Last summer it was government-opposition riots. Now it is a disastrous cyclone that has torn apart the country of Myanmar. Over 100,000 are dead, the Myanmar government is refusing U.S. aid, and the world’s rice shortage is expected to worsen exponentially.

Pro-democracy protests caused an uprising throughout the nation last August when Burmese Buddhist monks and nuns staged anti-military demonstrations to oppose the socialist regime. Nine protestors, including a Japanese tourist, were killed when security forces opened fire into a crowd on September 27, 2007.

Now the country is facing an even greater crisis thanks to what experts are calling a “perfect storm.” Cyclone Nargis produced winds up to 120 mph, hitting land at one of the lowest points of Myanmar which then surged 25 miles inland. Some meteorologists are comparing it to Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. “When we saw the track, I said, ‘Uh oh, this is not going to be good,’” said Mark Lander, a meteorology professor at the University of Guam. “It would create a big storm surge. It was like Katrina going into New Orleans.”

On April 28 forecasters noticed the storm headed toward India. It took an expected sharp eastward turn, but did not follow the path experts thought it would, toward Bangladesh or the Myanmar mountain region. Instead it went straight for Myanmar’s delta region, the worst possible region for a storm of this caliber to hit.

“If you look at the path of the (cyclone) that hit Myanmar, it hit exactly where it was going to do the most damage, and it's doing the most damage because much of the protective vegetation was cleared,” said Jeff NcNeely, chief scientist for the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Much of the region’s protective mangrove forests have been cleared over the past decade to make room for shrimp farms and rice paddies. Those rice paddies have been swept away and Myanmar will likely suffer devastating effects.

Globally, rice has been in recent shortage, but Myanmar had expected to export the product to neighboring countries like Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. The cyclone is expected to deepen the world rice shortage, but more importantly, the hunger crisis in Myanmar. Relief agencies are currently grappling with how to get food and water to remote areas that have limited or no outside communication and severe flooding. So far the nation’s government has refused any U.S. aid.

Though critical of the country’s military junta in the past and even of its failure to properly warn its citizens of the looming storm, President Bush recognizes the severe need of the people of Myanmar. He said in a message to military rulers, “Let the United States come help you.”

However, the American diplomat in Yangon, Charge d'Affaires Shari Villarosa, says the government is “paranoid” about accepting U.S. aid. She assures the refusal has nothing to do with past criticisms of the junta.

Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice joined the call to action. “It should be a simple matter,” Rice told reporters. “This is not a matter of politics, this is a matter of a humanitarian crisis and it should be a matter that the government of Burma wants to see its people receive the help that is available to them.”

Until the Myanmar government decides to accept aid, the U.S. has people and airplanes standing by in Thailand, as well as Navy ships in the region ready to help. U.S. officials already know what supplies are needed and have them on call if and when they are given the green light for aid.

In the meantime the country is accepting aid from The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the UN, and other international relief agencies.