The epitome of pettiness

On learning that the U.S. had decided to close its embassy and consular offices because of a "specific terrorist threat" on Sept. 11, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono whined it was "a unilateral decision ... that would give the false impression that Indonesia was incapable of ensuring the security of foreigners and their assets here". Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Marty Natalegawa whined even more wretchedly that his ministry "had never received any official notification about the closures".

In God's name, who do these people think they are? Have they forgotten what a team of crazed Arabs did to the United States a year ago? Or is their own feeling of self-importance so great that they have lost all sense of humanity?

CHRISTOPHER R. MCRAE

Jakarta