EDITORIAL - In response to the Burmese government’s reluctance to allow foreign aid workers or food shipments into the country to assist the people’s recovery from the devastating cyclone, Time Magazine has introduced the dangerous idea of invading the country.

“That's why it's time to consider a more serious option: invading Burma,” wrote Romesh Ratnesar, Time Magazine author. “Some observers,” he continues, “including former USAID director Andrew Natsios, have called on the U.S. to unilaterally begin air drops to the Burmese people regardless of what the junta says.”

The Bush administration insists that he “cannot imagine” engaging in air drops of food without the permission of the Myanmar government, but the very idea of disregarding the Myanmar government, as irresponsible and careless as their actions have been, is reprehensible.

It is not the world’s responsibility to “save” people in foreign lands in direct violation of the wishes of that nation’s government. The Myanmar government needs to take responsibility for their own nation and their people, and if they refuse to do so, the devastation will lie directly at the door of their own government officials.

If the Myanmar government does not wish to accept the help of the United States or other humanitarian charities, then the United States needs to retreat and re-gain focus on the plight of the American people, which should always be the priority of the United States government. It appears that the United States is sometimes more willing to spend money overseas then they are spending money right here at home.

The Myanmar people deserve the help of humanitarian charities, and I encourage the American people and individuals of all nations to contribute as much as they can in voluntary contributions to the cause of disaster recovery. But I will not call for the invasion of any nation, regardless of the need, if the government of that nation has no intention of taking any responsibility for their own people.

Our government needs to re-focus their efforts on the United States and the American people first and foremost. Use the money that they would ordinarily devote to these kinds of overseas causes and instead give it back to the American people who can then voluntarily contribute those funds to charities where they see fit. The people of this great nation are some of the heaviest contributors to charitable organizations, and with more money in the pockets of those people, that trend will definitely continue.

It is, after all, the responsibility of humanitarian charities to lead the effort of bringing food and relief to people subject to disasters like the Myanmar cyclone, not the responsibility of foreign governments to throw a bunch of taxpayer dollars and food to nations who clearly have no intention of distributing it to where it needs to be.