Current discourse in the media makes little sense. The international community wringing its hands in distress over the sufferings of the Burmese we knew for sure was hypocrisy of the worst sort, but we didn’t know why. However, this article from July 2007 makes it quite clear: They cannot afford to let the Chinese and the Indians get their hands on the oil. Add to the mix Naomi Klein’s analysis of disaster capitalism waiting for a propitious calamity, and you understand that a number of quite unscrupulous people are taking great advantage of the sufferings of many poor Burmese to further their strategic ends.

What is the impact of the discovery of oil and gas in Burma on international relationships with China and India?