$800 Billion Peaceniks
The decades of persecution in Burma are no laughing matter, but two outrageously contradictory news items today are. As the White House pushes for what is nearing a cost of $800 billion war in Iraq, they are expressing supposed compassion for the oppressed in Burma. I can't help but wonder how long Bush has known the name of Aung San Suu Kyi or asked if he should call the nation Myanmar or Burma. (For the record, most of those who've been oppressed prefer the historical name of Burma since they consider Myanmar to be little more than an invented name of military junta. I also love to hear Bush say "yoontah".) Driving home from SFO and hearing Condoleezza Rice speaking on the radio about her concern for people who were simply exercising free speech and demonstrating to end war and violence, it was hard not to chuckle. They tried that in another country without success and the White House wasn't very sympathetic.
posted by Ladrón de Basura (a.k.a. Junk Thief) @ 11:05 PM
8 comments
8 Comments:
So when do we start bombing Myanmar?
Once we secure a good contract for Halliburton. There is a lot of oil in Burma. That's why we'll (and I'm excluding me from that we) never help Haiti or Burkina Faso.
I heard Aung San has like 5000 pairs of shoes!
Well, that's not exactly fair. We have helped out in Haiti once or twice. Clinton put Aristide back in power after the 1992 military coup. And then during the 2004 coup, Bush was nice enough to have the military, um, offer him a lift to Africa. At gunpoint.
Sorry, but whenever I hear Condoleeza Rice speak I have this sudden urge to get my light saber out.
I'm curious why Myanmar is suddenly in the news. Their democratically elected leader has been under house arrest (on and off) for years, not days, and the military rule has been going on for decades. Is it just a way of saying "here's another oil-rich country that's fucked up and it's not our fault!"?
cb- wasn't that Imelda Marcos of the Philipines? Which leads me to ask another country-name related question (Myanmar vs. Burma), why did they name the Philipines with a name the natives can't pronounce? (Ever heard of the Pill-a-peens?)
CB - Yes, she has 5,000 pairs, and I have 6,000. (At last I've said it publicly! Just getting it off my chest is a huge relief.) There is nothing wrong with hoarding shoes provided you are helping the poor as well as both Aung San and I have for many years.
Dave - Well, I'd say what I said was fair if not exactly true. You're right in both cases. I was in Haiti in 1995 shortly after the invasion. Also remember that the Right freaked out over Clinton and the invasion.
m00nchild - Between you and Hillary, the whole White House-Star wars metaphors are getting out of hand.
Scot - Your assessment may be right. I also think the White House sees it as a cause they can trumpet and be seen as compassionate. Remember when Bush took up the issue of girl trafficking for 15 seconds and then dropped it completely?
Myanmar/Burma WHAT??? HUH?!
800 BILLION FOR IRAQ?! SICK! SICK SICK! THAT'S OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS! FUCKING HELL! FUCKING BLOODY HELL!!!
ARGH!
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