U.S. attack on Iraq would fuel radicalism

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A U.S.-led attack on Iraq would fuel radicalism and anti-U.S. sentiment among Muslim communities, putting western interests, particularly that of the United States, across the country further at risk, analysts warn.

"There's no doubt the reaction (to an attack) will be as strong as before," vice president of the Indonesian Society for Middle East Studies (ISMES) Smith Aldahar said over the weekend.

"A war will provoke a reaction from groups usually critical toward anything that is American or western," said political analyst Daniel Sparingga.

U.S. President George W. Bush has threatened to attack Iraq to topple President Saddam Hussein for allegedly developing mass weapons of destruction.

Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim nation, saw anti-U.S. protesters take to the streets last year immediately after the U.S. pounding of Afghanistan for harboring Osama bin Laden, whom the U.S. accused of masterminding the deadly attacks in Washington and New York on Sept. 11. The heated demonstrations forced several western embassies and foreign companies to shut down for days.

Although last year's protests went relatively peacefully they added to concerns of a rising radicalism in Indonesia.

The Sept. 11 terrorist attack claimed more than 3,000 lives, but the U.S.' swift retaliation drew little sympathy from the Muslim world.

Extending the war has drawn even less support, especially since the U.S. linked the new war mainly with Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, having found little evidence to connect Baghdad with al-Qaeda.

M. Iqbal Siregar, who heads the Jakarta chapter of the Islamic Youth Movement (GPI), said his group was ready to protest an attack against Iraq.

"We will consider forming a coalition with other Islamic elements if the issue is strong enough," he said, adding there were no plans to take actions as yet.

The Islamic Defender Front (FPI) promised mass demonstrations across the country, targeting U.S. facilities.

"If our demonstrations don't get the attention they deserve, we will take other measures," said FPI secretary general Sabri Lubis. "There are Americans everywhere we will look for them."

The group has threatened before to expel Americans when the war in Afghanistan broke out, but there were no reports of any U.S. citizens actually forced to leave the country.

"They (America) want a change in regime for Afghanistan, they want a change in the regime in Palestine, they want a change in regime for Iraq, what country do they want next?" asked Sabri.

The government, he said, should do more than just complain to the U.S. or else President Megawati Soekarnoputri must resign.

Indonesia has expressed concern over the U.S.' wish to topple Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, saying that actions against Iraq must be under the auspices of the United Nations.

"The government's position isn't clear at all, why can't we say that we reject any U.S. intervention (in Iraq)," said Amris Hassan, a legislator of President Megawati Soekarnoputri's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan).

Middle East analyst Aldahar agreed that the government should and could raise objections against the U.S. planned attack.

"The U.S. will understand if our government is taking a tough stance against the attacks on Iraq," he said, explaining Washington was aware of pressure here from the hard-liners.

Analyst Daniel said that several political parties would likely exploit the war in Iraq to raise their visibility among voters. "It's part of their struggle for existence."