7/6/2021

My Dear Friend & POTUS, JRB,      

            Have you been keeping up with what’s going on in Myanmar? In case you haven’t, the protests and detentions continue & now CV is spreading. Of particular, concern is CV in the Insein prison where many protestors have been detained.

I find it deeply troubling that Russia seems to be fanning the flames, even though according to today’s Reuters Sergei Lavrov claims that Russia supports the ASEAN position on resolving the situation. It seems that VVP sees the coup as an opportunity to supplant Western influence in Southeast Asia.  He’s doing this by selling helicopters, MIGs and artillery, bestowing an honorary professorship on Gen. Min Aung Hlaing & training Tatmadaw troops.

            As a person of Russian descent, I wonder what makes the Russian people so pugilistic. They’ve got the 4th largest military in the world, but the 9th largest population & the 11th largest economy. They’d be much better off if they got rid of their military & concentrated on improving the lives of the people at home. I think we would, too.  

                   As you consider ways to pay for your infrastructure improvements, please consider diverting some $$ from designing nuclear weapons to making broadband available in rural communities. You could call it “military spending” because it would make things safer out in the hinterlands.

            BYBS,