Virginia’s senior Senator Jim Webb, a fmr. Secretary of the Navy, has secured the release of an American, John Yettaw, held in Myanmar by the ruling junta.

Mr. Yettaw’s “crime” was visiting the home of democracy activist Daw Aung San Suu Kyi; whom is placed under house arrest.

The Senator flew to Myanmar had met with the head of the junta; General Than Shwe. After the meeting, Mr. Yettaw was announced freed and will join the Senator in a military flight to Bangkok. The junta also allowed Senate Webb to meet with Ms. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi who has spent 14 of the last 20 years under house arrest and recently was sentenced to an additional 18 months.

In another gesture by the government, Mr. Webb, a Democrat, was allowed to meet with Mrs. Aung San Suu Kyi, who was sentenced at the same trial to 18 months of added house arrest, arousing international condemnation. She has spent 14 of the past 20 years under house arrest.

“I am grateful to the Myanmar government for honoring these requests. It is my hope that we can take advantage of these gestures as a way to begin laying the foundations of good will and confidence building in the future,” Mr. Webb was quoted saying in The New York Times. His trip comes at a time when the United States is reconsidering policy toward the ruling junta.

Mr. Webb came under criticism by Burmese exiles for his effort, however. The exile groups argued that this will only be used as a propaganda victory by the tyrannical junta.

“This will surely make a negative impression among the people of Burma. They will think that Americans are easy to satisfy with dictators when they get their citizens back,” Burmese exile and director of the U.S. Campaign for Burma was quoted as saying by the Times.

And, as a final note, I interned in Senator Webb’s office and it was great to hear this news. He is a man of integrity and honor and one of the few honest, principles voices in Congress.

Source: The New York Times.