Threat of foreign invasion as driving force of Myanmar's foreign policy

Within its history Myanmar had repeatedly faced the challenge of armedinvasion, Since the 13th century it suffered invasions by its three neighbors, China, India and Thailand. Imperial Japan invaded thecountry in late 1941 and early 1942. Hardly a year after regaining its independence Myanmar was invaded by the remains ofKuomintang armed forces. In 1948 after Myanmar regained independence the government's main aims were to unite and control thecountry that was weakened by war and in menace of disintegration because of numerous insurgent group actions. Although many statesface separatist movement for Myanmar government strategic thinking the key determinant was that most of the insurgentgroups in Myanmar were supported by foreign governments. The main event of the end of the 20th century that brought the renewedconcerns of external intervention in the country's affairs was the crash of the massive pro-democracy uprising in 1988. In 1990 themilitary government refused to acknowledge the outcome of the general election, and, in fact, usurped power. Since then, themain concern of the military junta was in the fact that it can be forced by international community to acknowledge the 1990 electionsresults. The regime believed that the instant threat to its existence was the United States and major EU countries which itsuspected in covert campaign to undermine the military government by supporting opposition activists and heating up internalunrest. Two important events occurred: "the saffron revolution" in 2007, and the Hurricane Nargis, which slammed into the territory ofMyanmar in 2008. Since 1988 Myanmar was a target for the international mass media and human rights activist organizations criticism.There have been calls for country to be included in ''the axis of evil'' labeled by President Bush and even to invade Myanmar for ''thegood of its people''. The armed interventions in Panama (1989), Somalia (1992), Haiti (1994), Kosovo (1999), Afghanistan (2001) andIraq (1991, 2001) were taken by Myanmar military government as the examples of US policy of interference into the affairs of otherstates including possibility to topple the regimes hostile to Washington. For the military leadership in Naypidaw, isolated and fearfulof external interference, such actions appeared to be a threat and a proof that the hostile campaign to undermine the regime isunderway and government should be prepared to confront it. The historical and personal experience contributed to a profound sense ofnational insecurity, fear of domestic chaos and a deep distrust of foreign countries, alongside with the policy of self-reliance, allthis became the basis of the ideology of the Myanmar leadership.

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