Than Shwe not running

Burma's bloody despot Than Shwe is not among the five presidential candidates named earlier today by the newly formed - but Junta stacked - parliament.
this probably has more to do with the fact that he is 78 years old (today), and few doubt that he will remain effective dictator and commander in chief.
meanwhile, the planet's dictators are watching Tahrir Square on CNN or Al Jazeera with interest. foreignpolicy.com has published a list of who's sweating, and #9 was the Butcher of Rangoon himself:

Top dog in the band formerly known as SLORC has just announced he is not seeking the presidency in Myanmar. But he is expected to remain in charge. Is he not seeking the high-profile job because he doesn't want to disclose too much about his finances as some have speculated? Or is it that he doesn't want any more of a target on his forehead than necessary when that country's democracy movement gains enough momentum to finally bring an end to his regime? Is his hesitance a deft political move or a sign of concern? In either case, this is a junta that knows for whom those metaphorical bells may be tolling in Cairo.