Amid Mounting Protests, Myanmar’s Military Mulls Its Response

Sustained anti-coup protests in Myanmar will compel the military to respond, raising the risk of a violent crackdown that would threaten the junta’s ability to legitimize its rule with international partners. After several days of low-level public defiance against the Feb. 1 military takeover, protests have escalated significantly across Myanmar beginning Feb. 6. On Feb. 7, tens of thousands of people reportedly took to the streets in Yangon. Demonstrations also broke out in the isolated capital of Naypyidaw that same day. As of Feb. 9, protests remain ongoing with no signs of easing back, and have now spread to most major cities and a number of smaller localities....