77 vigils around the world over Burma.
There have been over 77 vigils around the world over Burma. The fact of the matter is that like elsewhere around the world, George Bush is completely powerless to marshall world opinion against Burma given that he squandered the goodwill of the world a long time ago. For instance, Russia and China are suspicious of Bush's calls for tighter sanctions against that regime because they fear he is really trying to create a compliant government that will let them ring those two countries with military bases. This has been an ongoing suspicion of Russia and China that the US is trying to ring them with military bases from Western Europe to East Asia.
Like John Edwards says, we have to be patriotic about something that is not war. And the fact of the matter is that if we elect a government next year that will use diplomacy first and never use military force except as a last resort and with the support of the international community, we will secure more cooperation from the international community over Burma and elsewhere. And a good first start would be using the restoration of diplomatic relations with Iran as a starting point rather than an end point of negotiations with that country over their nuclear program.
Given the complete ineffectiveness of the Bush administration in stopping the human rights abuses of Burma and Sudan and other such countries, the Neocon model of American dominance has been completely debunked. We win the world over when our ideas triumph, not our military might. Our strength does not come from the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, and the Marines; our strength comes from the triumph of our ideas around the globe. People want what we have and want their own governments to become more Americanized. The problem is that too many people on both parties have lost sight of that ideal.
With all do respect I think even Jesus Christ couldn't convince Chinese and
the Russians to err on the side of respecting basic human rights and
freedom, which both the countries has issue with within their population.
I guess I want to be as emphatic as I can.
I think if you look at even the last two administrations, Bush has done
just as much or even more than the Clinton Administration when it comes to
promoting a free and democratic Burma.
The fact of the matter is this, if a free and democratic government were to
take power in Burma, there will be repercussions for China, Russia, and
India for being the lifeline to the suffering of millions of people.
Therefore these governments would not support anyother representatives to
rule Burma. And they have every right to fear the U.S. building its
militray bases in Burma if the nation were to gain freedom. Kick out the
savages and bring in civilized Americans. The blood of the Burmese are on
the hands of Putin, Hu Jin Toa and Singh.
Bush, for once, is doing the right thing. But even here, the fact that we
have such a militaristic foreign policy means that even when he does the
right thing, as here, people will look on his actions with suspicion. Until
we follow a more peaceful policy and start respecting human rights in our
own country, nobody will see the President as credible.
Obamathon
