There is much discussion right now about delivering aid to Burma without the consent or participation of the ruling junta. Both British and French officials have hinted at such action.

As for real intervention, the situation in Rwanda remains the biggest blot on the humanitarian record of the past several decades. Darfur is getting some aid, mostly despite the fake cooperation of the central government.

Then there is Clinton's (called NATO's as a face-saving measure) intervention when Serbia's crazed leaders went too far. I think most observers who don't have a stake in the outcome think this worked out better for most people.

We shouldn't let the mixed motives, poor planning and excessive militarism used in Iraq deter us from discussing better ways to deal with oppressive regimes in the future. Just because a problem is difficult doesn't mean it shouldn't be addressed. There are lots of smart people in the world and sometimes one of them comes up with a novel idea.

Policies not Politics
---- Daily Landscape