despite economic sanctions against Burma by the United States and the EU, Total continues to operate the Yadana gas field, and Chevron Corp has a 28 per cent stake through its takeover of Unocal. Existing investments were exempt from the investment ban.

smh.com.au/news/World/Oil-companies-look-to-exploit-Burma/2007/09/30/1191090915956.html

 

[iamrefreshed]

Obviously you guys found something there – you colonized and exploited that country for a century or so.

Now, why don’t you all live up to your responsibilities, and go straighten things out?

You hit the nail on the head. Look at troubled countries worldwide and you will find they were all exploited by colonial powers of Europe.

 

[jc-servant]

In fact, several nations offered aid to us during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. We accepted the aid and said, “Thank you.”

We did not accept all offers nor did we accept them all immediately upon the offering. However, it was not grounds for an invasion either.

 

[jc-servant]

I really can’t see why the US government response should be held out as so awful when th residents don’t want a local government that will actually cooperate in a pinch.

All levels of government fell down on the job with Katrina, so don’t think that I’m placing all of the burden on the federal government. The point is that whatever the response, it did not justify an invasion by a foreign power to “help” us.

 

[vern_humphrey]

Apparently oil companies believe otherwise:

His comments have nothing to do with oil – he just wants to say something nasty about the United States.

 

[vern_humphrey]

We did not accept all offers nor did we accept them all immediately upon the offering. However, it was not grounds for an invasion either.

Regardless, to say we refused all offers is a false statement – we did accept some, and basically our decisions were based on the suitability of the aid offered and the need.

As a FEMA counselor, I know that not all aid helps – you may have too much of a given item to use, you may lack storage and distribution facilities, and so on.

But we were offered aid, we accepted that which was helpful, and thanked the givers.

 

[vz71]

You are welcome to send your own money, children, or self without forcing others to do it in your name and maybe earn the reward properly.

True.
But there is no way to be certain the goods arrive.
And a fair amount of reason to expect otherwise.

Will you support an involuntary military draft to keep our empire afloat? Are you willing to give up more of your personal income to the government to keep our strategic benefits?

I’m not so certain a large force would be required.
Just one large enough to irritate the neighbors.
Maybe a couple hundred to run an airstrip and a distribution point…

In either case, it is only theory, and I am still undecided.

 

[vern_humphrey]

True.
But there is no way to be certain the goods arrive.
And a fair amount of reason to expect otherwise.

I’m not so certain a large force would be required.
Just one large enough to irritate the neighbors.
Maybe a couple hundred to run an airstrip and a distribution point…

In either case, it is only theory, and I am still undecided.

Experience in Africa and a few other places indicates it takes more than that – the convoys of aid must be guarded, the distribution points must be guarded, and the people who receive aid must be guareteed safety – lest the government punish them for receiving aid and take it away from them.

This is not a situation where we can use force. But if force is to be used, it must be the responsibility of the nations in the area, and the former colonial master of Myanmar.

 

[Verisimilitude]

True.
But there is no way to be certain the goods arrive.
And a fair amount of reason to expect otherwise.

You still want others to do for you what you are unwilling to do for yourself. The Red Cross uses your donations to hire locals generally and as vern humphrey pointed out it is not just getting the relief to the docks.

I’m not so certain a large force would be required.
Just one large enough to irritate the neighbors.
Maybe a couple hundred to run an airstrip and a distribution point…

That doesn’t answer the questions and since when is irritating the neighbors in the stratigic interest of the US or the neighbors?

In either case, it is only theory, and I am still undecided.

Your theory has many unintended consequences and is poorly thought out.

 

[jc-servant]

Regardless, to say we refused all offers is a false statement – we did accept some, and basically our decisions were based on the suitability of the aid offered and the need.
.

Try reading my posts again. I never said that we refused all offers. I said that we did not accept all offers which is our right as a sovreign nation. You appear to be having a disagreement with yourself.

 

[vz71]

Your theory has many unintended consequences and is poorly thought out.

“Poorly thought out” is actually what I am thinking right now concerning your reactions to my posts in this thread.

What part of “undecided” have you misunderstood?

When I have arrived at a decision, I’ll let you know, and then you can feel free to fantasize about my “theory” all you want.

As is, there is not even a theory to work with.
Just a bunch of facts, opinions, and a big undecided.