Dosen HI Binus di the Strait Times
Obama foreign policy speech: Indonesian experts see mixed signals
Achmad Soekarsono, dosen Media dan Komunikasi, Departemen Hubungan Internasional, Universitas Bina Nusantara, diwawancara oleh Koran Harian Singapura, the Strait Times
JAKARTA – Indonesian observers on Thursday welcomed United States President Barack Obama’s remarks on a shift in strategy when it comes to combating terrorism, but were mixed about other points of his foreign policy message.
Mr Achmad Sukarsono, associate fellow at The Habibie Centre think-tank, told The Straits Times that aid in the form of funding to help affected countries fight extremism was welcome and would be better accepted in Indonesia and among Muslim communities worldwide.
“Physical US presence tends to be divisive and triggers suspicion that America is warring on Muslims,” he said.
In his commencement speech at the United States Military Academy on Wednesday, Mr Obama called on Congress to back a new Counter-Terrorism Partnerships Fund of up to US$5 billion (S$6.5 billion) to work with countries in the Middle East and Africa in battling terror, which would be more effective than prolonged military intervention.