A Glass Half Full: Indonesia-U.S. Relations in the Age of Terror

The U.S. may be paying greater attention to Southeast Asia now than at any time since the end of the Vietnam War. Indonesia has assumed some prominence in the war against terrorism — both as a "model of moderation" in the Muslim world, and as a source of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI)-linked terrorism with presumed connections to Al-Qaeda. While there are examples of substantive cooperation between Indonesia and the U.S. in the war on terrorism, differences remain. The Bush Administration's plan to restore military-to-military relations has floundered on objections from Congress. Indonesia has refused to support U.S. military action in Afghanistan and Iraq, while the general public in Indonesia remain distrustful of U.S. foreign policy. While Washington now sees Indonesia as critical to its goals, the relationship is heavily complicated and requires careful management.