U.S. troops unncessary: Navy Chief<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore have agreed to form a joint
\ntask force to combat crimes and terrorist threats in the Strait
\nof Malacca, with the Indonesian Navy chief expecting their
\nefforts would make a United States presence unnecessary in the
\nbusy sea lane.<\/p>\n
Navy Chief of Staff Adm. Bernard Kent Sondakh said on Thursday
\nthe Indonesian and Singaporean navies had recently held talks
\nregarding the plan, with further talks to follow between
\nIndonesia and Malaysia next week.<\/p>\n
\"On June 27, I will meet the Malaysian navy top brass to
\ndiscuss this issue. All technical matters, including the
\nreinforcement of patrol boats to safeguard the straits, will be
\ndecided after the talks,\" Bernard said.<\/p>\n
He was speaking on the sidelines of a ceremony marking the
\nbrevet presentation to crews of the KRI Karel Satsuit Tubun
\nwarships at the Navy's Sea Military Operation Command
\nheadquarters in North Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Bernard said special task force units from countries
\nsurrounding the straits would take full control of the strategic
\nwaterway.<\/p>\n
\"Therefore, it is not necessary to invite troops from outside
\nthe region, including the United States,\" Bernard said.<\/p>\n
He said Indonesia had been joining routine exercises on
\nsafeguarding waterways as part of a forum called the Asia-Pacific
\nNations Symposium, which involves 26 marine states.<\/p>\n
\"(We hope foreign nations) trust in the marine states to
\nensure security (in the straits) in a show of respect to our
\nsovereignty,\" Bernard said.<\/p>\n
He said the U.S. could play a limited role in the area, by
\nexchanging intelligence information and equipment and training
\nassistance.<\/p>\n
Adm. Thomas Fargo, commander of U.S. forces in the Asia
\nPacific, suggested recently that U.S. troops could assist in
\npatrolling the straits to deter terrorists who might target ships
\npassing through this important trading route.<\/p>\n
The U.S. believes international terrorist group al-Qaeda and
\nits regional network Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) plan to target the
\nstraits, where chemical and oil tankers mingle with small craft
\nthat could be equipped to carry out suicide bomb attacks.<\/p>\n
While Singapore says it is open to American involvement in
\nsecuring the straits, Indonesia and Malaysia are against the
\nproposal.<\/p>\n
Bernard called for the Indonesian government to make a legal
\nruling giving the Navy the right to shoot on sight known pirates
\nwho operated in the waterway, saying the country's courts
\nremained unaware these criminals could become involved in
\nterrorist activities.<\/p>\n
\"Once Navy personnel arrested some pirates, but the court
\nsentenced them to only five or six months in jail. After serving
\ntheir terms, (the pirates) repeated the crimes,\" Bernard said.<\/p>\n
More than a quarter of the world's trade including large
\namount of oil passes through the narrow straits, which separate
\nIndonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. While the waterway has seen no
\nmajor terrorist attacks, piracy is widespread.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/us-troops-unncessary-navy-chief-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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