Obama reconsiders Indonesia military
source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100314/pl_afp/usindonesiamilitaryrights_20100314203338
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US rights advocates remain deeply uneasy about Kopassus and few expect a deal before Obama leaves on his trip to Guam, Indonesia and Australia on March 21.
Kopassus spearheaded the anti-communist pogrom in 1965 that killed up to 500,000 people. It was seen as a key force in the 1975 invasion of East Timor and the 1999 violence when the territory voted for independence.
Senator Patrick Leahy, who authored the 1997 law that bears his name, stood firm against training. He said that Indonesia must first bring Kopassus members to justice for past abuses.
"It is important that the people of Indonesia see that justice is possible, and that impunity for committing serious crimes is no longer acceptable," said Leahy, a member of Obama's Democratic Party from Vermont.
"Indonesia has made progress in its democracy and in curbing some of the excesses of its military. But the past must not be forgotten," Leahy said.
One compromise under consideration is for the United States to train only younger Kopassus members.
But T. Kumar, the international advocacy director of Amnesty International USA, said Indonesia should try senior officers involved in past wrongdoing.
"Kopassus has such a bad record that to hold no one accountable in a meaningful way sends the wrong message to others," Kumar said.
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bking74
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When has the U.S. Military ever care about past war crimes of potential allies. The School of the Americas (WINSEC) has been questioned for years, as it trained many military personnel before and during the years of the "national security doctrine" — the dirty war years in the Southern Cone and the civil war years in Central America — in which the armed forces within several Latin American countries ruled or had disproportionate government influence and committed serious human rights violations in those countries.
- 1 year ago
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bking74
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Saladin
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bking74:
Exactly, U.S. policy makers often see this as a matter of strategy. Nothing is off the table, not even terrorism.
I'd recommend Modern Warfare by Roger Trinquier. He's a French Colonel who helped put down the FLN in Algeria in the 1950's. It's short and definitely worth your time.
He literally wrote the book on this subject and U.S. Military Commanders read this stuff as a part of how to think about strategy.
- 1 year ago
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Saladin
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bking74
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Saladin:
Thanks, I haven't heard of that book before I will most definitely checked it out.
- 1 year ago
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bking74
