Myanmar on the brain

After the devastating cyclone that hit Myanmar the destruction is no doubt worse than any Westerner's naive eyes or brains can imagine. Yes, we actually do have our own Myanmar, its called Katrina and New Orleans... that we have conveniently forgotten about.

Funny how the Bush Administration and the PEOPLE IN IT seem so much like the Government of Myanmar in its response. It reflects something deeper than just incompetence, but a general distrust and dislike of their own people. I've read a lot from people who have listened in at events and parties with this crowd that runs our country and is shocked to hear what disdain they actually have for us. We are merely the unwashed masses and they seldom ever rub elbows with us except during their highly scripted and controlled public events.

But Myanmar has everything to do with us. WE AMERICA, are the only superpower, and as the truly brilliant statesman Billy (the Pit Bull) Kristol put so eloquently in his PNAC report "The United States is the world’s only superpower, combining preeminent military power, global technological leadership, and the world’s largest economy. Moreover, America stands at the head of a system of alliances which includes the world’s other leading democratic powers."

Let's assume I agree with him... we are the world's only superpower. Then shouldn't we ask the question: What do superpower's do when a military dominated country allows its own people to starve? Myanmar is clearly run by a band of fearful and paranoid military boneheads who obviously care nothing about their people, only themselves and maintaining power. Shouldn't they be in Georgie's Axis of Evil (AOE)? Seems evil to me... does it to you? Does it to the rest of the world? Who would disagree that they do not qualify for a platinum membership in the AOE?

The numbers of dead could be staggering... some say 100,000. We know right at this moment that millions could be starving and no aid will come any time soon. I can feel the pain of this in my gut... the awful suffering that is happening there now. I just want to scream.

This is not incompetence... this is genocide. And we, the United States, the only superpower, who currently has 2 aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf and 6 others floating around the globe (we have 12 in total) and the ability to overthrow governments at will when we deem necessary (the Bush Doctrine) is staying silent on this issue save for dear dear Laura (do nothing at all) Bush who called a press conference to say mean things about them... and then we did nothing. NOTHING! We should all hold our heads in shame over this.

What does this say about us? We're building a "SPACE FORCE" and yet we see no reason to force the hand of governments that lets their own people starve to death? To me... letting people starve to death while dithering away precious hours with formalities that is preventing global aid groups from getting in, is far far more dangerous than Saddam's disappearing "WMD's".

Let's take a look at some images of this disaster courtesy of the NY Times.
















Now, what is it we pay for the US Military again? $799 Billion this year.. 2/3 of the government of a supposedly democratic country, by the people, for the people.

And who are WE fighting? And why? And we sit by and let this little group of military criminals let their people starve to death when the ONE TIME, all this money that we flush down the toilet with military equipment we neither need or can afford, could actually be put to good use.

It seems to my little brain that if we parked one of those nuclear powered aircraft carrier battle fleets off the coast of this country and sent a very simple message: "Let the International Aid Organizations Clean Up This Mess, or You're Toast" then they probably would take this a whole lot more seriously... and we could feel better for at least a few precious minutes about all the money we give to our very own Military Junta here at home currently run by Dick Cheney and friends.

At the very least, we've fed some people and helped a nation of starving and suffering and put to good use all that money and all those smart bombs and submarines, aircraft carriers and Osprey's, F22's and F117 Stealth Fighters, and Cruise Missiles and B2 Bombers... the list of the unnecessary things we build goes on and on and on... it might actually force the hand of a bunch of thugs to feed their own people and get out of the way, so the rest of the world can clean up this awful awful mess.

Geez, I thought that's what Superpowers do. What do you think Bill Kristol? Or do superpowers just invade and occupy countries with oil?

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