<p>1. Why should the United States and international community help the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar?</p>

<p>The devastating cyclone that hit Myanmar on May 3rd killed over 100,000 people. Over 2.5 million more people are suffering, and they urgently need our assistance. Thousands of them are children. They're malnourished, they're sick, and now many of them are orphans. So the reasons to act are clear. Primarily, they're moral. The people in Myanmar are our global neighbors, and when your neighbor is in trouble, you help. It doesn't matter if they live thousands of miles away, or if they live under a military regime, if their religion is different, or if their culture is different from you. Your conscience says you help, and that's what we must do.</p>

<p>2. What are our options given the principles of national sovereignty?</p>

<p>National sovereignty is a very important principle, but it's not absolute. And when a a catastrophe like the cyclone Nargis happens, it has clearly overwhelmed the capacity of the government to respond. International help and humanitarian aid is waiting to go into the country, and fortunately a few days ago the government said that they would allow foreign aid in, and some of it has started to trickle in in the form of relief supplies and some relief workers. It is just a fraction of what is needed, coordinated by the UN, by the Association of South Eastern Nations. The world community wants to help and it is really unconscionable for them to be prevented from doing so, all the more so because, again, 2.5 million people are at risk of dying, and it is imperative that we prevent this second wave of death. And we can do so.</p>

<p>3. Does the United States have anything to gain from humanitarian intervention in Myanmar?</p>

<p>We absolutely do have a lot to gain from humanitarian intervention in Myanmar, and as I said before, there are both moral and practical gains. And it's important to say that the two go hand in hand. They're not opposed to each other at all. The practical gains are many. We improve our standing in the world, our reputation when we provide humanitarian aid. When we're a good global citizen and cooperate and work with other nations, when our military is seen as helping to relieve human suffering, these are all good things. And it's also very important in terms of our national self-interest to increase the well-being and security of people in other countries. </p>