Written by Alex Gorka; Originally appeared at strategic-culture.org
Myanmar is one of many countries increasingly interested in Russian weapons, and it was recently announced that it is preparing to purchase six Russian Su-30 fighters. That agreement was reached during Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu’s visit to the republic on Jan. 20-22. Russian weapons for land and naval forces were part of that agenda.
The US State Department slammed the move, claiming that weapon sales to that country were inappropriate because of the Rohingya crisis. According to State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert, the deal would add fuel to Myanmar’s internal conflict. It should be noted that she said nothing about US shipments of lethal weapons to Ukraine. Nor did she mention the fact that the Rohingya rebels are just one of many armed insurgent groups operating in Myanmar, although it is the only one the US government is worried about.
Bill Richardson, a former US ambassador to the United Nations and the ex-governor of New Mexico, has just resigned from an international advisory panel on the Rohingya refugee crisis. According to him, it is a “whitewash and a cheerleading operation” for Myanmar’s leader Aung San Suu Kyi, whom he blames for the fallout from her military’s operations against the Rohingya rebels.”
That conflict has nothing to do with Russia and Moscow has not taken sides, but the US State Department will seize upon anything as a pretext for attacking Russia and painting it as an “evil empire.” One does not have to be an expert on defense issues to see that the Su-30 fighter jet is not designed for fighting rebels. Its primary mission is delivering high precision strikes against naval targets. It is also effective against any high-value ground assets an enemy might have. In a nutshell, it is an aircraft for a big war against a sophisticated enemy. The Myanmar military has US-made F-16s to use for guerilla warfare purposes. When Washington was selling F-16s to the Myanmar government, it did not care one bit about the fact that that US-made aircraft could be used against rebels.
The US military has disliked the Su-30 ever since the Indian Su-30MKI version outperformed US F-15C Eagles in 2004 and 2005. In any comparison, the Su-30MKI dominates the US-made F-16. In 2015, the Su-30 MKI outmaneuvered the UK Typhoon during training exercises. Myanmar is a lucrative market for arms exports. The US views Moscow as a competitor. Moscow and Naypyidaw were working together militarily as far back as the 1990s. Myanmar has purchased Russian MiG-29 fighter planes, Yak-130 combat jet trainers, Mi-17, Mi-24, and Mi-35 combat helicopters. Russia is their biggest supplier of surface-to-air missiles.
US-made weapons are used to kill civilians in Yemen. American arms have also managed to find their way into the hands of Syrian rebels. The Islamic State has used American weapons in Iraq and Syria. Washington sells weapons to more than 100 countries and many of those are authoritarian regimes. Recently, US weapons were used by Shi’ite Muslim militias against the Kurds, America’s allies, in Iraq.
Russia is the second–largest arms exporter in the world and it is strengthening its position at breakneck speed. It is busily inking lucrative contracts with America’s traditional partners in the Middle East. Russia has a global edge in air-defense systems. Its latest S-400 is a huge success, with ongoing deliveries to China and a signed contract with Turkey. Saudi Arabia and Qatar are just two more potential customers currently negotiating terms. Russia owes its success to the fact that its defense industry is able to offer the highest quality at an acceptable price. Washington is ready to go to any length to buck that trend.
Washington also relies on this same policy in other parts of the world.. The US has resorted to openly pressuring Europeans buy its gas, which is more expensive than what Russia can provide. Nor does it shy away from using any methods it can find to promote its foreign-policy objectives. Now that Washington sees Russia as a competitor that can withstand pressure and pursue its own independent foreign policy, it is blamed for anything that goes wrong in the world. And so, once again the pot is calling the kettle black.
I think this is the first time, I support USA. Rohingyas are innocent people. There are some few “rebels”, maybe not even close to 100.
yeah after reading this article i was a bit surprised too…….but what should be mentioned is that USA is using these issues to portray like how much they care human rights regardless of their race or religion…………but not a single voice of dissent for zionist regime in Israel, & Saudis, Qataris, Emaritis killing fellow muslims in syria, iraq, yemen, libya its shameful
US doesn’t care about human rights, but use it at its convenience. Middle eastern governments contribute to the US interests and that’s why US is silent.
You need to realize that the US is not the enemy of muslim poeple, but fellow muslims are the real enemy.
A simple case of Divide & Conquer…. have two parties fight eachother…. be the laughing third party, and after the war you can buy everything real cheap….. and you send in your contractors….
Indeed!
That’s the oligarchical way.
The US is very much the enemy of Shia Muslims and Sufi muslims and secularists, it makes their allies afraid of rebellion and overthrow of their monarchies. US is a corporation and has been a long time , there are no people who control it. You should clean the shit up in your yard before you complain about your neighbors cat.
There is also a very high possibility that the U$ is trying to create ISIS in Myanmar using the Rohinyas crisis as this will give the U$ an opportunity destabilize and destroy that country using its jihadist proxies.
Yes there is also indeed a very good chance of ISIS appearing there with shiny new US weapons and communications equipment linked to the CIA :)
You are right. Another ‘regime-change’ plan through ISIS and other jihadists is in the works for Myanmar but the government of Myanmar should prepare for this by straightening its defenses and by inviting Russian and Chinese military advisers in Myanmar.
Not at all. Look muslims in the middle east and muslims in the southeast asia are very different. They are really innocent people.
By the way, rohingya doesn’t represent any religion, but most of the rohingyas are muslims. There are also hindu rohingyas.
No doubt, U$ will use any crisis anywhere in the world to push its own evil agenda and that is what it will try to do in Myanmar in the coming weeks and months. Just watch.
No, they can’t because the Myanmar borders China and India.
Actually Burma ( Myanmar ) borders with Bangladesh and China on the north and Laos to the east . And you are right those Bangladeshi Sunnis are really innocent people . However in the late eighty’s some Wahhabi officers from Pakistan took control of a part of the Bangladeshi Army . They used the army
to kill whole valleys of Buddhist “Hill Tribes” , who were just poor mountain farmers . The Army took out towns and villages and thousands of farmers . I was there myself , I know it happened . So this problem has a long background. “The Rohingya Salvation Army” has been on the “march” for over 40 years, and are financed by Kuwait . They are Wahhabi Sunni , and ruthless . The latest out burst happened because they killed 71 police officers in Rakhine province . The Burmese Army reacted , and I’m sure many innocents died because of it . Looking at the big picture , Bangladesh at 90 million in the eighty’s has exploded into 160 million . Saudi Arabia has openned over 650 Wahhabi schools in Bangladesh in the last two
Wherever the Saudi, Wahhabi schools are opened the problem of terrorism follows soon after and then, the evil empire led by the U$ jumps into the chaos to take advantage of it for its own hegemonic agenda. Thanks for your concise and great analysis!
I 100% agree with you regarding this.
The Rohingya were mostly living in Bangladesh and they started spilling into the area because their nation is starving from overpopulation. The Hindus fled the region towards Myanmar capital they are targeted like the others are.
There are also Rohingya hindus living in bangladesh and india, of course as refugee
Most are Bangladeshi and commonly called Rohingya which developed after all the Railroad worker slaves from various Asian countries.
WTF you are talking about??
The Rohingya are ethnically subcontinental Asians, and largely Muslim, originating out of Bangladesh, which of course was created via war of independence from easternmost Pakistan in 1971. There has been no shortage of Pakistani based Sunni Muslim extremists over the years – from direct terror attacks inside of India, to volunteers in the Afghan Mujahedin and recruits into ISIS.
Well, the US is being its usual hypocritical self, pretending to support human rights and only at its convenience. OTOH any sales of arms of any kind to Myanmar is odious to the extreme and beyond the pale.
How can Russia complain about arms sales to the fascist government of Ukraine, while selling arms to the fascist government of Burma?
It is to be expected that a few idiots on this forum will claim that the Rohingya or journalists made up all the stories of the Nazi-like murder of babies – even by fire -, rape of women, and expulsion of all – *with zero provocation by the way* -, the Saker will make excuses for Russia as usual, and Srebenica never happened, etc.
Anyway, here’s what Bill Richardson, one of Aung Suu Kyi’s supporters, has to say:
“She was always very calm and measured, but it now seems that when she’s a head of state, she has become a little bit arrogant with power: “I could make no mistake, that I’m infallible, that I don’t need any advice, especially tough advice.”
She doesn’t want any dissent. She doesn’t want any advice or bad news and I think that’s what’s causing her enormous problems. She blames everything on the United Nations, the international community, human rights groups, the media. Nothing is her fault or her government’s fault, and that’s become a real problem, in my view.” =======
https://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2018/01/26/580820566/bill-richardson-aung-san-suu-kyi-needs-to-start-listening
But still rose-tinted glasses: She should be tried and jailed for genocide.
To think that she is Wrong is only a problem of the ignorant. There was a REALLY REALLY good articel about this Myanmar situation and i Support her, because in the end the UN and allies are the one to blame. Its the endless story, UN and Allies go to a place and say this is not democratcy we will help you and all the people living in it> try to promote a New face the new Revolution of Peace and democracy> get there shill into the presidentcial campain and win> sell weapons, drugs, free religious massacers, credit ect. But she refused to be a shill of the UN and now the Problems start to appear. Do you still not get the game that is beeing played on our world. If not im sorry. Learn and watch, watch and learn.
Genuine ignorance is supporting an avowedly racist woman, fascist regime, and a critical mass of the populace that enables both. They are no better than ISIS. There is a typical binary illogic on these forums – e.g., UN US et al are guilty of abetting crimes against Syria, Iran, Russia, etc. [all true], therefore if UN US criticize anyone it follows that the one being criticized is in the right. That is sophistry of the highest order.
But forget religion and politics: Put *yourself* in the shoes of the victims. Imagine *your* sister’s husband killed without provocation, your sister raped, and her 18-month old baby – your nephew – thrown into flames while her mother watched. These things *did* happen – and similar things on a massive scale – all under the nose of that woman.
Anti-imperialist media such as Southfront is discredited when its readers fall into the absolute good guys – absolute bad guys binary analysis – the same analysis invoked by the US btw. It doesn’t matter which side you choose to absolutize as the Good, or which side the Bad: My Good can do no wrong and my Bad can do no good. Whoso is on the wrong side of my Good is always Bad; Whoso is on the wrong side of my Bad is always Good.
It’s better to have universal principles and apply them to ALL sides – anything else is self-deception. It is better to not live in anyone’s echo chamber – anything else is self-deception.
One must be careful about whom one idolizes: Their karma may become yours. Wake up!
Wake up . “These things did happen….on a massive scale” . And have been happening on Both sides , this has been going on for over 30 years . See ; http://www.gearoidocolmain.org/rohingya/psyops/us/covert/war/myanmar/ The elected leader an ” avowedly racist woman” spent twenty years in prison after being elected , and is by no means in complete control . She must guard her words carefully in order to try to keep the peace . “No better than ISIS” , just shows you don’t know Wahhabi strategy . They may be the ones who committed these crimes , to facilitate starting a reaction . Did you not notice how the media played this up in numerous countries , all within a short time frame there were protest marches in several countries . This was orchestrated . Be careful of self-deception .
Exactly
Have to ask you can you provide a link not controlled media as NPR is , VoA or VoEU doesn’t cut it for me these are Cold War mechanisms still in place today as propaganda machines. When you provide links ensure they are from reliable sources, still hate seeing snopes.com now censoring articles on Google.
Rohingyas are curiously supported by the US and main stream media. It’s important to note that the Rohingyas Liberation Organisation has links with Jihadist organizations supported by Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan and NATO. http://www.voltairenet.org/article197786.html
That’s because Myanmar Government is not in the US block. The organization you are talking about is very tiny and Myanmar is punishing the entire race for that.
You are a silly troll. I spoke to Myanmars and they know the truth about the evil Rohingyas. These despicable people have invaded from Bangladesh. They constantly kill Buddhists. Rohingyas burn their own houses down and then look for sympathy abroad. Myanmars will never accept them. They are a convenient tool for certain foreign governments for destabilisation. A tool once used discarded,
Get some knowledge.
“These despicable people have invaded from Bangladesh.”
This is the worst lie I have heard for a while. “Rohingyas” are native to Rakhain state. Do some research then speak.
It is a sad state of affairs as many innocent are being killed. Unfortunately, the Buddhist folk in Bangladesh were treated (and still are to some extent) just as terribly. The folk in Myanmar view their position as a stand against encroaching muslim populations and the persecutions they have traditionally suffered at their hands. That’s why there is no majority domestic resistance to this elimination program.
I don’t see a political solution. Either way the article is correct, su-30 in not a close ground support aircraft.
US wasn’t complaining when the Israelis were selling weapons to the former Burmese junta.
“Unfortunately, the Buddhist folk in Bangladesh were treated (and still are to some extent) just as terribly”.
This is not true.
Why do you not really know what goes on or are you just some ridiculous SJW spouting nonsense without knowing the facts.
Realize this:
1 Million of rohingyas fled their home without giving a fight. They are not extremists.
Troll alert whose payroll are you on?
Oh come on!!
You are 100% correct, in many instances they (Bangladeshi Buddhists and Hindu) are treated worse. No one has accused the Myanmar military or civilian population of abducting Rohinga children to be converted and married off as child brides/slaves, in addition to the usual burning, looting, raping, and murder.
As I stated, there is no political solution now except for Bangladesh and Pakistan to relocate Rohinga inside their borders. Myanmar aught to propose a swap.
Pakistan?? why??
India won’t take them and is actively trying to deport the tens of thousands they’ve already accepted. China won’t take any either.
Pakistan has links to Rohinga militant groups, as do the Saudis. With the militant wing of the Rohingas pretty much smushed and the civilians taking the heat, is only fair the jokers who armed and trained them aught to help out now that things have gone sour.
They won’t of course. Jihadis are free to come and go, regular people who just need a place to live and work need not apply. Plus, refugee camps make great recruiting centers.
Please see the map.
I have, I realize Pakistan does share a border, but they do share some responsibility for the situation. There are no other states willing to take anything more than a handful of Rohinga. Thailand has already taken in many thousands, and India and China won’t take any more. Its tough enough for Bangladeshi citizens let alone those in their refugee camps.
And it doesn’t look like they can stay where they are. Maybe France will take them in?
No one wants refugees except some European countries. They accept because their master wants so. Europeans suffers from US doings, but yet they don’t understand it or don’t wanna understand it.
I upvoted you, not because I support the US but because I think the majority of Rohigyas are not guilty. There are armed rebels -ISIS style- right there that do horrorful things and in return, the retaliation for their crimes is targeted at farmers. It’s them who suffer because the US and it’s cronies want to throw a wrench in the Chinese plans. Almost the same thing is happening to the Syrians, Yemenis and various other places. US planning combined with Saudi oil money created hell on earth for the people of these countries.
A friendly advice. Never, ever believe for a second that countries like the governments of the US, UK, France and Canada are worried about the human rights. They will gladly close their eyes if the worst happens by the hands of the ones they support and in turn, make a lot of noise if someone they don’t like allegedly or in actuality does something far less.
(…A friendly advice. Never, ever believe for a second that countries like the governments of the US, UK, France and Canada are worried about the human rights. They will gladly close their eyes if the worst happens by the hands of the ones they support and in turn, make a lot of noise if someone they don’t like allegedly or in actuality does something far less…)
Very true! Very wise words, indeed!
I agree
That even goes for Russia, Iran etc. they all have their own agendas, no country is exempt in these matters.
Russia and Iran don’t initiate wars but only react, (sometimes), to the empire’s aggressive moves of conquest. Syria and Ukraine are two shinning examples where Iran and Russia reacted to empire’s aggressive moves and almost stopped it or at least, slowed it down.
From Iran you had fighters in Bosnia and Kosovo, Iranian government supported the attacks on Serbs and now in Myanmar they seem to be almost a silent ally to the west. They may act in defense of some countries but that is not necessarily in all cases.
You probably have a point here but compared to the U$, the Saudis and other U$ allies, I will still upvote for Iran!
An armed group doesn’t have to be ISIS styled. There are few (not even close to 100) and they are poorly equipped. They are guerrillas.
guerrillas like them exist in almost any country.
Sorry to burst your bubble they now number in the thousands when the first outbreak happened they had 1000 at that point was Golden Sham army, follow this since the number of Foreign and Terrorist operatives in the region.
Source please
If you can’t find it then your IP is blocking them on purpose.
Hehe, that’s the worst excuse ever. Grow up
The so-called Rohingya have had a representative and an office in Riyadh for years. This gives an immediate wahhabi connection. Besides they have revolted against the Burmese government before. These are no rag-a-tag guerrillas. These are regime change fighters financed and directed from abroad. It is a familiar recipe. People are waking up to the nasty games CIA/Mossad play on them using salafist jihadists. The counter-argument to their fervour will soon always be the report of a gun. It is the only reason they hear (in their last moment).
The Golden army is led by a former Tunisian Colonel in intelligence and was in Syria with ISIS previously another operative from Algeria Al Qaeda in Libya is from the MOSSAD and they are in constant contact. So it is pretty much a guarantee that they are creating ISIS and last known number was 1500 or more. They have been attacking and raiding army posts and villages, they really don’t care about the people, they are funded by the US to disrupt the OBR like all these attacks are about.
Here again. point everything to ISIS and mossad.
Just the truth on the situation if you can’t handle that fact Governments are paid for by corporations and work for them. This is part of the “Return to the East Suez” plan there are many more players in this situation, as it’s intention is to maintain “Divide and Conquer” strategy Brits were first then US. They all work together for the common greed, so you can have that comfortable lifestyle of complaining.
I agree to what you said, but that doesn’t mean that the “corporations” are to blame for each and every problem on earth.
Banks and corporations have been running the World hundreds of years.
Rohingya militants chose to attack the Myanmar national army, and now they are reaping what the sowed.
One should not punish the entire race for few militants.
Honestly, if the criminals in the US want to make sales to Myanmar, then how about actually building aircraft that work! The F-35 is nothing but an overpriced flying joke and the Myanmar government knows it and are not that stupid!
I hear that the stealth of F-35 works so well that you can’t even hear the pilots breathing.
They are almost comatose from cabin pressure issues.
Pathetic usa! Losing is not easy but have some dignity. Globalization/colonization is not going to happen. Your empire is collapsing by the day. Your days of global policeman are over.
People in the corrupt American military defense complex are such pathetic snowflakes.
My friend in Myanmar said any Muslims around and they watch them like a hawk. Everyone watches them waiting to deal with trouble. Any trouble and they fight them immediately. Myanmar is no push over and will never be conquered by Bangladesh or Foreign Muslim insurgents which is what these Rohingyas are. She said muslims have killed so many Myanmar people. That is why they are ready to fight them any time. They are not naive. If west supports them they will be ejected from Myanmar.
You can see where the US are going to go with the next round of sanctions.