Clinton has a message for RI

Now in his last year in office, U.S. President Bill Clinton had a friendly message for Indonesia when he was in the Portuguese capital Lisbon recently, on a tour of some European Union countries to inspect security conditions. After all, the U.S. feels it is the world's chief sheriff.

Clinton carried a proposal in his pocket to shield European countries with a "missile umbrella" against potential enemy missile attacks from outside. Is he thinking of Cuba, China, Iraq or India and Pakistan?

Surprisingly, at a news conference, also attended by the Portuguese foreign minister, Antonio Guiterres, Bill Clinton referred to Indonesia. He expressed sympathy for Indonesia's efforts in restructuring its ailing economy. U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia John Gilbert perhaps could be more specific on the subject whether or not he (Clinton) raised the questions of human rights and the outbreak of civil strife or corruption or trade issues as when dealing with China.

Clinton will attempt to convince the Germans that the idea of a missile curtain is worth considering. It is known that the Germans are, on the other hand, very reluctant to have a U.S. umbrella or any sort of protection which might remind them of the Cold War era, and later have to pay for it.

Surely, what matters most to Bill Clinton getting on a friendly footing with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. In what ways can the U.S. assist Russia's development efforts, including building up its defense system without the Russians losing face after Chechnya? How different it was during the Kennedy era when the Russians besieged (West) Berlin and the U.S. had to construct an air bridge to supply Berliners with essentials to avoid a missile confrontation. Why then, if Europe is today more united and Germany more prosperous without the Berlin Wall and after the painful process of unification and the Deutsche Mark still strong, does the U.S. feels it still needs to offer the Union of Europe a protective missile umbrella? I do not know if this is related in any way to the nuclear nonproliferation treaty still to be passed by the U.S. Congress.

I wonder, meanwhile, if it would not be more productive for Bill Clinton to spend his remaining term of office on fishing expeditions, in the Bahamas, for instance. Or spend nights in Bali and get a chance to meet Indonesia's wizard presidential masseur, Suwondo? Never mind that Interpol is looking for him with a sniffer dog.

GANDHI SUKARDI

Jakarta