US-RI partnership.

from THE JAKARTA POST -- SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2009 -- PAGE 17 Bara Hasibuan's recent thoughts regarding a US-Indonesia strategic partnership (The Jakarta Post, Feb. 17) are timely and well crafted. His advice that we not let "disagreements" prevent us from focusing on the big picture; however, appear to misunderstand what a strategic partnership entails.

Such relationships, to be enduring, are founded on more than shared interests. They grow out of shared democratic values which go far deeper than mutual economic advantage or complimentary political perspectives.

Indonesia, like the US, is clearly on a democratic path. Thanks to the courage and sacrifice of …