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Originally Posted by spinoza
They would threaten, certainly. They may not fire. There will be diplomatic consequences though, for efforts to engage both India, China, and any other country, at any point thereafter. I don't think that such consequences are worth risking for a one time injection of aid, poorly managed, hastily put together, and delivered in a haphazard manner.
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You are probably right there, you have tp pick your battlesso to speak, when the opposition is as ti is here. There would need to be the will for more than one off effort in regards to this disaster. I don't see that currently.
Quote:
Originally Posted by spinoza
(1) Send the aid through India, China and Thailand.
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Thought very much the same myself actually at the beginning of last week, although even aid from "friendluy" countries was being restricted or inpounded, it was at least getting infar better than that from Western sources. Aesthetics be damned and simply load our food and tents and the like onto their aircraft and trucks. Was it not that simple?
Quote:
Originally Posted by spinoza
(3) If aid is to be delivered unilaterally without the consent of the Burmese military, then it has to be done in a manner such that China, India and Russia are comfortable with it. You might even get them to do the strong arming themselves.
Sending a USN or RN battlegroup to the region without getting agreement from all the interested countries, flying bombers and transport planes over the country dropping food aid without sending people in as well, and thinking that this actually works strikes me as foolish.
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Saw a piece on Sky News alst night, there is a US task force lying a short distance from Burma ready to move if given permission or ordered in. And a French vessel is fast appraoching wishing to deliver aid directly.
Though perhaps more interesting i thought, was a report of how other Burmese [from less effected parts fo the country] were putting any spare food and water and emergency supplies in lorries and driving them to the worst affected areas thsmselves. The militariy's efforts whatever they are, clearly not seeming enough to the average Burmese.
Generally speaking, it does appear that Western NGOs are now fianlly getting a noticeable numeble number of flights heading to the country, believe three planes for MSF are on theri way. The first British aircraft left Dubai last night with a further four on standby apparently.