Zack, Jenn, and Alex discuss the recent coup in Myanmar, in which the Myanmarese military deposed the country’s quasi-democratic government and detained its civilian leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, along with hundreds of members of her political party. They look at why this happened, explain why both sides in this fight are morally compromised, explore what the Biden administration and the international community can (and can’t) do in response, and project what this means for the future of Myanmar's democracy — and the safety of the country’s many persecuted minority groups.

References:

Alex wrote an explainer on the Myanmar coup.

And he also wrote about why the coup is a problem for Biden’s pro-democracy agenda.

Jen Kirby wrote on why the coup is deeply troubling for Myanmar’s most vulnerable.

And she wrote about the laughable charges the military leveled against Aung Sang Suu Kyi.

The AP explains the differences between “Myanmar” and “Burma.”

The new military leadership has shut down Facebook, Reuters reported.

Slate has a great piece on why an Obama-era democratization push for Myanmar probably won’t happen this time.

Here’s the Foreign Policy story with the headline “Who Lost Myanmar?”

Hosts:

Zack Beauchamp (@zackbeauchamp), senior correspondent, Vox

Jennifer Williams (@jenn_ruth), senior foreign editor, Vox

Alex Ward (@AlexWardVox), White House reporter, Vox

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