Cyclone Nargis may have unleashed immense devastation and suffering upon Myanmar, but that pales in comparison to the shocking; abhorrent reaction and handling of the situation by the military junta. It is plain to all that the official response - mainly consisting of obstructing international aid - is contributing to the death toll, exacerbating an already grave situation.

Much as the world would like to throw the book (and more) at the junta, little can be done. You cannot feed the beggar who refuses to open his mouth, nor can you force reason into the minds of those who resolutely choose to remain ignorant. Or can you?

The liberation of oppressed peoples from a despotic regime is not new, the idea has been brought up and executed before (see Iraq). Unfortunately, history has not looked kindly upon such campaigns, which often come packaged with the horrors of war. How then, can the relatively more civilised world seek to impose common sense on the more unsavoury regimes that still blight certain nations? The way I see it, there is no way to achieve that without blood being shed, be it on the battlefield or from the thousands that starve their way to a slow but certain (and agonising) end.

To the horrors perpetrated by the junta and its ilk, the world is often swift to condemn and express disappointment. The horrors continue. More condemnation and strongly-worded reprimands follow. Rinse, repeat ad nauseam. No concrete action taken, no change effected and the status quo remains. Everyone goes back to usual business, which includes leaving the sick and dying to continue their business of well, dying. What is the UN doing? Likewise for ASEAN. The unwillingness to take a stronger stand together with the weary refrains of reprimand grow more tiresome as time goes on. It is precisely situations like these that can convert pacifist peace-niks to be tempted to take up arms and beat some sense into the imbeciles in charge over there.

Your people are starving, yet you block the food. Your people are homeless, yet you offer little. Your people need the world's assistance; the world is ready and willing, but you are stubborn and uncooperative. You insist that you are not ready for large-scale foreign assistance. We ask: are you then ready for large scale death and suffering?

Res ipsa loquitur, indeed. Let's hope something can be done, for the good of humanity.

Cyclone Nargis may have unleashed immense devastation and suffering upon Myanmar, but that pales in comparison to the shocking; abhorrent reaction and handling of the situation by the military junta. It is plain to all that the official response - mainly consisting of obstructing international aid - is contributing to the death toll, exacerbating an already grave situation.

Much as the world would like to throw the book (and more) at the junta, little can be done. You cannot feed the beggar who refuses to open his mouth, nor can you force reason into the minds of those who resolutely choose to remain ignorant. Or can you?

The liberation of oppressed peoples from a despotic regime is not new, the idea has been brought up and executed before (see Iraq). Unfortunately, history has not looked kindly upon such campaigns, which often come packaged with the horrors of war. How then, can the relatively more civilised world seek to impose common sense on the more unsavoury regimes that still blight certain nations? The way I see it, there is no way to achieve that without blood being shed, be it on the battlefield or from the thousands that starve their way to a slow but certain (and agonising) end.

To the horrors perpetrated by the junta and its ilk, the world is often swift to condemn and express disappointment. The horrors continue. More condemnation and strongly-worded reprimands follow. Rinse, repeat ad nauseam. No concrete action taken, no change effected and the status quo remains. Everyone goes back to usual business, which includes leaving the sick and dying to continue their business of well, dying. What is the UN doing? Likewise for ASEAN. The unwillingness to take a stronger stand together with the weary refrains of reprimand grow more tiresome as time goes on. It is precisely situations like these that can convert pacifist peace-niks to be tempted to take up arms and beat some sense into the imbeciles in charge over there.

Your people are starving, yet you block the food. Your people are homeless, yet you offer little. Your people need the world's assistance; the world is ready and willing, but you are stubborn and uncooperative. You insist that you are not ready for large-scale foreign assistance. We ask: are you then ready for large scale death and suffering?

Res ipsa loquitur, indeed. Let's hope something can be done, for the good of humanity.