Clinton Calls Out Burma

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke out this morning against the Burmese government, which is delaying elections announced for this year. Because the military junta has yet to announce a date, Secretary Clinton says, they risk "raising questions about their commitment to such elections." One would, of course, think being a military junta would have raised an eyebrow in the first place.

Certainly, Than Shwa, Burma's senior general, head of state, commander-in-chief, and chairman of the State Peace and Development Council (translation: dictator) is enjoying his last diabetic, cancer-ridden days on earth. He has nothing to gain from elections except a noose for crimes against humanity. And why leave office now? According to Secretary Clinton, North Korea just exported "military equipment and material" to Burma. One doubts this equipment will be used to enforce an impartial election.

Jane's Intelligence Review reports a fledgling nuclear program in Burma is taking shape, as evidenced by a defector, satellite imagery, and a trail of evidence that crosses borders as far off as Pakistan and as close by as North Korea.

"Someone had to be assisting them, that's the frightening thing," says David Kay, a former UN weapons inspector, blinded by television cameras and unable to see North Korea waving around glowing sticks of plutonium.

Not to worry. Says Tin Win, Burmese representative to the UN International Energy Agency, "For the world to be peaceful and secure, it is important that states do not misuse their peaceful nuclear programs for nuclear weapons purpose."

And nobody knows peace and security better than an oppressive military dictatorship.