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SMS: Army dominates TNI
Trimmed sails: Soldiers of the Indonesian Navy line up for the launch of the Diponegoro warship at the Central Java port of Tanjung Emas, Semarang
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Trimmed sails: Soldiers of the Indonesian Navy line up for the launch of the Diponegoro warship at the Central Java port of Tanjung Emas, Semarang. Indonesia has only 114 warships of an ideal fleet of 376, to patrol the 17,000 island archipelago. JP/Suherdjoko
Your comments on the domination of the Indonesian Military by the Army, while analysts say that, as an archipelagic country, Indonesia needs much stronger Air Force and Navy.
All over the world the military is dominated by the army, the oldest of the armed forces. Commanders in chief are almost always from the army, especially in developing countries
People live mostly on land, not only in Indonesia. Indonesia does need a stronger Air Force and Navy, as well as Army, and they have to work together.
There is nothing wrong with that, but maybe in the future things will change. It's OK; I am a retired Air Force bomber pilot.
E Nurdin
Jakarta
It is quite obvious that just with a lot of men, guns, vehicles and sufficient funding, we already possess a tough Army. It is also true that, as an archipelagic state, Indonesia needs a much stronger Navy and Air Force, which require a massive amount of new warships and aircraft.
This weaponry and military equipment needs a huge amount of financing, which at present our budget cannot bear. With good governance and zero corruption, we hope that soon the Indonesian Military will reach its ideal force proportions.
Soebagjo Soetadji
Jakarta
We need more funding to update Air Force and Navy military hardware, but because of rampant corruption, our country is not able to afford the much-needed modernization of our military equipment.
Yogi Suwasono
Jakarta
We do not need more people in uniforms. We need more good schools where they teach English as a second language, like in India and China, and more money for health care.
Wayan
Jakarta
I think that the Army's domination over the Indonesian Military can be looked at in both the historical and political domains.
The fight against Dutch imperialism was dominated by the Army because it was the most cost-effective way of fighting.
The presence of Soeharto, as an army icon, who turned out to be the longest-serving president of Indonesia, further stabilized the Army's position. Strengthening the Navy and Air Force is very important, but I don't think it will be easy to break the Army's domination in a country like Indonesia.
Wiryono Raharjo
Melbourne
