Tracy Dahlby

I was prepared to dislike this book before opening the first chapter. By the end, though, I was finding a grudging sense that maybe this was a genuine attempt to explain some big picture events in Indonesia, take them back a little to the Soekarno and Soharto days, and put them in the context of the so called war on terrorism.

The author points out that for most Indonesians, all they want is to have a life in which they can bring up their kids in relative peace, provide them with a secure future, and have a country which is free from corruption (or maybe more free than it is now?) in which to go about the business of living. Extreme Islam occupies only a very small space in this agenda, and the message is we shouldn't get too hung up on the posturing and threats of radical Islamists. On the other hand, we need to be alert to those terrorist groups who really do have an agenda of mass destruction.

The message was let down a bit by some less than skilful writing, which was surprising in an author with such respected credentials. Worth a skim on a wet weekend.… (plus d'informations)