China has the power to stop this.

Consider phoning the local embassies of both countries or visiting them.

If only there was oil in Burma, we could go help.

But yeah, gay Republicans harsh my mellow.

the answer is 170+
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/09/27/afghanistan.fighting/index.html

when American's petition China to stop supporting Burma, it'll be ironic when the Chinese petition the US to stop slaughtering Afghani's (note: any killed civilian ends up as "insurgent" numbers... see Vietnam).

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2007-09-27-us-soldier-trial_N.htm

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/09/27/iraq.blackwater/index.html

I think your guess is pretty much right. Burma's ruling junta changed the country's name from Burma to Myanmar, and the (now former) cap. city's name from Rangoon to Yangon, some years ago. Cartographers, geography nuts (like myself), and diplomats took note, but I think most people still refer to the country as "Burma" out of respect for the Burmese people and in opposition to the junta.

Meanwhile America is obsessed with fluff.

Yeah, that says a lot.

Too bad we're pinned down in Iraq in a useless war that accomplishes nothing.

yes, let's ignore Christian led wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Christian armies which ousted a stable gov't in Ethiopia, Israel occupation, the Nazi party voted in by Catholics, etc....

Hurray for religion!

Judeo-Christian nations have killed more people in history than Islamic/Buddhist/Animist nations combined....

@21 that'll be a fascinating trip. I'd like to know what you find out. The monks have been an inspiration to me, and it has been wonderful to see how non-monks have gathered around them during their protests to protect them from police. It's a heroic story and a good testimony to liberal Christians who also fight for peace (like the visit several of us had on Monday with Murray and Cantwell staffers on Iraq).

But, as I said, they're pinned down in Iraq ... speaking of which, why are we worried about naval attacks from Iraq?

The Anti-Defamation league protects Jews from this kind of painful imagery. The U.S. government should be forced to spend money so that no Jew sees any image that is offensive.

Catholics being offended by images is idiotic because Christianity is a toxic cult. But Judaism is based on truth and Torah and any image that offends a Jew in America must be altered till no Jew could be offended by it.

And, of course, this is just another good example of why protests don't matter, so people should just sit in front of their computers and pontificate.

/snark off/

btw, I'm an atheist.

Myanmar is actually a better name. The Burmese tribe is the largest ethnic group in the country, but not the only one. The ruling military junta are ass hats of the highest order, but the name change doesn't really bother most people who live there. The name Burma for the country was a British colonial construct. It is entirely likely they would have changed the name, regardless of who was running the country, once the British were gone.

Despite its colonial origins, Burmese people themselves frequently say 'Burma'--and not just to show opposition to the military regime--but write 'Myanmar'. Burma/Myanmar seems roughly analogous to America/United States of America.