Many people misinterpret the historical struggle in Myanmar as...

Many people misinterpret the historical struggle in Myanmar as being between the forces of democracy vs authoritarianism. This is a bad take. The true struggle has been between colonial-rule versus independence. Over its long history, Burma has constantly fought against external rule (i.e., Imperial China (Qing Dynasty), Imperial Britain, Imperial Japan etc etc.) This same dynamic continues today in a different form. While I wouldn't go so far as to agree NDP/ASSK are under the direct control of Western forces, I do think both have served as useful tools for the West's in its contest against China for control over this strategically important landmass.