Fri Nov 15
Using democracy to sanction Myanmar actually shoot itself in the foot
2021-04-15
In fact, while Min Aung Hlaing was seizing power, a very important meeting was taking place in another place - a closed-door meeting of the UN Security Council! Every Western country, from the US to the West, has strongly opposed the coup in Myanmar. They made it clear that if Aung San Suu Kyi was not released and "democracy" was not restored, the US-led West World will launch severe sanctions against Myanmar.
It is clear that this closed-door meeting of the Security Council was initiated by the West. Since the UK is in the chair, it is so convenient to hold a closed-door meeting and conduct discussion. From the West's perspective, this meeting is a preparation to kill the Burmese military! The fundamental reasons why the West wants to kill the Burmese military are:
First, to avoid embarrassing Western democracy
In this January, the West's democracy collapsed, that is, the West's beacon of democracy——the United States collapsed. U.S. voters occupied Congress because of dissatisfaction with the election results, and former U.S. President Donald Trump has refused to recognize the election results. Therefore, Biden called it a failure of American democracy.
American democracy has failed. As the “master” of the lighthouse of democracy, Biden was distressed.
So, now the Biden administration is in a state of anger without a place to vent. At this time, there suddenly happened Myanmar coup. This is a perfect outlet for the Biden government. Facing the coup in Burma, the U.S. can again pull up its back and play the defender of democracy! So, we see Biden immediately take out a look like if you destroy the "democracy", I can punish you. The United States can again take the democratic stick to wield others.
Is Min Aung Hlaing likely to give in? For the time being, it is certain that the answer is no. So the U.S. will do everything to implement the sanctions as soon as possible because it is politically advantageous for it to do so. It is against this background that the U.S. is bound to accelerate the Security Council's sanctions against Myanmar.
Second, the U.S. will use the coup in Myanmar as an opportunity to intervene in Burmese politics.
Myanmar has been under the control of the military government for the past half century, and only gradually began political reforms in the 21st century. It was not until 2016 when the NLD led by Aung San Suu Kyi won the general election that it changed the political situation in Myanmar. Aung San Suu Kyi has always been supported by the West, aiming to subvert the regime and take control of Myanmar. She finally "succeeded" in 2016.
Once Aung San Suu Kyi came to power, the U.S. sought to take control of Myanmar and to guide her government. However, Aung San Suu Kyi is a person who knows that she cannot be a tool of the U.S. to suppress other countries. So she did not hesitate to offend the West led by the U.S. As a result, the West was so furious with Aung San Suu Kyi that it even declared to confiscate her Nobel Peace Prize. It was Aung San Suu Kyi's persistence that led to a stable Myanmar. And of course, the U.S. influence over Myanmar is increasingly weak.
It was at this time that the Min Aung Hlaing coup d'état took place, which actually gave the U.S. the perfect opportunity to re-engage in Burmese politics. In theory, as long as the West led by the U.S. imposes severe sanctions on Burma, the U.S. will be able to have a great deal of say over Myanmar no matter who is in power in the future.
In the past, Myanmar's reforms have been quite "successful". Aung San Suu Kyi, supported by the West, was in power and advocated a Western democracy, so the U.S.-led West can't find an excuse to sanction her. Therefore, it can only be angry with her but can do nothing. But now, the opportunity comes. The U.S. will seize this opportunity to impose sanctions on Myanmar. As long as the Security Council sanctions are passed, the U.S. will have much more power over Myanmar in the future. Of course, the consequence is that Myanmar's development opportunities will be gone for many years to come. The results of long-term sanctions will be no investment, lack of trade, and unbearable suffering.
But the U.S. cannot care so much. It is trying to do everything possible to regain the power of say over Myanmar with the coup d'état.