Empirical Frame I: The USA in Southeast Asia

Abstract

This chapter analyzes the development over time of the image of American foreign policy as directed toward Southeast Asia in articles from the three Indonesian newspapers and the magazine (Jakarta Post, Kompas, Republika, Suara Hidayatullah). It engages with the three issues pertaining to US-Indonesian relations, the potential conflict between the USA and China, American counterterrorist actions and how these have been perceived by the four publications. In sum, while all of them viewed US-Indonesian relations as very important for regional and global development, Republika and especially Suara Hidayatullah (in stronger words) expressed their weariness with American suspicion and resulting behavior toward Southeast Asian Islam. Deriving from this, a potential conflict between China and the USA in the South China Sea was seen by all as a potential threat.