Time Magazine asks, Is it Time to Invade Myanmar? With reports of up to 100,000 people dead, and no signs of relief from the after effects of the cyclone, the humanitarian crisis is unraveling. Meanwhile, the government is blocking aid because of fear of letting foreign entities in. “If we let them get away with murder we may set a very dangerous precedent,”
says Jan Egeland, the former U.N. emergency relief coordinator.
Is it time for relief agencies, supported by the US government and its allies, to invade the territory and drop shipments of food and supplies?
“You have to think it through — do you want to secure an area of the country by military force? What kinds of potential security risks would that create?” says Egelend. “I can’t imagine any humanitarian organization wanting to shoot their way in with food.”
What about China? With a closer relationship to the ruling junta, can they push the government to come up with a solution. And, will the US and aid agencies be willing to give up their “control” for the good of these people who are dying…
posted May 11, 2008 at 8:43 am
There must be other options besides a military one. On the one hand, we cannot sit back and watch the death toll multiply exponentially as disease and starvation descend on these people. On the other hand, shooting our way in with food and medicine seems morally conflicted at best.
If China does indeed have influence then let’s see it, and quickly.
posted June 3, 2008 at 7:44 pm
I do not wish to invade any more countries. I believe in maintaining a strong military, not expending it. I don’t care who gets credit for helping the people of Burma, as long as they get the help. At the same time, I think we need to maintain the control, or at least oversight of these supplies; not so we get the credit, but simply to make sure the aid reaches the people who are actually suffering. We must make sure this aid is used for civilians, and not to supply the 1st Battalion of the Myanmar Army.