“China’s response has been just as expected for a nation with its own sketchy past when it comes to protesters and bullets.”

Alright, this is going to sound bad, but: so what? How is China different from anywhere else? No! This is not some childish “Well, America does it too, so it’s alright for China” argument. This is a wake-up call. America supports the House of Saud, which is hardly the world’s most friendly, liberal or democratic regime. Europe, Canada, Australia and my own New Zealand ain’t much better in their international relations. China’s just reacting the same way anybody else does- or any other government, at least.

“What irritates this blogger is the fact that India is pulling the same routine.”

India’s been working with the Burmese junta for years now. No news here. Like any other government, it follows what it percieves as its own immediate interests, not any kind of principles.

“China, through its Three Monkey foreign policy, has developed tight ties with Burma’s military-led government and as such is reaping major rewards. Of course this creates an impossible situation with countries that want to hold themselves to an ethical standard of some sort.”

What rewards? And how is China acting differently from any other country? And how many governments actually try to hold themselves to any ethical standard? To answer that last question: I can’t think of any. I love my country, I hate my government.

“A great thing that’s being displayed with the situation in Burma is that it’s showing that it is getting more and more difficult for tyrants to repress their people, and keep it quiet. Even with the government creating an Internet blackout, people are still getting photos, videos and messages to the outside world.

“Take note oppressive regimes – the time of blanket cover-ups and mass disappearances is coming to an end.”

Well, yes, kind of, but it’s taking a long, long time for the internet to start actually helping people overthrow these oppressive regimes like so many naive Western commentators assure us. The only difference between now and fifty years ago is that the evidence of governmental crime is more easily, quickly and freely available. Doesn’t stop governments shooting their own people, though. Technology is neutral- it is just as useful to the Chinese, Saudi and Burmese governments as it is to their opponents.

Sorry, mate, I don’t mean to shit on anything or anyone. My heart is with the Burmese people. It’s just that none of our governments are innocent- some are more guilty than others, yes, absolutely, but the difference in degree of guilt does not split down some mythical democracy/dictatorship line. America, India and Europe are just as guilty as China. New Zealand, Australia and Canada are marginally less guilty, but no more innocent. And what happens in Burma will not really be influenced by the machinations of any non-Burmese government or non-governmental actor.

That said, I, too, pray for peace and freedom for Burma. And for all our other brothers and sisters on this Earth.