Any hope that the military dictatorship in Burma might be mending its vicious ways was crushed this week when the regime handed out 65-year prison sentences to 14 non-violent democracy activists, and sentences of up to 26 years for 25 others. These are some of the men and women who took part in the Saffron Revolution in September 2007. In many cases, their long terms in Burma’s horrific prisons spell a death sentence.

With this display of cruelty, the junta kingpin, General Than Shwe, showed his scorn for the world’s good opinion. But there is also something simple and straightforward that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee should do, and that is to confirm President Bush’s highly qualified nominee, Michael Green, to the recently created post of special representative and policy coordinator for Burma. His mission — to work for the restoration of democratic governance in Burma — is more pressing than ever.

The Senate currently is in lame-duck session, but if Green is not confirmed quickly, the long list of new appointments coming early next year could delay his confirmation indefinitely. That would be tantamount to telling the gentle idealists rotting in Burma’s Insein Prison that, in the United States, senatorial languor trumps democratic solidarity.