U.S., security and intelligence<\/p>\n
If anything, the change of administration from Bill Clinton to
\nGeorge W. Bush in the USA will bring about a change in U.S.
\ndefense policy and intelligence gathering on a global scale and
\nIndonesia will surely be affected. One needs only to look at the
\nreplacement of Madeleine Albright as U.S. Secretary of State by
\nColin Powell, plus the fact that Indonesia and its surroundings
\nare not the most stable area in Asia, as seen from the Pentagon's
\npoint of view.<\/p>\n
How, for instance, does the Pentagon assess the spate of
\nbombing incidents which still puzzle Indonesian security
\nofficials. The left and the right are as dangerous to U.S.
\ninterests now. So, logically, Indonesia may now be the top
\nsecurity concern of U.S. security and foreign policy strategists.
\nMy question is, are we prepared to meet this new challenge
\nlooming on the horizon? Maybe the defense ministry is ready.<\/p>\n
If Indonesia fails to keep its house in order and allows its
\neconomy to slide further, there is a greater likelihood that the
\nnew U.S. administration will get more jittery and be tempted to
\nintervene, though Mr. Bush Jr. is not so hawkish as his father
\nwas. The U.S. surely does not want to see Indonesia and its
\neconomic and social problems become a security risk.
\nConsequently, intelligence gathering will be intensified. Can
\nsome of our leaders still cry out: \"Go to hell with your aid,
\nwith UN assistance\"? Could President Abdurrahman Wahid's various
\nproposed international political and economic axes, including the
\nSouth West Asian regional cooperation forum, begin to sound less
\nbizarre against the background of increased U.S. pressure?<\/p>\n
The U.S. foreign ministry's officials under Secretary of State
\nColin Powell will surely want to find out if the series of recent
\nbombing incidents in Indonesia, unresolved until today, is not
\npart of a global network aimed at destroying the American and the
\ncapitalist systems. U.S. intelligence surely does not want to
\nrely on intelligence gathering by the Indonesian security
\nagencies which are often lax in this respect.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, global economic considerations may temper
\nany hawkish urges on the part of the U.S. There are still China
\nand Russia who do not want to be sidelined as onlookers.<\/p>\n
It is therefore of the utmost urgency for Indonesia to settle
\nits internal security problems and come up with an acceptable
\nformula for its troubled regions like Aceh and Papua, if it is
\nnot already too late.<\/p>\n
GANDHI SUKARDI<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/us-security-and-intelligence-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }