Why the US is holding secret talks with Myanmar’s military ruler

Why is the U.S. holding secret talks with Myanmar's military junta? Well, experts say the country could be key in President Trump's hunt to secure rare earths. The U.S. is desperately looking for rare earths, which are critical to all sorts of technologies, including military weapons. In fact, it has over 600 rare earth mines, many in territory controlled by armed groups trying to overthrow the military. For the U.S., Myanmar could offer a way to reduce their dependence on China for these resources. But experts say that's unlikely. This engaging with Myanmar regime to try to get them makes no sense because the rare earths are all in territory close to Chinese border or controlled by groups aligned with China. But that doesn't stop the U.S. from pursuing talks. In mid-September, Assistant Secretary of State Michael Vance met Myanmar's coup leader-turned-president Min Aung Hlaing to secure the release of Adam Castillo. Castillo is an American businessman who's been pushing for U.S. access to Myanmar's rare earths. Myanmar detained him in June over alleged lobbying-related financial misconduct. And experts say his detention gave the junta an opening for talks. So I think the Trump administration was already moving in this direction and holding this guy gave the Myanmar regime an opportunity to try to bring American officials there. And in September, Vance arrived, held talks, and Castillo was released. But Washington's outreach didn't stop there. In October, U.S. officials held a second round of secret talks, this time in Tokyo. While the outcome remains unclear, Reuters reports discussions covered access to Myanmar's heavy rare earths. And then, on October 9th, the U.S. Treasury lifted sanctions on Than Win Tint, whose father's company was linked to the military's attacks on civilians. This marked a significant break from U.S. policy, and it's the timing of this policy change that experts find intriguing. Since April, longtime Trump ally Roger Stone has been paid $50,000 a month by a lobbying firm hired by the junta to rebuild ties with Washington. So rare earths and personal interests from Trump's inner circle could be the motivation behind the thawing in relations. But this warming of ties is problematic. Myanmar's military remains under strict US sanctions for war crimes and crimes against humanity. And Myanmar's military are accused of continuing to target civilian sites like this market around a week after Vance's first meeting. Trump, the Trump administration has said almost nothing about Myanmar, not about the airstrike on schools and villages, monasteries, churches, not about the millions displaced. Trump has made the search for rare earths a central pillar of U.S. industrial and national security policy. But do these secret talks show that this administration is willing to overlook human rights to secure them?