The tragedy of the cyclone that destroyed much of Myanmar's (Burma's) southern coast and took the lives of more than 100,000 people is one that touches the hearts of all of us. It has compounded that of their incredibly selfish régime, as fellow Ohio blogger Have Coffee, Will Write has extensively documented. Clearly, it has touched many others, including De Magno Opere, who writes, "I've long privately advocated a dedicated United Nations military force for dealing with governments like this. Now, I'm advocating it publicly."
Not so fast, there. The principle of sovereignty protects rights of free people as well as the prerogatives of dictators. Using the United Nations to militarily overthrow tyrannical governments would be the use of a bad technique for a good purpose. Once you make an exception to the principle of sovereignty, you are beginning to create a single world government, from which no sovereign nation will be safe.
A better, and time-tested, technique would be to funnel massive amounts of training and aid to the opposition movements and militias, so they can ultimately take over their own country.This supports the principle of self-determination while helping to bring the dictatorship to an end.
Let the Burmese deal with the Burmese tyrants, with our help as necessary.
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"A better, and time-tested, technique would be to funnel massive amounts of training and aid to the opposition movements and militias, so they can ultimately take over their own country.This supports the principle of self-determination while helping to bring the dictatorship to an end."
That's been tried before Harold, in Afghanistan, Iraq, Cuba, and so many nations I need a scorecard to keep track of the players.
Most of the time, with dire consequences once the initial goal has been met by the interested party and the indigenous people are abandoned (either the cold-war era Soviets or the United States).
Although, the point you make about the principle of sovereignty is important - and one I do consider of the utmost importance - in contrast to the overwhelming need of the people in a situation such as Myanmar presents.
Considering my feelings about NAFTA, the WTO, and a few other items on the global stage, I think the lessons of sovereignty haven't been learned enough just yet.
But there are ways of dealing with maintaining national sovereignty, such as specifically stating conditions be met in any addendum to the United Nations charter that would provide for such a military force.
Then again, I have no illusions about such a force in the first place. The United Nations, while not the failure that the League of Nations was, is (as currently constructed) in no way qualified to handle these types of crises thanks to the permanent members of the Security Council's competing interests.
In Myanmar, for example, the Chinese would never allow such a force to take action.
It is more a thought that has crossed my mind many times, and one that finally came out in a moment of anger and desperation.
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