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But the Obama administration, particularly Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, has indicated it is cool to using sanctions as a diplomatic tool, not only against Myanmar but other nations such as Sudan. "I think there's a lot of pressure on Congress to choose constructive engagement over sanctions when they can," said John Dale, an expert on Myanmar at George Mason University. "Right now Webb is a minority in his position, but then again if he pulls off a minor success like this or at least can represent i
t that way, then he's able to pull fence-sitters to his side," Dale said.
Grilled by Webb in Congress, Kurt Campbell, the new assistant secretary of state for Asia, said in June the administration had been leaning to reach out to Myanmar-as it has to US adversaries such as Iran and Cuba-but momentum stopped after the junta took action against Aung San Suu Kyi. Dale said the junta's main goal was to "run the clock" until elections it called next year, which will be the country's first in two decades. The United States has warned the vote will be a sham if the opposition does not
take part.
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