The Case Against Aung San Suu Kyi?

If you wanted to choose one article to get a handle on the Western campaign against Myanmar Richard Paddock's "From Hero to Pariah, Aung San Suu Kyi Dashes Hopes About Myanmar" would be the way to go. For years democracy advocate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was built up to Gandhi-like status in the West only now to be tarred as another bloodthirsty autocrat similar to an Assad or a Milosevic.

The reason? The massacre of Rohingya in Rakhine State.

Aung San Suu Kyi's position is that Myanmar is dealing with an Islamic insurgency, and the state has a right to defend itself.

A military campaign targeting the Rohingya did take place, and now it is being amplified in the Western press for other reasons. One thing is certain: In the all the coverage of the plight of the Rohingya and their flight to Bangladesh hardly any mention is made of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army. Imagine reporting on the war in Yemen without any mention of the Houthi insurgency.

To give you a sample of Paddock's invective, here he accuses Aung San Suu Kyi of misogyny:

Advocates also say Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi has done little to create opportunities for women, who are largely relegated to a secondary role in the conservative country.

There is only one woman in the cabinet, for example — Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi herself. Women make up just 14 percent of her party’s members of Parliament. The parliamentary committee that handles women’s affairs is headed by a man.

“I’m not sure she believes in gender equality,” said Daw Htar Htar, founder of Akhaya Women, a women’s rights group.

Wow. Only 14%! That must really be horrible, right?

In 2018, 107 (78D, 29R) women hold seats in the United States Congress, comprising 20.0% of the 535 members.

That's according to Rutgers' Center for American Women and Politics.