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2003-05-19 Southeast Asia

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Posted by Steve White 2003-05-19 01:58 am|| || Front Page|| [5 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Remind me: who are we cheering for here?

I'd support just about anybody fighting against the Indonesian Army

Posted by Paul Moloney 2003-05-19 02:57:07|| 2003-05-19 02:57:07|| Front Page Top

#2 Aceh is like a lot of places of Asia. It is ruled by an oppresive and corrupt government that the people perceive as colonists.

The USA and its allies could sort out these problems fairly easily, although the UN will go apeshit!

Just impose a blockade and give the locals a fixed period to come up with a reasonable society and system of government - say 12 months. If they can't come up with a reasonable society then the USA should just drop the blockade and leave. The prospect of the colonists coming back in (in this case the Javanese) will focus their mind wonderfully.

Posted by Phil B 2003-05-19 03:07:36|| 2003-05-19 03:07:36|| Front Page Top

#3 Remember the Indonesians warned that the Iraq war would cause hundreds of thousands of causalties.

Posted by mhw 2003-05-19 07:23:05|| 2003-05-19 07:23:05|| Front Page Top

#4 Do you suppose the Indon's weren't really serious about negotiating? Ya think?

Posted by Chuck 2003-05-19 07:33:30|| [blog.simmins.org] 2003-05-19 07:33:30|| Front Page Top

#5 Aceh is, and has been for decades, the core area of Islamic fundamentalism in Indonesia. Its religious connections with Yemen are strong, and they date back for hundreds of years. If it ever becomes independent, it would likely emerge as a major refuge for terrorists.

Posted by closet neo-con 2003-05-19 08:54:08|| 2003-05-19 08:54:08|| Front Page Top

#6 Those Aceh rebels are ignorant, primitive, bloodthirsty savages, not some kind of noble freedom fighters. The Indonesian government isn't all that great but some kind of law and order is called for; I'm rooting for the Army.

Posted by Scooter McGruder 2003-05-19 09:42:51|| 2003-05-19 09:42:51|| Front Page Top

#7 Another thought here. The only 'good' thing about Aceh is that they supposedly grow a premium strain of marijuana. Otherwise, the area is a burden to the more productive parts of Indonesia. A more rational central govt. would want this area to succeed (similarly a rational Canada would want to Atlantic provinces to seek independence).

Posted by mhw 2003-05-19 10:26:05|| 2003-05-19 10:26:05|| Front Page Top

#8 Yeah, the javanese have warships, up to guided-missile-fregat size, refurbished dutch and russian i think.
Mostly to keep the non-javanese (papuans,dayaks,et al) in line.

Posted by mastercard 2003-05-19 10:30:20|| 2003-05-19 10:30:20|| Front Page Top

#9 Wonder when the heroic folks from the International Solidarity Movement will be heading over.

Posted by Megahottie Sukarni Corrie 2003-05-19 11:33:42|| 2003-05-19 11:33:42|| Front Page Top

#10 Actually mhw, Aceh provides more than half of Indonesia's oil, which is a large portion of Indonesia's economy.

Posted by Paul Moloney 2003-05-19 18:16:15|| 2003-05-19 18:16:15|| Front Page Top

#11 Stalemate! Stalemate! Verdun! Verdun!

Posted by Brian 2003-05-20 00:09:10|| 2003-05-20 00:09:10|| Front Page Top

15:48 Peter North
09:08 Anon1
07:57 True German Ally
07:56 ----------<<<<-
07:16 Chuck
07:03 Chuck
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06:59 Ptah
06:05 Hiryu
02:45 Lihu
00:45 Steve White
00:45 Phil B
00:27 R. McLeod
00:09 Brian
00:03 Brian
00:00 Mike Kozlowski
23:36 Bomb-a-rama
22:37 Mark IV
22:26 Old Patriot
22:18 Old Patriot
21:40 Old Patriot
21:39 Watcher
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