Thousands dead in Burma, Monks executed and dumped in the Jungle

[Corcaigh]

Do they have oil?

Quite a bit, although natural gas more so. Energy-hungry China and India are big customers and that is another problem here.

The USA has tried to take a 'tough sanctions' approach, while others have perfered to 'engage', meaning the sanctions are pretty ineffective.

[Burgold]

I might be little cold hearted when I say this but hey if people of Burma want democracy then they have to fight and win it for themselves. Americans and many others in the history spilled their own blood fighting against the odds to win our freedom.

Although to be fair, we probably would not have suceeded without the assistance of France and Spain. Now, we're FR and SP's motives noble and pure... that's a different issue, but an issue that may be on point with what we're talking about here.

[Zguy28]

The UN is club composed of independent-thinking members.

The members get together every now and then and talk about stuff, but to blame the club rather than the behavior of its members is off point, IMO.

I blame the club when it puts misbehaving members in position of authority. Case in point, Sudan being on the human rights commission.

[headexplode]

I understood that you werent specifically talking about Burma but if we are going to support these movements internationally, I think we will as a nation get into situations that we will regret.

I might be little cold hearted when I say this but hey if people of Burma want democracy then they have to fight and win it for themselves. Americans and many others in the history spilled their own blood fighting against the odds to win our freedom.

I agree with you in a sense. People need to take control of their own lives and need to fight for something if they feel it is important enough.

My point was that in our country, many people did not want to defect from Great Britain, many were afraid of the chaos that is inherent in any revolution. The choice was made by others, who didn't necessarily represent them. (This isn't to say, of course, that the revolution didn't work out well in the long run.) Sometimes, the "democratization" of a people is entirely undemocratic.

In my mind, the United Nations was created in part to protect people from undue aggression and oppression and the suffering that comes with that. They have largely failed in their mission.

[skinfan133]

In my deepest cynical mood, I would tell you that there is little difference... it is the same feigned surprise and the same inactivity by good people who choose to put up with it. The "we" I'm referring to is not the United States, but a larger "we"

"All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent." -Thomas Jefferson

by far one of my favorite quotes