Myanmar Katrina Deja Vu Waltz

Immediately after the mega cyclone hit Myanmar, the military junta refused any foreign aid.

There was international outrage, and Laura Bush held a press conference condemning the thugs. As time has gone by, a bit of aid has trickled in. However, piles of offers are ignored and the generals outright refuse most of it—they absolutely don't want any foreigners inside their country helping out.

No one can understand how these people can be so barbaric. Why are they doing this?

I suppose it is the same reason the United States government did not want any foreign aid after Katrina.

After the hurricane devastated the gulf coast, the world opened its heart and pocketbooks to America. Offers of assistance poured in. But the vast majority was either not accepted or outright rejected by the federal government.

After their assistance was rejected, some of the countries,were able to redirect their offers through organizations like the Red Cross.

However, of $454 million in cash that was pledged by more than 150 countries and foreign organizations, only $126 million from 40 donors was actually received . There were also offers of oil, medical supplies and food—which went nowhere.

Of seventy-seven offers extended by Britain, Israel and Canada—fifty-four were rejected.

While people in New Orleans were sitting on top their roofs, to escape the flood waters, several countries offered their troops for search and rescue purposes—none were accepted.

In the end 4.7% of the total foreign aid offered was accepted.

Given the record breaking incompetence of the response to Katrina, I suppose some of the refusal can be explained that way.

But the main reason was our government did not want to give the impression they were incapable of handling the situation.

But it was not just pride and arrogance. There was fear if that kind of aid was accepted, the foreigners would be able to exert influence on the nation's policymakers.

Gee Whiz, the Myanmar cluster fuck is deja vu all over again.