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[Jimmy]

There's an entire Wikipedia article devoted to China's salami slicing tactics. It's a shame Bhutan isn't asserting its territorial rights, but with one of the world's biggest militaries looming over them, I can see why.

Frankly, I have little respect for the tactics used by China. Nothing against the common man in the country, but the CCP is contemptable as a government.

[Loud Whispers]

What's mine is mine and what's yours is negotiable

[martinuzz]

Looks like we have a military coup in Myanmar

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-55882489

[Loud Whispers]

Fourth time's the charm

[martinuzz]

The army has declared martial law and national state of emergency for a period of 1 year, after which they promise to hold free and fair elections. Except for the nationalist supporters party of the army (USDP, who were wiped out in the elections last november), no one in Myanmar believes a word of it.

[misko27]

Apparently it's come after recent elections in Myanmar delivered a strong result for Aung San Siu Kyi's National League for Democracy, 83%, which the military had attempted to overturn as fraudulent and made claims pf mass voter fraud (which was rejected by Myanmar's Supreme Court).

Myanmar's democracy gave many advantages to the military, including guaranteed seats in parliament (the constitution was desgined by the military, after all). But the military's proxy party performed poorly regardless. The Army Chief was supposed to be aging out of his position this summer; unclear what happens there now.

[feelotraveller]

What do you do during a coup?  Well dance aerobics, of course.

https://www.9news.com.au/world/myanmar-workout-video-during-military-takeover-goes-viral/528d3bb6-0c5c-4204-9699-f5142499980a

(Emma Goldman eat your heart out ...)

[Jimmy]

Obviously the democratic election was fraudulent because the wrong party got elected, and thus the military has a moral responsibility to rectify this error using force.

Sarcasm aside, I expect to some degree there likely was fraud during the election. Dirty dealings among the rich and powerful are pretty much a given for a developing nation. Also, let's not forget Aung San Suu Kyi's track record with the Rohingya genocide tarnishing her reputation as a symbol of western style liberal democracy.

Personally, I give it even odds we'll see some form of pivot towards the Chinese within Myanmar's military over the next few decades. I sincerely doubt this state of events isn't at least somewhat stimulated by influence from the CCP to destabilize the formation of yet another western friendly democratic government on their doorstep.

[martinuzz]

Meanwhile, Aung San Suu Kyi has now been formally charged with .... the posession of 6 illegally imported walkie talkies.

In protest against the coup, the population of Myanmar banged on pots and pans.  The doctors and nurses of 70 hospitals and healthcare centres went on strike, refusing to do their job in protest of the coup.

I wonder how many patients died.

[Loud Whispers]

Look out she's got a walkie talkie

[martinuzz]

As was to be expected, China banned 'gossip machine' BBC World News for 'severely violating Chinese regulations that ensure truthful and honest reporting'.

The decision comes a week after the UK banned CGTN

[feelotraveller]

So apparently in Hong Kong holding an election to select opposition candidates is an act of attempting to overthrow the government.  47 opposition figures have been charged on this basis with 'conspiracy to commit subversion'.  The new security law in its most stringent application (so far).

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-56228363

Well I guess they are not wrong, what is a democractic election but an overturning of goverment. 

[martinuzz]

Ceterum autem censeo Chinam esse delendam

[feelotraveller]

Ceterum autem censeo Chinam esse delendam

Warmongering zenophobia has a long and inglorious history.

[martinuzz]

War isn't always bad. War is horrible, but not always bad. Imagine how the world would be like if we hadn't gone to war with Hitler. And China is becoming more and more like Hitler, with how for example they genocide the Uigurs, and supress opposition.

But yeah, I'd prefer China be destroyed from within by protests and democratic reforms than by war.