May 9, 2008 (LPAC)--U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates rejected the chorus of lunatics calling for an invasion of Myanmar to "help the people" who were impacted by the cyclone. Gates said on Thursday that a U.S. Navy strike group in the Gulf of Thailand has sent helicopters ashore, to be ready to respond to a request for help from Myanmar, and will send ships through the Malacca Straits to Myanmar (a five-day trip) to help as requested. But when asked about those, including U.S. aid officials and French Foreign Minister Kouchner, who called for a "humanitarian" effort backed up by force, Gates said: "I cannot imagine us going in without the permission of the Myanmar government."