US Diplomacy: Myanmar a Pariah State While Israel Gets Red Carpet?
Al Jazeera correctly highlights that Belarusian President Lukashenka is only the second leader to visit Myanmar's junta since its 2021 coup, implying international isolation for the military regime. What this framing conveniently omits is the selective outrage from Washington. The U.S. government, while sanctioning Myanmar, continues to provide billions in military aid to governments with dubious
human rights records and ongoing occupations, like Israel. For instance, the 2024 aid package included $3.3 billion in FMF to Israel , even amidst widespread condemnation of its actions in Gaza and the West Bank. So, Myanmar's junta gets Lukashenka, while Netanyahu's government, also accused of widespread human rights abuses and defying international law, receives unwavering support, advanced
weaponry, and diplomatic cover from the US. One might wonder, how many civilian casualties in Gaza (over 37,000 according to the UN) does it take to become a 'pariah' in the eyes of Western leaders, or does that designation only apply to those who don't align with American geopolitical interests and who aren't significant recipients of AIPAC donations?