How Cyclone Nargis changed Myanmar

Adam Ferguson for The New York Times

The Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon

This New York Times article describes how Cyclone Nargis on May 2, 2008 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclone_Nargis) became a “mental trigger” for the President of Myanmar, Thein Sein, and "made him realize the limitations of the old regime.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/04/world/asia/myanmar-president-praises-weekend-elections.html?_r=1

Cyclone Nargis

 

Update: US eases sanctions against Burma http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17619519