The trip to Indonesia will be part of an Asian tour he had planned on making in November that originally had included only India, Korea and Japan.
As he talked about the rise of the democracies around the world that were unique for each nation, Obama said:
"Later this fall, I will travel to Asia. And I will visit India, which peacefully threw off colonialism and established a thriving democracy of over a billion people.
"I'll continue to Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-majority country, which binds together thousands of islands through the glue of representative government and civil society. **
"I'll join the G20 meeting on the Korean Peninsula, which provides the world's clearest contrast between a society that is dynamic and open and free, and one that is imprisoned and closed.
"And I will conclude my trip in Japan, an ancient culture that found peace and extraordinary development through democracy.
"Each of these countries gives life to democratic principles in their own way."
** Not sure exactly how "civil" this society really is, given the recent rash of local clashes, violence and murders of Christians at the hands of [radical] intolerant Muslim thugs. Small terrorist factions seem to have declared "war" on local police in certain areas and violence (particularly in Sulawesi and parts of Jakarta) seems to be almost daily morning or nightly TV news. Maybe President Obama should bring along with him Rodney King as an ambassador of good will (LOL); whose simple yet eloquent quote during the aftermath of the race riots of the early 1990's in Los Angeles, California ring out;
"People, I just want to say, you know, can we all get along? Can we get along? Can we stop making it, making it horrible for the older people and the kids?...It’s just not right. It’s not right. It’s not, it’s not going to change anything. We’ll, we’ll get our justice....Please, we can get along here. We all can get along. I mean, we’re all stuck here for a while. Let’s try to work it out. Let’s try to beat it. Let’s try to beat it. Let’s try to work it out" - Rodney King
The good news is that; 1) the United States and Indonesia have positive diplomatic relations with each other, 2) these incidents are the exception rather than the rule and the Indonesian people are a kind and peaceful people by and large, and 3) Indonesia seems to have a "zero-tolerance" policy towards terrorists and terrorism, [actively and re-actively] smoking them out of their little rabbit holes in the jungle.
I think Indonesia is smart and realizes that they do not want to become the next Iraq or Afghanistan and have the U.S. Military showing up or descending upon its shores and islands [principally Java]. I can hear it from the Indonesian Executive or Legislature now, "Oh please, no!...not the 82nd Airborne" LOL : ) I am sure Indonesia does not want our aircraft carriers or submarines patrolling off it's coastal archipelago in the Indian Ocean or South China Sea...
