There was a military coup in Myanmar — the generals didn’t much care for who the people elected with a democratic vote, so they just rolled in and changed the results, deposing Aung San Suu Kyi and installing Commander in Chief Min Aung Hlaing to run the state. I am relatively happy that the military has a good policy to stay out of politics and wasn’t involved in our recent insurrection.
We need something surreal now and then, though. Here’s a video of a woman in Myanmar doing her workout routine while the coup quietly unrolls behind her.
I am relatively happy that the military has a good policy to stay out of politics
Until Trump I assumed this a a given and permanent situation. Now I’m not so sure. I worry that the nationalists are winning.
Way OT: Why didn’t you tell us about this? Drunk zebra fish: https://www.facebook.com/IFLScience/photos/a.621016214586060/4411303968890580/
It was a close thing though.
Trump and his band of fascists thought long and hard about declaring martial law and having the military depose our current 234 year old government.
If you remember, very late in the Trump Disaster, he was replacing all the top people commanding our military. Including the head of our nuclear stockpile.
Not least, this idea never got too far because the military said they weren’t going to do it.
To say the military wasn’t involved in our recent attack on the Capitol building isn’t quite correct.
During the attack, people asked for the National Guard to come and defend the Capitol.
At least six times.
They refused 5 of those requests because Trump wouldn’t authorize it.
It took Nancy Pelosi, the head of the Senate, and VP Pence to get them moving.
By the time the National Guard arrived, it was too late.
The Capitol building was cleared by the Washington DC police reinforcing the Capitol Hill police.
It wasn’t exactly a nice peaceful democracy before this, you know…. Or you might not know, actually, since most of our journalists are terrible at their jobs. Wiki’s page on the Rohingya genocide is a perfect way to put yourself in a very bad mood.
@4 Yes, my thoughts too.
I don’t know what the relative influences of the government and military were in the genocide, but the government was at the very least complicit. A very nasty business, and quite well reported over here.
Joy Division
Sure, including Aung San Suu Kyi herself.
Oh god, another “both sides” variant?
The military launched the genocide, alongside various other repression they’ve meted out over the years. Having them be in power is not going to make things better.
numerobis: that’s supposed to be a response to me?
Yeah, I’m not really sure how to feel about this coup. On the one side, the government that just got ousted basically stood around and did nothing about the Rohingya Genocide. Either explicitly or tacitly condoning it. But, the Military that carried out the coup is the same ones committing the genocide.
So….
Can we all agree that the genocide would have gotten way more attention if there hadn’t been a reality TV star running the government and the Media spent all it’s time discussing him and his crap?
I don’t blame anyone for being ignorant about this, since I don’t remember it getting much attention at the time either.
But to be clear, it was not “tacit.” CNN, Nov. 20, 2019:
@8
I don’t see that CR suggested the coup was a good thing – just that the Goverment and military were in cahoots, so the democracy wasn’t working too well either. Or perhaps it was, If the majority of Mayanmar wanted rid of the Rahinga – therein lies the flaw.
I’ve been in Myanmar several time over the last two years. 110 (25%) of the 440 members of their legislature are appointed by the military. At all top managerial levels of government, there are usually two appointees with different titles, one civilian to do the work, one military to oversee it. The military appointee takes a civilian title, but is usually a general or high ranking officer who then wears civilian clothing. Each has their own staff.
Aung San Syu Ki never had a chance. She introduced extensive reforms, especially in the civil and commercial sector, but had almost zero influence on security issues. The Rohingya expulsion and genocide was horrific, and she should have resigned, but that was the only option available to her.
I guess that evil looking convoy of black cars and vans was heading off to make arrests?
PZ posted about the genocide. And it was discussed on the Political Madness thread, IIRC.
Re: raven @ #3…
Specifically, the President Pro Tem of the Senate. All three are in the line of succession to the presidency. In order: VP, Speaker of the House, President Pro Tem of the Senate.
The post title reminds me of this Jason Webley song:
Dance While the Sky Crashes Down.
@whheydt #16, and just to name names, on January 6 the President Pro Tem was Sen. Grassley. Now it is Sen. Leahy.
John @17: It reminded me of this:
Dance, Monkeys, Dance.
We can dance if we want to.
In case you need to get more depressed …
Captain Tom – the 100-year-old who raised millions for health care- has died of COVID19.
He got pneumonia, which prevented him from getting vaccinated.
All She Wants To Do Is Dance – Don Henley first thing that popped into my head when I saw the video.
One of my friends was complaining about me dancing the whole time trump was president. Dancing relieved the stress
@22 brightmoon
The day after the 2016 election I had tickets for a synthpop show. You’re damn right I danced my ass off the next day. I needed some kind of catharsis.