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U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says Myanmar's stonewalling of aid has led to the deaths of tens of thousands following a killer cyclone which hit the country earlier in the month. Twenty-two U.S. military helicopters stand by for use in Myanmar relief operations at U Taphao air base in Thailand. The Myanmese government have to date refused to allow their use. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Saturday (May 31) tens of thousands had died because Myanmar's government declined offers of foreign aid for cyclone victims from the U.S. military and others. Speaking at an annual gathering of Asian security and defence officials in Singapore, Gates also offered assurances that Washington would remain committed to the region no matter who wins this year's U.S. presidential election. Gates contrasted Myanmar's reluctance to accept aid from the U.S. military after Cyclone Nargis struck four weeks ago with the willingness of Indonesia and Bangladesh to accept such assistance after natural disasters in recent years. "We have reached out frankly to Myanmar multiple times during this crisis, in very direct ways, including admiral Keating going to Rangoon," Gates said, "So it has not been us that have been deaf and dumb in response to the pleas of the international community, but the government of Myanmar. We have reached out, they kept their hands in their pockets." Gates' comments were among the bluntest by any senior U.S. official describing Myanmar's response to th...