Biden Administration Declares Myanmar Crisis A Coup D’Etat – Sanctions Coming As Unrest Looms

Nation and State ^ | 02/02/2021 | Tyler Durden

[SeekAndFind]

The State Department is warning of the potential for "civil and political unrest in Burma" following the dramatic military takeover of the country and arrest of its civilian leadership Monday. This as all international travel has been halted, and various communications including internet were cut to the capital.

The Biden administration has now formally declared it as a coup d'état, which means Washington is required by law to cut off all foreign assistance to the southeast Asian country. It further announced that targeted action will be taken "against those responsible" for the arrests and continued detention of the elected civilian leadership, likely in the form of sanctions.

Via FT

"After careful review of the facts and circumstances, we have assessed that Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of Burma's ruling party, and Win Myint, the duly elected head of government, were deposed in a military coup on February 1," the State Department announced Tuesday.

"We continue to call on the Burmese military leadership to release them and all other detained civil society and political leaders immediately and unconditionally."

"In addition, we will undertake a broader review of our assistance programs to ensure they align with recent events," the official said.

Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi and Army commander Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, via Bankok Post

"At the same time, we will continue programs that benefit the people of Burma directly, including humanitarian assistance and democracy support programs that benefit civil society. A democratic civilian led government has always been Burma's best opportunity to address the problems the country faces," the statement added.

Statement from @POTUS on #BurmaCoup: US "removed sanctions on Burma over the past decade based on progress toward democracy. The reversal of that progress will necessitate an immediate review of our sanction laws and authorities, followed by appropriate action." pic.twitter.com/hMFFiqKEVR — Steve Herman (@W7VOA) February 1, 2021

According to the State Department, currently "very little" foreign assistance goes to Myanmar's government given recent years of what's been dubbed "democratic backsliding" in international reports.

One local eyewitness told BBC of the chaotic hours after military raids on government leaders' homes: "We woke up with the news of the military coup in the early morning and some of our friends were detained," according to BBC's Newsday program.

"The internet connectivity is not there anymore... I can't go out and use my phone, there is no data at all. This is what's happening right now. There are military cars roaming around the city," the eyewitness added.

[Kickass Conservative]

Takes one to know one, eh Joementia?

What is he going to do about it, send in The National Guard?

[Zhang Fei]

[I’m gonna guess that Myanmar’s trade with China is about 20X larger than trade with the USA. ]

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In fact, that may be wrong. Burma’s exports to the US were about $1b for 2020. Bilateral trade with China was $1.4b. My guess is most of that was imports into Burma from China.

https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5460.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China%E2%80%93Myanmar_relations#Commercial_relations

Various dictatorships tend to be fairly attentive toward human rights issues because the US has that, rather than any commercial advantage, as a fundamental requirement for normal trade relations. While greed overcame scruple in China’s case, Burma’s simply not big enough for that to happen.

[immadashell]

… followed by appropriate action.

Yuck yuck!

[Zhang Fei]

[The military was upset that Aung San Suu Kyi was becoming too close to the CCP ]

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There’s something to be said for historical memory:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Great_Campaigns#Campaigns_in_Burma_(1765%E2%80%9369)

[Mark17]

So, if the Biden regime took over in a coup, does that mean that the U.S. government does not fund itself?

I was rather wondering the same thing myself. 😁

[TXBlair]

Let me see if I have this straight:

Coup D’Etat in other countries: bad

Coup D’Etat in this country: good

Hmmm...

[CatHerd]

Funny, Biden thought a coup d’état was quite the jolly old thing when we instigated and helped engineer the putsch in Ukraine.

[dforest]

Come on America, freakin’ stand up./

[Bookshelf]

Burma is the Afghanistan of east Asia. Burmans hate their Karens, Kachins, Shan, Wau, Chinese,Rohingya Muslim and Malay. It is a nation best left to its own devices, because the Burmans really don’t care what outsiders think.

[PGR88]

Interesting info. Note though on the wikipedia entry you referenced how many commercial projects on which China is supporting/investing in Burma.

[SaveFerris]

So the coup plotters deployed troops and erected barricades?

Weird. It’s like deja vu or something.

[TalBlack]

It will always be Burma to me. :(

LOL! That popped into my mind too.

[pepsi_junkie]

Everyone recognizes the weakling that Dementia Joe is.

China has the receipts for all those backs of cash they've delivered to Joe via Hunter for all those years. Weaks got nothing to do with it. He's their bought and paid for puppet.

[Trumpisourlastchance]

Starving the Burmese people through sanctions will make them love America, just like all the other people we’re sanctioning in about two dozen nations.

[Carry me back]

The establishment loves war.

[CatOwner]

I have a feeling the world is going to be a much more violent and unsafe place now that Biden is President than it was under President Trump. I would like to say “We told you so!”, but I suspect most world leaders really don’t care.

[Zhang Fei]

[Note though on the wikipedia entry you referenced how many commercial projects on which China is supporting/investing in Burma.]

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That simply gets Burma in hock up to the eyeballs. Unlike the West of the distant past, China has not only never worried about the ethics of gunboat diplomacy, adding provinces to the realm has never stopped being a Chinese hobby.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Great_Campaigns#Campaigns_in_Burma_(1765%E2%80%9369)

The issue for Burma is that no one would blink an eye if China simply annexed the entire country. Taiwan has going for it a longstanding relationship with the US, in addition to which it’s a fellow democracy. Then there’s the fact that Taiwan has a moat 100 miles wide. Anyone trying to evict the Chinese from Burma would have to fight the PLA in a land war.

[Ponce de Leon County]

If it’s not our problem then you have no problem with Biden cutting aid.

[Ponce de Leon County]

So we shouldn’t sanction Myanmar?

[unread]

Yeah, I see what your saying... Washington DC looks a whole like Myanmar right now... :(