Another good idea. . . not!

Time magazine - which has never met a foreign intervention it didn't like - is suggesting that the United States should invade Burma in order to get disaster relief to those suffering in the wake of a deadly cyclone. Let me first state, to erase any doubts about my patriotism, that I'm with us, not the cyclone. But just what kind of idea is this? According to the article:

"But the risks would be greater this time: the Burmese government's xenophobia and insecurity make them prone to view U.S. troops — or worse, foreign relief workers — as hostile forces."

Really. You don't say. I can't think of many nations, xenophobic or not, that wouldn't regard uninvited foreign troops on their soil as anything but "hostile". Even if the Canadians were to invade us with the intention of bringing free health care to our 48 million uninsured, I'd still regard them as hostile. Remember how the Somalis reacted to our humanitarian mission there? And our troops in Iraq are still waiting for the grateful Iraqis to shower them with sweets and flowers. When will we learn?

"But what about the suffering victims?" you ask. "How can we stand by and do nothing?" Good question. How can we stand by and do nothing about the women who suffer under the feudal monarchy in Saudi Arabia, or the citizens of Zimbabwe, with their corrupt and authoritarian government, or the people of Darfur? Yet, in those cases, we do stand by and do nothing. We can't save everyone everywhere, you know. So why make Burma a special case?

Better yet, why not make the American people a special case? We have a government that's failed us in so many areas - health care, jobs with good wages, affordable college education, you name it - yet we maintain this belief that this same government can make a difference in the lives of people on the other side of the world, despite its proven ignorance of other peoples' cultures. A nation that was unable to save New Orleans is supposed to save Burma?

As we've discovered so many times, the best antidote to an uncaring, authoritarian government is the people who live under it. Foreign intervention only muddies the waters. The Burmese people know who's responsible for their suffering; let's not give the military junta an excuse to rally people around the flag in the name of repelling "imperialist aggression."

So feel free to stage benefits for the people of Burma, or send donations, even if the junta uses the resulting aid for its own purposes, and let's keep the troops at home.

Comments

[sean coon]

well said.

[Billy The Blogging Poet]

"A nation that was unable to save New Orleans is supposed to save Burma?"

Lest we never forget the failings and blunders of the Neocons.