Indonesia rejects US request for troops to fight Islamic State - Polidicks

[url]http://www.afr.com/news/politics/indonesia-rejects-us-request-for-troops-to-fight-islamic-state-20150629-gi0rzw[/url] [QUOTE]Speaking at an ANU Crawford School of Public Policy Leadership Forum in Canberra, Mr Natalegawa declined to name the country that had asked for Indonesian military support other than to suggest it would not be too difficult for the audience to guess. [B] "We can do far more to address our problems at home rather than by making some superficial, almost cosmetic, contribution of sending a small number of troops [to Iraq]," Mr Natalegawa said. "We [Indonesia] are better doing what we can to get our own house in order." [/B] Indonesian authorities are worried about a resurgence in extremism in the country in the wake of the ongoing war involving Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and the group's successful exploitation of propaganda.[/QUOTE]

The U.S. should take note of this foreign policy of taking care of internal affairs.

Indonesia certainly has their work cut out for themselves in the process of getting their own house in order, and I would agree with them here, if they actually do that. IF I was the leader of a country, I'd do the same. I wouldn't bother sending troops.

[QUOTE=Antlerp;48095174]Indonesia certainly has their work cut out for themselves in the process of getting their own house in order, and I would agree with them here, if they actually do that. IF I was the leader of a country, I'd do the same. I wouldn't bother sending troops.[/QUOTE] They sound alright in that regard at least, though I imagine there are a few other troubles surrounding them even after the reign of President Suharto and the Ministry of Information. (pretty 1984 if you ask me) Hopefully their new President "Jokowi" will be sorting shit out on the home-front. Can any Indonesian users confirm?

[QUOTE=Loriborn;48095169]The U.S. should take note of this foreign policy of taking care of internal affairs.[/QUOTE] America doesn't have a problem with the Islamic jihad on its mainland. Indonesia does.

[QUOTE=Grimhound;48095267]America doesn't have a problem with the Islamic jihad on its mainland. Indonesia does.[/QUOTE] True. The American supercontinent is largely disconnected from Eurasia, separated by thousands of miles of ocean save for the Bering Strait, and even then ISIS would need to march through Russia and brave the swords of General Winter in order to set foot on American soil in a conventional manner. But while America doesn't need to fear the Bulldozer rolling into Anchorage, they likely fear an internal insurgency of sorts, like having a bunch of cells coming over the seas, taking root and waiting for the moment to spring up and start causing havoc. Even still, for folks in Eurasia and Africa we're connected by land and very light stretches of sea, meaning it'd be easier for them to strike in Europe and Asia than to slip into America.

[QUOTE=ironman17;48095428]True. The American supercontinent is largely disconnected from Eurasia, separated by thousands of miles of ocean save for the Bering Strait, and even then ISIS would need to march through Russia and brave the swords of General Winter in order to set foot on American soil in a conventional manner. But while America doesn't need to fear the Bulldozer rolling into Anchorage, they likely fear an internal insurgency of sorts, like having a bunch of cells coming over the seas, taking root and waiting for the moment to spring up and start causing havoc. Even still, for folks in Eurasia and Africa we're connected by land and very light stretches of sea, meaning it'd be easier for them to strike in Europe and Asia than to slip into America.[/QUOTE] It's not even that, most of the attacks or attempts that have been ISIS linked have been crackpots who knew a guy.

Well then, Indonesia has to do more. The extremist have their own little islands where the govt is still out of reach.

The main reason to send troops to serve in other countries, besides standard conquest oriented reasons, is to keep your officers and troops combat ready. There is no substitute for working in hostile conditions in another country, no training can equal that if you are otherwise at peace. In Indonesia's case, if they have internal fighting to occupy them then they are getting all the real world experience right at home. Why send troops elsewhere?