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Original poster

the UN has halted its aid to burma ...

74 replies

wannaBe · 09/05/2008 14:25

because its first shipment has been impounded

wtf is wrong with them?

Why can nobody do anything? shouldn't we be going in there to bring about regime change? Oh but no, silly me, they don't have anything we want do they. .

OP posts:
zippitippitoes · 09/05/2008 15:31

is it possible to do that mb

surely they would not allow that they would shoot people wouldnt they

Blandmum · 09/05/2008 15:34

You would simply fly over the country and prachute the stuff in. Not idea, but possible. No need to land the planes. there could be problems if not enough was parachuted in, it could cause riots etc, but just cover the country with food and water.

zippitippitoes · 09/05/2008 15:35

wouldnt they shoot at the planes tho

and the burmese people who distributed it?

Blandmum · 09/05/2008 15:38

Too high up, and by flying combat air patrols you can effectivly keep their Air force on the ground.

Yes there would be a risk to the people on the graoun but the Burmese miliatry can't be everywhere at one, and if they don't get food and aid they will die anyway (awful to have to think that way)

I'm thinking of something similar to the Berlin Air lift at the end of WW2

marmadukescarlet · 09/05/2008 15:39

MB, I was just thinking exactly the same.

zippitippitoes · 09/05/2008 15:40

ah right i see

i thought you might have a proper military view

zippitippitoes · 09/05/2008 15:41

there are an awful lot of military tho arent there ius it 400,000

how many people live in burma

edam · 09/05/2008 15:41

MB, good to hear from you that something like that would be possible. I do hope it happens.

Do you think the RAF have enough bloody planes to do it, given Iraq and Afghanistan, though?

Original poster
wannaBe · 09/05/2008 15:42

agree with mb.

OP posts:
zippitippitoes · 09/05/2008 15:44

just over 42 million

Blandmum · 09/05/2008 15:46

I wouldn't need to be just us. I think that it should be as near as possible a UN mission. In fact you would probably need the Americans in to keep the Burmese AF on the ground.

and this wouldn't be an invasion. Just the deliverly of aid. the message it sends to the poeple of the area about how much the world thinks of them, and how much their government would be a secondary issue.

Blandmum · 09/05/2008 15:46

Mind you , I'm just a RAF wife, so what do I know

bravissimo · 09/05/2008 15:48

We should definitely drop food and aid in regardless of permission from the authorities. If they are snatching food as it arrives from the mouths of the hungry and dying then they leave us with no alternative.

There are 450,000 in the army - most of them unaffected by the cyclone yet very few of them are actually helping the victims.

The French have the right idea, we should invade to protect the people of Burma.

Some Generals gave away free TV sets as aid WTF??? despite there being electricity blackouts.

edam · 09/05/2008 15:49

Well, I'd vote for you to run this operation at super-strategic level, MB. Sounds like a very convincing plan to me.

edam · 09/05/2008 15:50

Mind you, haven't there been cases of people being killed by aid drops from the air (have vague memories...)?

zippitippitoes · 09/05/2008 15:52

was it an earthquake in pakistan..the inaccessible moiuntain one where they had problems dropping aid in?

possibly not my memory is awful

Original poster
wannaBe · 09/05/2008 15:53

tv's wtf?

I don't see why people should have to have permission to help. The people need help, surely where that help comes from is irelevant.

OP posts:
Original poster
wannaBe · 09/05/2008 15:54

wasn't it in Ruanda where people were killed by dropping aid parcels?

OP posts:
bravissimo · 09/05/2008 16:01

tv sets

bravissimo · 09/05/2008 16:04

This is an extract from a BBC report, which says it all:

"Dozens of aid experts are reported to be waiting for visas in neighbouring Thailand - but the Burmese embassy there has now closed for a public holiday until next Tuesday."

Maybe we should be writing to Burmese embassies across the world to let them know how despicable their actions are.

Original poster
wannaBe · 09/05/2008 16:11

a public holiday until next tuesday . Mind you sounds not unlike some of the countries in Africa I've lived in.

Thing is, does the burmese embacy really care what the rest of the world thinks? I don't think they export anything do they? so we couldn't threaten sanctions/boycotts etc, so all it is really is words. the people of the world say "we're disgusted" and the burmese say "oh well" and continue as is.

OP posts:
bravissimo · 09/05/2008 16:19

Yes it's true they really don't care what people think anyway. We can only hope the UN will actually go in on humanitarian grounds - otherwise what is the point of the UN?

suedonim · 09/05/2008 17:32

The latest is that Burma will let in US military aid planes on Monday.

The weather forecast is for heavy rains next week, god help those poor souls.

edam · 09/05/2008 21:25

IIRC there is wealth in Burma - can't remember whether it's minerals or natural resources or what - but think it all goes to China. This is a very vague impression, though, could be wrong.

milliec · 09/05/2008 21:27

Message withdrawn