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Indonesia rejects US request for troops to fight Islamic State
Indonesia has rejected a US request for ground forces to support the war against Islamic State, former foreign minster Marty Natalegawa said on Monday. 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.
"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."
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.
Estimates on the number of Indonesians who have gone to fight for ISIS vary between 300 and 600.
Mr Natalegawa said he did not see any "quick fix" to the ISIS situation, and were Western countries to apply direct military force it would only "create new problems".
more:Indonesia rejects US request for troops to fight Islamic State | afr.com
Indonesia has rejected a US request for ground forces to support the war against Islamic State, former foreign minster Marty Natalegawa said on Monday. 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.
"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."
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.
Estimates on the number of Indonesians who have gone to fight for ISIS vary between 300 and 600.
Mr Natalegawa said he did not see any "quick fix" to the ISIS situation, and were Western countries to apply direct military force it would only "create new problems".
more:Indonesia rejects US request for troops to fight Islamic State | afr.com