| Publication |
2013.
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| Summary/Abstract |
Over the past 18 months, the U.S. Government has nearly normalized relations with the government of Burma 1
/Myanmar. The United States has recognized Myanmar government's recent reforms through reduced economic sanctions, placing an ambassador in Yangon, and encouraging continued progress through a recent (and first ever) visit by a President of the United States. As the United States considers additional enhancements to the relationship, the military relationship must be considered. The Myanmar military (otherwise known as the Tatmadaw) has either directly or de facto governed Myanmar for 53 of the 65 years since the country gained independence from Great Britain. The Tatmadaw is fully ingrained into the government's institutions and will arguably have a profound role in any progress (or backsliding) the country makes in economic and political reform. The question for the United States, then, is how best to positively influence the Tatmadaw officer corps. One part of the solution is to provide Tatmadaw officers with military educational opportunities in the United States. In fact, from 1980 to 1988, the United States funded 175 Tatmadaw officers' attendance at U.S. military schools. Reviewing the history of that 1980s program provides some perspective for restarting this program, especially in light of the recent changes occurring in Myanmar.
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