Eye on China:

After decades of brutal military rule, Myanmar’s people have taken to the streets to demand democracy, and they are being mowed down. China, India and Russia have the means — but apparently not the will — to stop Myanmar’s vicious junta from murdering more of its citizens. The three countries regularly proclaim themselves world powers, yet they refuse to accept moral responsibility that must come with that position.

On Wednesday, Beijing ruled out calls for international sanctions and stopped the Security Council even from condemning the junta’s indiscriminate use of force against pro-democracy protests. The response of India, the democracy on which the US hopes to build a key security and economic relationship for the 21st century, also has been weak and pathetic. New Delhi issued a carefully nuanced call for political reform and said nothing about sanctions.

ASEAN expressed revulsion with the junta’s crackdown. But so long as

the three major regional partners refuse to get tough with the generals, such outrage will make little difference. Beijing’s rulers especially need to know that the world is watching to see whether it will now use its influence to stop the killing in Myanmar — or again

abdicate the responsibilities that come with real world leadership.