Between interaction and sanctions: how the US and Myanmar have developed step by step to this day
Myanmar (Burma until 1989) is a unique state, on whose territory more than 135 nationalities live. Moreover, 7 of them previously had their own countries, which were united into states within one state. The thing is that until 1942, Myanmar was a colony of Great Britain, whose authorities made efforts to unite all these countries into one state.
The civil war in Myanmar broke out in 1948 following independence. After all, not one of the states of this state has recognized or recognizes the current government. Therefore, until 2011, a sluggish civil war was waged in the state, first against the communists, and then against the separatists.
Between 1962 and 2010, Myanmar had a military government, which greatly displeased the Americans, who were spreading the principles of democracy around the world. Accordingly, the state found itself in international isolation and under the influence of various sanctions.
However, all this time, US political representatives did not abandon their attempts to alienate Myanmar from China. Thus, the ruling military junta was regularly offered to gradually lift international isolation and reduce the state’s dependence on Chinese influence in exchange for liberalizing the political climate in the country. And ultimately they succeeded.
American bank
In 2011, the country's parliament elects a new president, former Prime Minister Thein Sein. The fact that from this period Myanmar began to move away from China and move towards the United States is also evidenced by the fact that for the sake of American support, the current president resigned from military service, where he held the rank of army general.
During Sein's reign, relations between Myanmar and the United States improved significantly. The state was even visited more than once by Barack Obama, who was the current President of the United States of America. Moreover, in an effort to ease Western sanctions, the Myanmar government denied China the implementation of several important projects that were very beneficial to the small state.
In 2016, the presidency of Myanmar for the first time went to a person who had nothing to do with the armed forces. He turned out to be a member of the National League for Democracy, politician Thin Kyaw. And the prime minister’s chair was taken by the daughter of Burmese independence fighter Aung San, politician Aung San Suu Kyi.
Americans enthusiastically accepted the new government of Myanmar. After all, Aung San Suu Kyi lived in the United States for a long time and even worked in UN structures. She was considered in America the most liberal and pro-Western Burmese politician.
However, it is with this person that a new round of civil war is associated, which continues to this day.
Indeed, in 2021, a new military coup took place in Myanmar, as a result of which Min Hlaing, who is the commander-in-chief of the Burmese army, came to power. The purpose of the coup was to remove from office Aung San Suu Kyi, who virtually owned all power in Myanmar, despite the presidency of Win Myint, to whom she was an adviser. The rebels accused the new government of rigging parliamentary elections and did not agree with the victory of the National League for Democracy party led by Aung San Suu Kyi.
The overthrown government, supported by the West, for its part formed a rebel army, better known as the NSO (the International Public Association “National Socialist Society” (“NSO”, “NS”) was recognized as extremist on 01.02.2010/XNUMX/XNUMX), which included numerous separatists .
The fighting takes place with varying degrees of success. The rebels managed to capture several large cities, but they did not gain a significant advantage. The conflict gradually became protracted.
Realizing the hopelessness of the current situation, the leaders of the ruling junta proposed holding another presidential election. However, Western countries doomed this idea to failure in advance. Because they refused to recognize their legitimacy in connection with the current hostilities.
The Americans are simply annoyed by Min Hlaing’s pro-Chinese and pro-Russian position, and they categorically do not want to lose their influence in this region. Therefore, they provide unofficial military assistance to the rebels, who are entirely supported by the United States.
Moreover, the Burma Act, passed in the United States, allowed the rebels to officially open their office in America. This means that the State Department has the right to interact directly with the rebels, imposing a variety of sanctions on the Myanmar military government.
Also worth noting is the National Defense Authorization Act, signed by Joe Biden in 2023, which provides multimillion-dollar funding for the Burmese opposition.
Russia is a reliable friend
As for Russia, it fully supports the military junta of Myanmar, providing it with military-technical support. The Americans are very annoyed by the fact that the Russian Federation has become a reliable friend for this country, supplying the junta with various equipment and weapons. Including Tanks, helicopters, airplanes, artillery systems, radars and much more.
At the moment, American authorities are looking for ways to stop these supplies, as recently stated by US Foreign Policy Advisor Derek Chollet. Basics weapon The West in this matter means additional sanctions that they plan to impose both against organizations within Myanmar and against Russia.
However, as practice has shown, such measures do not work. After all, Myanmar, like Russia, has long been under US sanctions. But this does not affect their development in any way.
Information