Corresponding from Myanmar

Crust — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:42:32 GMT

Eric Boehlert has some interesting comments on the generals controversy and NBC here:
http://mediamatters.org/columns/200805070004?f=h_column

Glenn Greenwald's latest on this story (mostly about CNN not NBC):
http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/05/09/cnn_abc/index.html

Corresponding from Myanmar

Sabrina, Prescott Valley, Az — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:47:30 GMT

Amazing to read this from someone who lives there ... s/he is right, that government deserves to be taken out of power and tried for crimes against their own people.

One question, Brian ... why does the media call Burma 'Myanmar'? It is not a legitimate name since the military junta are not legitimate ... I thought the world had agreed to continue to refer to it as Burma.

Corresponding from Myanmar

Anna — Fri, 09 May 2008 18:31:21 GMT

Hi and thanks for the post. This morning I was standing in the kitchen with a cup of coffee waiting for Mary J to come on and then we got Anne Curry.

When she announced the death rate may reach 1.5 million from starvation and disease in Burma. I had a rush that came over me from head to toe. I was about sick. I put the coffee down and grabbed the kitchen counter. I was really in shock.

Glad you heard from your friend and we hope and pray this regime will grant the people of Burma UN Aid.

We can bitch and argue all we want about the US government but we have to remember that this would never, ever happen in a democracy. We are so lucky to be Americans!

Corresponding from Myanmar

Stephanie-Umbro, Maine — Fri, 09 May 2008 22:19:29 GMT

Anna, your last paragraph makes me pause. No, the U.S. Government wouldn't let it get that bad.... but how bad was Katrina? Didn't we refuse assistance from other countries?

I agree, though. Burma's government needs to be tried for crimes against humanity. When will the UN step in and take it out? Can it? This is beyond evil. The Burmese people deserve the right to survive and live despite what nature has done. Thank you for sharing these messages with us, Subrata.

Corresponding from Myanmar

shelley — Sat, 10 May 2008 03:42:41 GMT

Remember a little storm called Katrina? 'Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job.' FEMA squandering millions of $$, aid too little and too late, oh, and let's not forget the killer formaldehyde trailers. The good old USofA isn't that far removed from Burma, in terms of gov't disaster response. Which is both stupendous and sad.

Corresponding from Myanmar

oddball Phnom Penh — Sat, 10 May 2008 07:11:53 GMT

I truly believe it is time the UN and all aid agencies , including the USA , stop doing the talk and do THE WALK . Deliver the supplies where needed and shoot down ANY actions to prevent this much needed humanitarian delivery of much needed supplies before hundreds of thousands more people die for no real reason . The days of the Junta could be ended NOW . STOP TALKING , START WALKING .

Corresponding from Myanmar

oddball Phnom Penh — Sat, 10 May 2008 07:20:27 GMT

So let us all sit calmly back in our comfy arm chairs to watch the nightly news comment on the ever increasing death toll that could be stemmed with appropriate action now . Take a warming sip of chablis and shrug our shoulders , not our problem , just stay POLITICALLY CORRECT . This type of none action is what allows such crimes against humanity proliferate , what a shame !!!

Corresponding from Myanmar

Vinnie Harris, Austin, Texas — Sat, 10 May 2008 08:41:59 GMT

Does the lack of action (and downright refusal to accept aid) by the Burmese government give the UN any moral authority to overthrow the shameful and disgusting military government.

If this does not give the UN moral authority to take out the Burmese leadership, then what event or action is needed for the world body to act against criminal and heinous governments?

Corresponding from Myanmar

Arvind kumar Patel — Sat, 10 May 2008 10:49:36 GMT

it is very bad time.not only for the myanmar but also for the world.Myanmar govt should accept the aid from the countries like America.Mr Ban ki moon has also said that there is no politics.Myanmar govt should think for there public.Bharat should also make pressure on Myanmar to take aid from evary country.they are in a big trouble.

Corresponding from Myanmar

Arvind kumar Patel,varanasi,uttar pradesh,Bharat(india) — Sat, 10 May 2008 10:50:39 GMT

Corresponding from Myanmar

Jack ,Chiang Mai — Sat, 10 May 2008 13:19:03 GMT

Anna, please remember that during Katrina the Bushed administration couldn't even get a helicopter load of bottled water delivered and people died because of it. Never AGAIN in America I hope

Corresponding from Myanmar

Lynn Reed, Augusta, GA — Sat, 10 May 2008 14:03:28 GMT

I fear that governments see these type of disasters as herd thinning and welcome the results of disease and mass destruction as forms of control of the poor. Can't feed them, then let the natural disasters cull the weak asthe ones that have the means are in control. Have I become cynical or am I just awake!?

Corresponding from Myanmar

Anna — Sat, 10 May 2008 15:20:39 GMT

Hi Stephanie,

I am not discounting Katrina in any way. Last time I checked American history we never, ever let 1.5 million people stack up with no food, no clean water and disease after a natural disaster.

We have hurricane warning systems and communication systems. Are they the best, who knows? Every community has their own based on local leadership. Nagin wasn't great. Neither was Landreu (sp?). It seems like business as usual for them with their leadership. The folks of NOLA re-elected Nagin. Go figure.

Sorry, I never see that happening in America under any President (black, white, Latio, male or female, gay or lesbian or trans-gendered.) I hope I covered everyone.

We have active media organizations to get the word out, vital aid organizations, charitable organizations, churchs, mosques and synagogues to help, we have vast resources, we have caring and loving American people from coast to coast that would help. We have doctors and nurses that would shut their practices down and did to go to MS and LA. We have Department of Health, FEMA and insurance companies that would help erradicate disease ASAP. We have the Salvation Army and Red Cross very, very active in America.

We just have differences in the amount of people (310 million) and financial resources and land mass that the people of Burma do not have access to. That was my point. The people of Burma have a very, very corrupt dictatorship that the world may never have know of prior to this tragedy.

Have a wonderful weekend with your new niece and/or nephew. Children are a blessing!

Corresponding from Myanmar

Kendra Atlanta, Georgia — Sat, 10 May 2008 15:57:48 GMT

It is interesting to note that when people are suffering so horribly by a natural disaster and their government is adding to their misery, we speak of overthrowing that government by any means; yet President Bush, doing what the world had no stomach for, has done exactly that in Iraq and he has been called every kind of despicable name. Are we our brother's keeper or not?

Corresponding from Myanmar

Jane Stage, Willacoochee, GA — Sat, 10 May 2008 16:52:49 GMT

While I am saddened by the loss of life and difficulties remaining for the living in Myanmar/Burma, I have to agree with the posters contrasting the response to this event to the response to Hurricane Katrina in the US. My husband was in St. Bernard Parish through the storm. They saw no one from outside until 13 days after the storm, and those people were from Canada. We need to fix our own house before we go rescuing the rest of the world.

Corresponding from Myanmar

Pat — Sat, 10 May 2008 17:37:46 GMT

You people that try to compare the in-efficient action of the U.S in Katrina and trailers that had fomadehyde in the particle board or really idiots. Did we make mistakes-of course and mistakes are always made in wars and disasters. But we are in no way similar to what is happening in Burma. Do you really feel that bad about your own country that everyone else wants to come to or you just taking up a popular battle cry-like I said-you are idiots and nobody will every please you. Why don't you take a stab at the reigns of government and show us your stuff-Oh, I forgot-your ideas and ideology make you un-electable.

Corresponding from Myanmar

doeslogicwork — Sat, 10 May 2008 18:00:49 GMT

I think maybe it would be a smart thing to do to take a little wait and see what happens here . There is just too much propaganda at work here by people who aren't in the position to pass judgment or to see into the future or see things first hand.
We don't know how many people will actually die as a result of anything yet ( maybe no one will die ) but we seem to think that we are so darned important all the time and always right on everything that happens in the world.
We should keep our noses out of other countries affairs unless we are called in by them for assistance.
This is a country that has a population in the hundreds of millions , don't think for a second that they just have food for a few days. I think in the end we will find out that the numbers given here are greatly exaggerated just to make it look worse than it actually is.

Corresponding from Myanmar

Glenn Jacobson, Portland, Oregon — Sat, 10 May 2008 18:25:19 GMT

A horrific tragedy has opened up an opportune circumstance to topple 'BURMA'S' illigitimate government. Take this opportunity now as it has presented itself and go on in there. If no actions are taken then one has to ask, 'what then is the function of the U.N.'? The U.S.(and it's allies) must take the initiative and assist those unfortunate victims. Bush has begged those generals to allow aid in. How shameful for the U.S. President to have to beg in these circumstances. He certainly didn't beg Hussein, he took action. Now he must immediately take the initiative. No time to waste. Do it now. Go to it G.I. Joe! The civilised world will be grateful this time!

Corresponding from Myanmar

Dennis Bode, Seattle, WA — Sat, 10 May 2008 18:27:59 GMT

If we really cared for the Burmese people, we would immediately air drop supplies and shoot down any aircraft opposing the humanitarian aid. Understand, this is not an invasion, simply forced aid, which the residents there desperately need. But no, we (the US government) are playing politically correct. No wonder the world opinion is against us.

Corresponding from Myanmar

towman cutler — Sat, 10 May 2008 18:50:37 GMT

I have always wondered why all the people did not get on all the new schoolbuses and leave town before the storm hit, what alot of waste. The looting was a criminal thing, not a nesesity thing.

Corresponding from Myanmar

ADELAIDE FORREST COVENTRY, RI — Sat, 10 May 2008 19:47:31 GMT

I WOULD THINK THAT THIS IS A SITUATION FOR THE UNITED NATIONS TO HANDLE. TOO MANY AMERICANS HAVE CALLED FOR THE DISBANDING OF THE UNITED NATIONS. IF THEY DON'T GET THEIR ACT TOGETHER ON THIS BURMA DISASTER THEY DESERVE TO SINK INTO THE EAST RIVER.

Corresponding from Myanmar

Andy Olsen — Sun, 11 May 2008 22:15:14 GMT

Dear Subrata De:

Please report on the military analyst scandal soon and on a continuing basis.

Senator Harry Reid has now indicated he intends to hold hearings into the analyst payola story. Will you finally cover this story or will NBC continue to act like a Congressman trying to explain a suitcase full of cash.

You guys are blowing the basic lessons of Scandal 101: Don't stonewall, come clean and come open. Get in front of the story.

I look forward to the News Division President being hauled in front of Congressional Committees to explain the news blackout on the analyst propaganda scandal ("Operation Catapult").

And, maybe, also explain why we should believe anything we hear from NBC.