But countries that are playing multi-alignment don't have to thaw domestically -- witness Saudi Arabia and Kazakhstan.

CNN: From Burma to Myanmar: Land of rising expectations

The UAE also wisely plays a neutral game of multi-alignment with the superpowers: major arms deals with the U.S., massive energy exports to China, and billions in investment from Europe.

CNN: Is Dubai the center of the world (again)?

Myanmar is now deftly playing the same multi-alignment game mastered by countries such as Kazakhstan in trying to escape the Soviet-Russian sphere of influence: courting all sides and gaining whatever one can from multiple great powers and neighbors while giving up as little autonomy as possible.

CNN: From Burma to Myanmar: Land of rising expectations