U.S. Military Involvement in Indonesia

U.S. Military Involvement in Indonesia

The United States Military Should Expand its Contacts with the Indonesian Military

After the country of Indonesia had declared its independence from the Netherlands, it established a strong military style regime which influenced the social and economic politics of the country. The goal of the Indonesian government has since been to be entirely self sufficient, receiving no foreign aid to help protect its borders or internal security. Despite the wish to be fully independent however, the country is far from reaching its goal. The strong military is unable to furnish itself with enough arms and materials to successfully defend itself against neighboring threats, and much of the military budget comes from illicit activities that the United States sees as illegal. In order to save the republic from falling into Communist hands, such as its neighbors have done, as well as to curb the corrupt government activities which fund the nation's defense budget, the United States Military should try to expand its contacts and role in Indonesian military life.

Under the leadership of President Suharto, the Indonesian military has constantly interfered with the politics of the nation. As an army general, Suharto enforced a strong military regime which practiced a dual role. They embodied the traditional military role, along with a "social-political force in national development," (GlobalSecurity.org). President Suharto believed that through strong internal security, Indonesia would be able to further develop socially and economically. Despite the heavy military influence the national budget spends little on defense. Suharto believed that spending too much national budget or taking too much foreign aid for defense would hinder the economic development of the country. So, Indonesia has looked to illegal activities to fund its defense budget. Pirating, poaching, and smuggling drugs and other goods have been a major source of income for the Indonesian military. The United States cannot simply ignore these illicit tactics for raising money, for it affects the global economy and safety. The United States Military has a social obligation to protect its interests in the region from terrorist activities, such as the ones used to fund Indonesian defenses. Through expanding its role in Indonesia, the United States can provide an alternative way for the country to defend itself from internal and external threats.