In 1996, the US sent two aircraft carriers into the South China Sea to suggest to Beijing why invading Taiwan might not be a good idea. Indonesia is one of the region's focal points. Its population of 200 million is the fourth-largest on the planet. Indonesia's location is strategic, since its more than 13,600 islands are sprinkled through sea lanes that carry vital commodities, like oil, to Japan and other countries. The last time Japan got worried about the safety of its oil supplies, it decided to strike the US Navy at Pearl Harbor.
Some strategists see great benefits from a strong and stable Indonesia.
As the biggest country in Southeast Asia, it has helped to unite the region into a bloc that can begin to stand up for itself in regional politics. A cohesive and interdependent Southeast Asia, this thinking goes, is good for global peace. Conversely, a turbulent Indonesia is bad news. As it is, the economic crisis has all but frozen Indonesia's diplomatic efforts in the region. A third area of concern is human rights.