In Indonesia, Gates Seeks to Solidify an Ally's Ties
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates continues his trip through Southeast Asia with a stop in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation. With China stepping up its military planning, Washington is increasingly seeing Indonesia as a strategic ally.
Today, 60 percent of the world's energy supplies move through the straits of Malacca, and the United States maintains a vital maritime patrol in the area.
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