Laura Bush on Burma is VP material

A rotten junta

The reason the Burmese junta has held unto power for 46 years has been predicated on their ability to govern the people and meet their needs.

However, it is clear that when a government lacks legitimacy amongst the people it governs, it clamps down on dissent, opposes freedom of expression, upholds tyranny over democracy and becomes a reclusive enclave reluctant to admit outsiders.

In what is a gross dereliction of duty; the government failed to warn the people of the approaching cyclone Nargis nor did they prepare the people for the impeding disaster that is set to claim well over 4,000 lives by official estimates.

Selfish military self-preservation

For a society that is so militarised, one would expect all resources and assets would be brought to bear in alleviating the suffering of the people in the face of such a disaster but is it evident that the military has only been concerned about entrenching itself rather than bringing good governance to the people.

The shameless situation that is reminiscent of the way the Russians handled the Kursk submarine disaster is now evident in Burma because they sure do not have resources, capability and know-how to handle the disaster and they have failed to realise that as members of a global community help abounds to bring succour to the people.

The junta would rather see their people die and suffer than to seek help; it is genocidal in context and basically unforgivable.

Call for action

It is time for all nations to really turn the screws on these generals; we at least owe the people of Burma as members of our humanity that much if not more that they be freed from these unconscionably evil people.

Seeing Laura Bush address a press conference on these matters this evening gave me the impression that she might well be an ideal candidate as John McCain’s running mate – in which case, neither Obama nor Clinton would have a chance over that Republic ticket – they need to clear up that Democratic nomination contest, PDQ!