Senator Webb interview - by Warner

The interviewer was good. Webb couldn't answer her questions with any specifics at all, and now just days after they met 30,000 refugees have fled from the country. Webb seemed quite confused about what his position was, and would offer no specifics. He also made some pretty audacious claims that Warner called him on.

- When Warner asked him about whether Than Shwe showed any interested in change, Webb said "Probably." Is there any evidence whatsoever of this?

- Webb held up Vietnam as an example of how to proceed, but then contradicted himself by saying that Vietnam is worse than Burma and that there are no opposition parties in Vietnam. Is that what he wants for Burma? Then, Webb said that the U.S. situation in Afghanistan is nothing like Vietnam. Eh? So, Burma is like Vietnam but Afghanistan is not. The dude should read some more history.

- Then, Warner asked Webb how Than reacted when he asked Suu Kyi to released and he wouldn't say anything.

The only thing he really said was that the Burmese could learn from Americans, of course the old colonialist view -- the Burmese area already struggling for democracy, probably know more about it than Americans! And, course, Webb's condescending view of Americans teaching Burmese was refuted in an op-ed by a leading Burmese Buddhist monk who said: "Webb claims that the Burmese people would benefit from interaction with the outside world, as if we need to be condescendingly "taught" by Americans about our rights and responsibilities." (read here:http://www.irrawaddymedia.com/opinion_story.php?art_id=16637)

I thought Warner did a decent job of showing that Webb doesn't know what he's talking about. Not a home run, but she didn't let him off easily either.

Will be interested to see what others think.

Online NewsHour PBS
Source: www.pbs.org


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