Indi: "Old Heini no matter what a crackpot he was, was a patriot" I thought he was just a MADMAN and a chicken farmer. Heini wasn't exactly a screaming success was he, 20 million dead, Germany in ruins, then he committed suicide! His CV don't read all that well. Then all is forgiven after all he was a PATRIOT so were all his mates. Not a got example to follow, I'll pass.

Germany in ruins,
Paul1405,
I can't recall him & his mad mates destroying anything in Germany ? That was done by the Yanks & Brits & Russians. Those who meant to do good.
Australia is different, it is being done over from within & all those who want to take over just have to pretend to be refugees after travelling through several other countries.
They count on the likes of you to put them up & forfeit the rights of Australians trying to protect what they built & the revenue they create for you to live off.

Back to the subject at hand. Some on here do not realise we live in a very complex world where diplomacy, relationships and influence play vital rolls in determining political and economic outcomes. In their simplistic world these isolationists believe they can wrap themselves in nationalism in the guise of patriotism and then cut themselves off from the rest of civilisation. Unfortunate for these adherents they are a century or two, too late. The isolationist in his simplistic way believes in 'Fortress Australia' where a utopian society exists in some kind of time warp. Theses people are willing to open the door slightly to take in the goodies the world has to offer, and at the same time letting out that which they have to sell, all the time believing the world should be grateful for such courtesy. They will bar what they perceive as undesirable, using the old gunboat mentality to drive off those that may seek refuge within paradise.
Foreign aid, if any, is seen by these isolationist as a weapon of control, whereby the recipient comes with begging bowl in hand to get given a small token, providing he is prepared to adhere to a long list of conditions the benefactor wants to impose to help reinforce 'Fortress Australia'.
As I said, Unfortunate for these adherents they are a century or two, too late and its time they moved themselves into the world of the 21st century. It may be painful but unfortunately for them, it is the reality.

It should be recognised that the colony called the Dutch East Indies has been replaced by Indonesia which is really the Javanese Empire. East Timor is fortunate in that it could detach itself from the Empire. Irian Jaya, Aceh and other provinces are not so fortunate.

Australia has catered to the empire. Gough Whitlam was the first to recognise Indonesia's occupation of East Timor and covered up the murder of the Australian reporters. Bob Hawke against the advice of the Australian military sold Steyr rifles to Indonesia. Paul Keating proudly waved the treaty he signed with the Indonesian butchers. The Australian Army trained the Kopassus Division of the Indonesian Army. The Kopassus Division has committed many atrocities in subduing opposition to Javanese rule.

The Australian military is well aware of the danger that Indonesia presents but, as is proper in a democracy, accepts civilian rule. However, there is no necessity for the Australian government to be as stupid as it is.

One reason Indonesia is not an immediate danger to Australia is that the military is busy subduing domestic opposition. Australia has favoured self-determination for oppressed peoples. Favouring self-determination for the constituent parts of the Javanese Empire would be in Australia's interest.

What about the future?
The nation created in 1949 is gone, the United States of Indonesia was crushed by the Republic of Indonesia during 1950 and brutal force has been used ever since to quell objections to the Republic. Jakarta attempted military invasions of New Guinea in the 1950s and 60s, attacked Malaysia in the 1960s, invaded East Timor in 1975, and for several years troops at their whim have been crossing the PNG border.

Even if TNI corruption is curbed in a few years, all the officers had joined the TNI for purpose of making money and the TNI is likely to reassert itself if it does not appreciate the anti-corruption and other reforms.

Unfortunately Indonesia also has a serious bigotry problem, as far as I know Javanese culture did not before WW-ii, but it does now. For years Al Jazeera has run stories about churches being burnt and Christian communities threaten, in Aceh Sharia law has been used to bribe a religious community to silence the remaining pro-independence people, and this http://t.co/7MeUCa1urI is another tragic example.

What about international agreements?
Indonesia is the only nation in the world that has withdrawn from the United Nations. Though several months later under General Suharto it alleged it would resume cooperation, the refusal to allow West Papua a referendum in or since 1963 demonstrates an ongoing disregard for sovereignty of other territories.

Legally West Papua is still a UN trust territory for which Indonesia abandoned its claims when it supported resolution 1752 (XVII), but the entire UN membership is too scared of upsetting Indonesia and its US corporate partners usindo.org to remind Jakarta of the legal fact. We are ALREADY being bitten by our appeasement policy..

If any country can be seen as offering instability to our region it must be Indonesia with its population of some 247 million, 10 times that of Australia. Indonesia is beset with a raft of internal problems. Daeron's post is spot on, Australia's record when it comes to Indonesia has been disappointing to say the least. To our shame we failed the people of East Timor, just as we are failing the people of West Irian Jaya at the moment. I still believe the best course of action to follow is the diplomatic path rather than any perceived threatening on our part. Australia must be open and frank when dealing with Jakarta, in that way we are likely to have a greater influence than if we were to take a belligerent posture.