Bush appeals to China to pressure Myanmar

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

Source: yahoo-reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush reached out to China to exert its influence on Myanmar on Thursday, an admission that new U.S. sanctions alone will not be enough to stop the ruling junta's crackdown on protesters.

Trying to rally the international community against Myanmar's generals, Bush met Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and asked Beijing "to help bring a peaceful transition to democracy in Burma," the White House said.

The surprise talks came after at least nine people were killed in Myanmar as police and soldiers cleared the streets of central Yangon in a two-day-old crackdown on the country's largest protests in 20 years.

Even as tightened U.S. sanctions went into force on Thursday against Myanmar's military leaders, Bush appeared to acknowledge the limits of Washington's power in the crisis.


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070927/pl_nm/myanmar_usa_dc_1

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Oh yeah, the Chinese butchers will care. They were so great to those students in 1989. But thanks to Bush I and Clinton's lead, follewed by Bush II's policies the U.S. is in no position to influence China on anything. They own our debt.

[LakeSamish706]

1. That is so ludicruos.... GWB appealing for someone to help prevent torture....

Please don't get me wrong, whatever works to save lives.... But this is beyond words...

[Deja Q]

2. And we buy their toxic products

China is in a worse off position right now; they may have taken US debt, but they've proven to the world (which is bigger than the US, I'll readily admit) they cannot be trusted with their paint and fish, or overseeing corporate designs for the toys they make. (aren't we all in this together, 'globalization'?)

[kurth]

3. i.e. Bush to China: "PLEASE tell Myanmar I said hi"

[fasttense]

4. Just another Orwellian moment in history.

A country that is quickly eliminating its citizens rights, appeals to a country that ignores it's citizens' rights, to stop a third country from killing its citizens. Ok, that's going to do it.