Aug. 30, 2007 (LPAC) - At a briefing today at the White House discussing President Bush's upcoming Asia trip to attend the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Australia next week, there was a constant refrain of "Burma - Burma - Burma" as a top item to be discussed at every meeting. The normal demonization of Myanmar (Burma) has reached a new level, as demonstrations within Burma over the past ten days have been given prominent coverage in the western press, as supposed evidence of suppressed opposition to the government breaking out of containment.

In fact, the small demonstrations were, for the first time in many years, economic in nature, protesting the lifting of some of the subsidies for fuel. What is generally left out of the coverage is that the lifting of subsidies was an IMF proposal! Ironically, when Indonesia lifted their fuel subsidies last year, also under heavy IMF pressure, there were similar demonstrations - but Indonesia was praised by the West for showing courage against "populist" support for the subsidies, and for getting more in line with "market prices."

The Nation in Thailand, partially owned by Dow Jones, tipped the western oligarchy's hand in the matter, writing on Aug. 27: "The IMF has been advising the junta on how to modernize its economic management and tax collection system. In normal circumstances, the junta's latest move would have been considered sound economic policy. But given the long-standing suppression and suffering of the Burmese people, the fuel-price hike represents a small window to speak out."

Bush is unlikely to be successful in turning Myanmar's Asian neighbors against her, as evidence by the title of The Nation article: "Uproar in Burma, Silence in ASEAN." As unwise as the lifting of subsidies may be, every government in the world is facing the same pressure, as the global inflation rates for energy and food are skyrocketing, horribly squeezing national governments.