"A skyfull of lies.."
The Burmese people have been warned by their military government.. that reports from the West, specifically the BBC and SkyNews.. and manufacturing a crisis which simply doesn't exist..
The military fired on the protesters today.. reports are that at least four have been killed, one of them, possibly, a Japanese photographer..
It continues to be interesting, the reaction from France concerning these developments in one of their spheres of economic involvement.. At the moment, France is a major investor.. along with the military junta.. in the construction of a major oil and gas pipeline complex. There's a lot of French money tied up in Burma..
The French oil giant Total is a major investor in Burma through its gas pipeline project in Yadana.. Total itself has been embroiled in a series of court cases over forced labour and other human rights abuses..
Under Jacques Chirac, the French government told a US court that suing the company would "conflict with French national interest".
The Sarkozy government takes a more critical line with Total, but had not, in the past, called for disinvestment.
Then, last night in an interview.. French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner suggested that he would eventually like to see Total disinvesting..
A serious statement, when taken in context..

Let's segue for a moment to the Labour Party Conference, which has wound up today..
It would seem, that Gordon has demonstrated that not only has he the flexibility to accept programs suggested by the Opposition, and the nous to keep a finger on the pulse of the nation..
One might go out on a limb here, and suggest that Gordon will call an early election.. perhaps not as early as the 'Young Turks' in the Party might like, but likely by the Spring at the latest..
Possibly earlier..
And he will win.. There may well be a time for David to take the reins, but not yet..
But the point is, that Gordon, along with France's new leader Nicholas.. and Germany's Angela.. may well form the core of an alliance which would wield considerable weight in International Affairs.. While Britain will remain and island, separated from a complete EU.. the decisions made, in concert, by these three leaders will begin to have some international credibility..
Vlad, also in the way out, has set his country on a road which would appear to be an acceptable compromise, bridging traditional Leninist values with Western economic realities.. A solid power base there, and one not antipathetic to consumerism..
China's waking up.. And is perhaps realising the responsibility that accompanies it's role in the worldwide scheme of things..
It may well be, that a consolidation of the Northern Hemisphere/Pacific Rim countries will, of necessity, see the end of 'military dictatorships' as such.. and to return to the original focus, Burma may well be the catalyst that sets off a reaction which will be a prototype for change in other parts of the world..
When we hear that the Burmese military raided several monasteries overnight.. with hundreds arrested.. '..beaten and herded like cattle into army trucks to be taken to parts unknown..' according to witness reports.. it sparks a sense of moral outrage..a global shudder of revulsion that surpasses even those felt when we're presented with pictures of African infants with flies crawling into their eyes..
Perhaps, if the persecution of the Burmese clerics and public forces some change in that country, through international moral suasion.. Those African infants might feel a downstream effect..
One major question remains.
When George leaves office, what will the US become?
Now frankly, with the certain exception of the Middle East, Europe and Asia can deal with both Africa and the Indonesian problems.. An alliance between Britain, a diplomatically strong EU, Russia, China, Japan, and Australia, can settle issues the likes of Burma.. and any other like situations..
But, the world has it's eyes on the States.. trying to determine which of the Parties.. which of their possible candidates, has the credibility to deal with the problems they'll inherit.
It's a concern..
Interesting.. a statement directly from the White House literally moments ago.. 'demanding' the violence against peaceful protesters in Burma cease immediately..
How much more weight the same statement would have had, had it come from Beijing..