Aung San Suu Kyi and U.S. Policy toward Burma/Myanmar

No living foreigner has shaped contemporary U.S. attitudes toward a single country more than Aung San Suu Kyi. As the seemingly vulnerable international avatar of democracy, she has effectively determined the parameters of possible U.S. policy choices. Although her Burma/Myanmar specific goals and those of the U.S. overlap, they are not contiguous. That country is a “boutique” issue in U.S. politics – important but not of the highest priority. The U.S. will face difficult policy decisions toward Burma/Myanmar following the formation of the new Burmese administration after the elections of November 7, 2010.