Anne Applebaum considers intervention in Burma:
Unfortunately, the phrase "coalition of the willing" is tainted foreveronce again proving that the damage done by the Iraq war goes far beyond the Iraqi bordersbut a coalition of the willing is exactly what we need. The Frenchwhose foreign minister, Bernard Kouchner, was himself a co-founder of Médecins Sans Frontièresare already talking about finding alternative ways of delivering aid. Others in Europe and Asia might join in, along with some aid organizations. The Chinese should be embarrassed into contributing, asked again and again to help. This is their satrapy, after all, not ours.
Think of it as the true test of the Western humanitarian impulse: The international effort that went into coordinating the tsunami relief effort in late 2004 has to be repeated, but in much harsher, trickier, uglier political circumstances. Yes, we should help the Burmese, even against the will of their irrational leaders. Yes, we should think hard about the right way to do it. And, yes, there isn't much time to ruminate about any of this.
James Joyner differs. Can we not simply run air-drops of food and clean water? It's not invading as such if we do not provide ground-troops.