The Research Of America's Policy To Myanmar (1988-2010)

Myanmar broke out serious political crisis in September 1988. Myanmar Defense Forces staged a coup to take full of controlling the state power. From then on, the new military junta ruled Myanmar. Myanmar's politics,economy and diplomacy have developed since twenty years ago under the rule of the new military junta.Although the relationship of the United States and Myanmar had several twists and turns, it was overall normal. The United States sometimes assisted Myanmar economy military anti-narcotics and so on before 1988. However, the relationship of the United States and Myanmar became bad quickly after the new military junta ruled Myanmar. After the Myanmar election in 1990, as the new military junta refused to hand over the power to the NLD who won the election, it made the United States who always expected Myanmar to be a western-style democracy country dissatisfied. The United States formally recalled its ambassador and refused to acknowledge the new military regime. After that, the United States has carried out economic sanctions,political pressure and diplomatic isolation on Myanmar for a long time. The United States tried its best to stop Myanmar from joining ASEAN and opposed Myanmar as ASEAN's rotating presidency in 2006 and wanted the Security council to discuss the Myanmar issue to make it international. Meanwhile, The United States also called on the international community to isolate Myanmar. In 2009, The United States began to adjust the policy on Myanmar which shifted from the sanctions to both sanctions and bilateral relations in order to meet its own interests. The relationship between the United States and Myanmar has eased.There are several reasons that influences the sanction policy of the United States to Myanmar. The changes of the international environment, the independent diplomacy of Myanmar, the conservation of its own interests and so on.The United States policy on Myanmar has achieved certain effectiveness. It has delayed the growth of Myanmar economy in some degree and has made the new military junta increase the pressure in politics and diplomacy. However, the United States policy on Myanmar has some limitations. After all, sanctions, pressure and isolation policy could not fully achieve the intended target. That's why the United States begins to adjust its policies on Myanmar.