Turmoil in Burma

[grandpa]

Monks in Myanmar face tough odds - Asia-Pacific - MSNBC.com

BANGKOK, Thailand - Confronted by a military junta willing to pull the trigger, Buddhist monks and democracy activists in Myanmar face long odds in trying to uproot an institution that has wielded absolute power for 45 years. Every sign of dissent over the decades has been crushed, including a major uprising in 1988 that ended when troops gunned down thousands of peaceful demonstrators and imprisoned the survivors

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It seems these things are happening lately, right? First I read a thread about problems in Burma, then this showed up in my e-mail.

yay, government.:rolleyes:

Grandpa h.

[HelioPrime]

Quote by: grandpa Monks in Myanmar face tough odds - Asia-Pacific - MSNBC.com . It seems these things are happening lately, right? First I read a thread about problems in Burma, then this showed up in my e-mail. yay, government.:rolleyes: Grandpa h.

I always worry whats stopping our own powers that be from converting the country into the same shape?

What could we really do if Bush declared himself overlord or some title following another supposed attack on the US? If he deloyed troops to major cities, controlled all media outlets, and disbanded congress and the courts what could we really do?

[Nono]

Sorry, gramps, but I don't see anything about Thailand here.

Anyway, this thread -- like this one: France: Prepare for war over Iran -- demonstrates the principle that you can launch a thread on anything -- a tiddlywinks tournament, moulting in decapod crustacea, anything -- and within a couple of posts it will revert to a discussion of US affairs.

Pathetic.

[grandpa]

Quote by: Nono Sorry, gramps, but I don't see anything about Thailand here. Anyway, this thread -- like this one: France: Prepare for war over Iran -- demonstrates the principle that you can launch a thread on anything -- a tiddlywinks tournament, moulting in decapod crustacea, anything -- and within a couple of posts it will revert to a discussion of US affairs. Pathetic.

You have a point. Not to sound too much like Dilligras, but I could probably start a thread on mink fur coats and someone would start talking about the President, Muslims or something else.

But it does make sense. Americans are typically not experts on Thailand (I'm not).

Grandpa h.

[tivodan1116]

Quote by: Nono Sorry, gramps, but I don't see anything about Thailand here. Anyway, this thread -- like this one: France: Prepare for war over Iran -- demonstrates the principle that you can launch a thread on anything -- a tiddlywinks tournament, moulting in decapod crustacea, anything -- and within a couple of posts it will revert to a discussion of US affairs. Pathetic.

Hi. I'm reality. Have we met?

The United States is clearly the dominant world influence in international affairs. Most of the people on this forum are Americans.

Combine that with the fact that France has been nothing but an embarrassment militarily for the last half-millennium or so, and naturally any discussion of an international conflict will involve the United States.

[Nono]

Quote by: tivo I'm reality. Have we met?

What a load of preening, pretentious garbage!
Sorry massa, I's shore be GRATEful to y'all fo' a-bringin' me back to REALITY, yep.

So because the United States' fast-dwindling store of influence is, for the moment, still greater than anyone else's, every thread on this board can be turned into a discussion of US affairs? I see.

France has been nothing but an embarrassment militarily for the last half-millennium.

Thank you, professor. To best ignore WWI, I suggest taking a huge detour around the second decade of the 20th century. Mind how you go now little buddy.

[tivodan1116]

Quote by: Nono So because the United States' fast-dwindling store of influence is, for the moment, still greater than anyone else's, every thread on this board can be turned into a discussion of US affairs? I see.

Our popularity may be waning, but our influence certainly isn't.

And since the U.S. is involved in pretty much everything on the planet, yes, almost any discussion would involve by necessity the U.S. involvement in the topic.

Thank you, professor. To best ignore WWI, I suggest taking a huge detour around the second decade of the 20th century. Mind how you go now little buddy.

Oh yeah, I forgot WWI... That's the one where the Germans successfully invaded the UK and advanced to within a few miles of London, and the French and eventually Americans had to come bail them out right?

::flips through history book::

Nope, see, according to this history book, it was France that the Germans invaded, and the French were getting royally pushed back until supported by the British EF at the First Battle of Marne. The war then declined into a bloody stalemate until, propped up by fresh American forces, the Germans were finally pushed back. So how is WWI a shining example of French military prowess exactly?

::flips to front::

And hey, my history book is really, really old - published on August 30th, 1939. Maybe you could tell me, how did that little situation with Adolf whats-his-name work out in Germany?

meh, I'm sure it was fine - I mean that Maginot line is impenetrable, right?

Oh, also, I'm looking to take an exotic vacation next spring. I hear French Indochina is really nice, but when I went to my travel agent and asked to go there she gave me a funny look - maybe you know why?



:rolleyes:

[thx1138]

Turmoil in Thailand

The turmoil is in Myanmar, which was called Burma, it's next to Thailand.

But I can see why so many people from the U.S. can make that mistake after reading this from Captain America himself...

The United States is clearly the dominant world influence in international affairs. Most of the people on this forum are Americans.

So maybe we could talk about the topic the turmoil in Myanmar? This country has large natural gas and oil reseveres which could be one of the richest countries in South-East Asia, if not for the Myanmar government which keeps most of the profits.
Total - Gas in Myanmar

Myanmar's proven gas reserves were 19 trillion cubic feet at the end of 2006, according to BP PLC's World Review of Statistics. While that's only about 0.3 percent of the world's total reserves, at current production rates and Thailand's contract price for gas, the deposits are worth almost $2 billion a year in sales over the next 40 years.

The Associated Press: Firms Seek Access to Myanmar Oil Fields

[Nono]

Quote by: tivo (aka Capt. America) ::flips through history book::

:: would be better off looking at a map ::

Y'see Cap, the French didn't enjoy the benefits of those two excellent oceans protecting the US.

So how is WWI a shining example of French military prowess exactly?

Well they prevented Germany -- the brand-new military powerhourse -- from overrunning their country, kept them from the gates of Paris (unlike in 1871). Didn't that take military prowess? Or do the Brits get all the credit?

Maybe you could tell me, how did that little situation with Adolf whats-his-name work out in Germany?

Well, eventually the United States was attacked by Japan and then even it got involved, kicking and screaming the whole way as it were.

But thx is right. You've derailed this thread to indulge in your own obsessions.

[Matt W]

Let's ALL stay on-topic. :rolleyes:

DO NOT RESPOND IN THIS THREAD TO THE PRECEDING MESSAGE. Please contact a member of the staff privately if you have any questions.

[Nono]

Quote by: tivo Our popularity may be waning, but our influence certainly isn't.

You wish. The US's "soft power" is melting faster than the Arctic ice cap, largely thanks to that yahoo in the White House, and his string-pulling VP.

And we've had a fantastic example in recent years of how effective its "hard power" is.

Keep dreaming.

[Matt W]

This is an op-ed piece, not news - moving.