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It is no coincidence that Vladimir Putin, a former intelligence officer from the KGB, is now president of Russia, and that the restructured KGB is as efficient as ever.

Sadly, the "social chaos" which Danu Maung speaks of in the context of Burma, is now worse in the new Russia than it was in the former Soviet Union. Back then there was a universal health-care system, there were no beggars o­n the streets, prostitution and pornography were suppressed, mafia killings were unknown and life expectancy was higher than it is today. In Russia, it was not social chaos which led to the Soviet collapse, but pressure for economic and then political reform which were taken up by Soviet leaders who saw which way the wind was blowing. At all times, the Soviet Army was under strict Communist Party political control.

Imagine if the same forces were at work in Rangoon today! Or perhaps they are. Who would have guessed that FW de Klerk, an Afrikaner politician of the old school, would in 1993 share the Nobel Peace Prize with Nelson Mandela? Is there perhaps an SPDC leader who might o­ne day share with Aung San Suu Kyi the Nobel Peace Prize which she so richly merited?

Whatever the solution to Burma’s present problems, the Tatmadaw will be around in o­ne form or another for a long time to come, as Suu Kyi recognized long ago.

Derek Tonkin
Guildford, UK [Top]

This is in response to your o­n-line Editorial "America Stands at Ground Zero" [Sept 12, 2002].

What is your agenda in criticizing America’s right to defend itself? The US is an open society which, by its nature, is susceptible to the fanatic terrorism such as the events of 9/11. The o­nly way that America can protect itself is to seek out and destroy terrorism and its roots before they grow. Saddam Hussein is a known terrorist supporter with biological and chemical weapons, and possibly very soon nuclear weapons aimed at American cities. America must act right now, because if it waits until Saddam possesses nuclear weapons, it will be too late.

Why does America need the world’s approval to defend itself? As for "the oldest and closest allies" you mention, most of them exist today because America has saved their behinds multiple times over the past century. President Bush must do whatever it takes to protect its citizens; that is why we elected him to be our President. Of course American interests must come before the (rest of the) world’s, because it is America that is the target of these fanatic terrorists. Think about it; how would Russia, or China react if more than 3000 of their citizens were killed instantly by terrorists? America has shown much more patience than it is obligated to. Now is the time to act and get rid of Saddam and other terrorist supporting regimes. As for the Muslim public opinion, who cares?

The Irrawaddy claims to be committed to bring about democracy in Burma. First, it should try to recruit an editor who can understand the realities of the world today and who supports the very country that is the foremost exporter of freedom and democracy throughout the world. It should look for an editor who is not ignorant enough to write: "After more than a decade of sanctions that have taken an enormous toll o­n Iraqi citizens, o­ne would think that he’s a lame duck, no more of a menace to the world at large than the regime in Rangoon. Or perhaps he’s just a sitting duck: Another easy target that’s more of a household name than Abu Sayyaf in the Philippines".

The "one" who thinks that way is either stupid or has a hidden agenda. Is Irrawaddy becoming dependant o­n funding from Osama bin Laden, Abu Sayyaf or Saddam?

Alexander Thein
San Francisco, Ca