Implications of Islamization for Indonesian foreign policy and international security

Following 9/11, and the 2002 terrorist bombing in Bali, Indonesia was catapulted into the war on terror discourse. Combined with the "Islamization" phenomena underway there since the 1980s, the viability and longevity of Indonesia's status as a secular natioan-state and standing as a temperate "Muslim voice" in world affairs has been called into question. This chapter assesses these Islam-associated developments in Indonesia with respect to their implications for Indonesian foreign policy and global international affairs. Historically Islam has apparently had little influence on Indonesian foreign policy despite Indonesia's population being overwhelmingly Muslim. This paradox has usually been explamed through reference to Indonesia's domestic political circumstances. But if this explanation is correct then arguably the changes that have occurred in Indonesia's society and politics in recent decades should result in a much greater Islamic influence over Indonesian fore1gn policy. But this has not happened and nor is it likely to. This is because it iS argued here, Indonesia's foreign policy is and always has been largely determmed by perceptions of Indonesia's international circumstances and interests. Thus the chapter concludes that there are few implications for global security arising from Islaization in Indonesia.