With ASEAN Stuck, It Is up to U.S. To Lead on Myanmar

The U.S. has been supporting democracy and civilian rule in Myanmar for decades but has punched far below its weight in the current crisis. It can and should provide much-needed leadership now, while continuing to partner with those elements in ASEAN that recognize that the current trajectory is not a viable option.

Writing for the Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center, Scot Marciel argues that the U.S should adopt an interventionist posture into the crisis ongoing in Myanmar and provide more explicit and substantial support for the resistance movement against the military coup.

As the situation has stayed still in a deadlock under ASEAN, Marciel contends that the U.S. could provide leadership to tilt the balance of power in favor of the democracy movement. Referencing the comparative comparative mountain of military support the U.S. has provided Ukraine, Marciel recognizes the strategic priorities of the two different struggles to the U.S. administration, but highlights the disconnect between the language of support for the resistance in Myanmar and the lack of follow-through thus far.