American Practical Joke on Poor Burma?

 

"Beginning May 1997, in accordance with the IEEPA and NEA, the successive US Presidents from Bill Clinton to Barack Obama has issued the national emergency in May every year by stating that our little country, Burma, unusually threatens the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the US and continued imposing various trade and financial sanctions against us.

In this regard, I would like to report to the Parliament who really threatens whose national security, foreign policy, and economy. With common sense everybody knows the true fact that with only 50 million people and still at the bottom of the list of UN’s Least Developed Nations our little country cannot really threaten 300 million strong USA which, as the world’s only superpower, has the strongest economic strength and the biggest military might spending 50% of world total military expenditure."

U Hla Htun   

Minister for Finance & Revenue

Burmese Government

(March 25, 2011)

----(And US President Obama has done that again this year on May 16, 2011)-----

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

May 16, 2011

Notice from the President regarding the annual renewal of the national emergency with respect to Burma

NOTICE

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CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO BURMA

     On May 20, 1997, the President issued Executive Order 13047, certifying to the Congress under section 570(b) of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1997 (Public Law 104-208), that the Government of Burma had committed large-scale repression of the democratic opposition in Burma after September 30, 1996, thereby invoking the prohibition on new investment in Burma by United States persons contained in that section.  The President also declared a national emergency to deal with the threat posed to the national security and foreign policy of the United States by the actions and policies of the Government of Burma, invoking the authority, inter alia, of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, 50 U.S.C. 1701-1706.

     Because the actions and policies of the Government of Burma continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States, the national emergency declared on May 20, 1997, and the measures adopted to deal with that emergency in Executive Orders 13047 of May 20, 1997, 13310 of July 28, 2003, 13348 of October 18, 2007, and 13464 of April 30, 2008, must continue in effect beyond May 20, 2011.

     Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency with respect to Burma.  This notice shall be published in the Federal Register and transmitted to the Congress.

BARACK OBAMA