The Pakistan Model for Burma

The Pakistan Model for Burma Monday, July 2, 2007; Page A18 Griff Witte's article on "Musharraf's Military Reaches Deep Into Pakistani Society" [World News, June 27] was an important contribution to the public's understanding of contemporary Pakistan and the ubiquitous role of the military in that society. Yet one could easily substitute the word Burma for Pakistan through much of the article. The depth to which the military has penetrated Burmese society is quite similar, although Burma does not have the capacity for public protest that Pakistan has witnessed in recent months. Understanding the background of the historical and present roles of the military and its likely future in both countries is essential for sound U.S. policies toward each, as is the potential of the civilian political parties. If the United States has perhaps been too close to the military in Pakistan for obvious strategic interests against terrorism, the United States has been reluctant to engage the military in Burma until quite recently ["China Lends a Hand," op-ed, June 28]. In both cases, the United States must astutely gauge the military's potential for inducing positive change, pluralism and eventual representative government. The dialogue and debate regarding Pakistan in Washington, however, is far more open than that concerning Burma, a country of considerable strategic interest to the United States, China and India. DAVID I. STEINBERG Bethesda