Comments on: Why is Hillary Clinton in Myanmar?

By: majkmushrm

majkmushrm — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 18:56:59 +0000

Foreign adventures can distract the country from more than just domestic ails. They can distract the country from other foreign adventures as well.

On the international stage this is pure opportunism – taking advantage of Asian agitation over a rising China – as well as reasserting American hegemony in the Far East in what looks like on the cheap. On the domestic stage it’s an effort to distract the public from our expanding wars in the Middle East. Its efficacy internationally is yet to be seen but, given the caliber of the American public, it will almost certainly work domestically.

By: PenRumi

PenRumi — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 20:12:08 +0000

I don’t understand the apprehensions about the economic rise of China. China has never invaded any country in the last two thousand years with the exception of Vietnam (there was almost immediate withdrawal). The living standards of Chinese in mainland China are far below people in US and Europe. China cannot afford to go to war and jeopardise its development.

By: tularockstar

tularockstar — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 18:26:23 +0000

This is a typical Obama playbook strategy: when times are tough, hide! This administration has been burying its head in the sand on major economic and political issues facing Americans! Now, Joe Biden and his big mouth are promising more of the taxpayers money to bail out irresponsible Greece and other “borrowing” countries! It’s truly a sad day for America!

By: txgadfly

txgadfly — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 23:18:07 +0000

The US still has not managed to disengage from our disastrous war in Iraq and the end in Afghanistan is obviously years off, barring regime change in the US itself of course. We have not performed even at a “gentleman’s C” level anywhere important in Asia for over 50 years, and here we are opening up yet another can of worms.

We have failed over and over in Asia, and have proven our inability to tell the difference between hucksters and patriots. Why?

By: TravelBackroads

TravelBackroads — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 18:47:02 +0000

All I can see this Burma backroad leading to is more foreign aid going to yet another country. I would like to see foreign aid called for what it is, bribery. Then I want to know what we are getting for this bribery. And who is getting it. As jscott418 says, soon we will be the ones working at being a third world country, run by the rich and elite at a dollar a day. Or less.

By: calexandre

calexandre — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 15:24:22 +0000

“Obama and Clinton have shown that they get it.” Yet another biased opinion from an academic that never had a real job. Burma, China, India… are you kidding me?

By: jscott418

jscott418 — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 13:26:17 +0000

Yes, let’s give them aid and technology and pretty soon more jobs will be lost to yet another Country. No doubt this area will be the next replacement for China workers as they begin to demand too much in wages. The World is always looking for that next desperate Country for slave labor. The US does not have a ray of hope of ever getting jobs back into this Country. Not unless you want to work for a Dollar a day.

By: TooEarlyToKnow

TooEarlyToKnow — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 12:12:18 +0000

President Hu Jintao and the prime minister, Wen Jiabao, will be stepping down soon (next year?) – any comments on their successors?

By: Dijeau

Dijeau — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 10:51:47 +0000

The key is agression. As we helped them in the 1930s and 1940s with Japan’s agression, today we hope to use Chinese Oil exploration and claims “agression” in the South China Sea as a “key for Admitance” or Strngthening our military presense. Australia last month was told it would get 2500 US troopsed based there and Indonesia just got some commitments. There fear of China is opening doors. China has made come comments and that must mean we have their attention.

By: Sinbad1

Sinbad1 — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 02:13:59 +0000

Burma’s biggest trading partner is India, the US wants to use India as a counterbalance to China in much the same way that Europe was used to suppress the Soviets.
So the US has been acting very friendly to India and removing sanctions from Myanmar is just one of the things the US has been doing to get the Indians onside.