Burma’s “Saffron Revolution,” like the Ukraine “Orange Revolution” or the Georgia “Rose Revolution” is a well-orchestrated exercise in Washington-run regime change, down to the details of:
..... “hit-and-run” protests with “swarming” mobs of Buddhists in saffron, internet blogs,
..... mobile SMS links between protest groups,
..... well-organized protest cells which disperse and reform.
CNN reported in a September the active presence of the NED behind the protests in Myanmar. In fact the US State Department admits to supporting the activities of the NED in Myanmar. As well the NED funds Soros’ Open Society Institute in fostering regime change in Myanmar.
Inflation was the nominal trigger - a dramatic collapse in purchasing power resulted from the 100% to 500% price hikes in gasoline and other fuels in August.
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The demand to establish “market” energy prices was implemented under the helm of the IMF and World Bank.
Why Myanmar now?
1) Strait of Malacca
Control ultimately of the strategic sea lanes from the Persian Gulf to the South China Sea. The coastline of Myanmar provides naval access in the proximity of one of the world’s most strategic water passages, the Strait of Malacca.
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The Pentagon has been trying to militarize the region since September 11, 2001 on the argument of defending against possible terrorist attack.
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Since it became clear to China that the US was hell-bent on a unilateral militarization of the Middle East oil fields in 2003, Beijing has stepped up its engagement in Myanmar - part of what China terms its “string of pearls.”
2) Natural Gas
Gas export today is Myanmar’s most important source of income.
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Yadana has an estimated gas reserve of more than 5 trillion cubic feet with an expected life of at least 30 years.
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Yetagun is estimated to have about a third the gas of the Yadana field.
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In 2004 a large new gas field, Shwe field, off the coast of Arakan was discovered.
This past summer Myanmar signed a Memorandum of Understanding with PetroChina to supply large volumes of natural gas from reserves of the Shwe gasfield in the Bay of Bengal. The contract runs for 30 years.
.....
What the Myanmar-China pipelines will allow is routing of oil and gas from Africa (Sudan among other sources) and the Middle East (Iran, Saudi Arabia) independent of dependence on the vulnerable chokepoint of the Malacca Strait. Myanmar becomes China’s “bridge” linking Bangladesh and countries westward to the China mainland independent of any possible future moves by Washington to control the strait.
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India was the main loser.
3) India as US Ally
India has been pushed into a strategic alliance with Washington in order to counter China in Asia.
In an October 2002 Pentagon report, ‘The Indo-US Military Relationship,’ the Office of Net Assessments stated the reason for the India-USA defense alliance would be to have a ‘capable partner’ who can take on ‘more responsibility for low-end operations’ in Asia, provide new training opportunities and ‘ultimately provide basing and access for US power projection.’
Notably, just as the Saffron-robed monks of Myanmar took to the streets, the Pentagon opened joint US-Indian joint naval exercises, Malabar 07, along with armed forces from Australia, Japan and Singapore.
US-backed regime change in Myanmar together with Washington’s growing military power projection via India and other allies in the region is clearly a factor in Beijing’s policy vis-à-vis Myanmar’s present military junta. As is often the case these days, from Darfur to Caracas to Rangoon, the rallying call of Washington for democracy ought to be tasted with at least a grain of good salt. ----------------
FULL ARTICLE:
Myanmar's “Saffron Revolution”: The Geopolitics behind the Protest Movement
by F. William Engdah / Global Research
Note: Myanmar's “Saffron Rev...
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