Monday, September 20, 2004

Power Vacuum In Indonesia's first-ever direct ballot presidential election, General Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono appears to have routed the incumbent, Megawati Sukarnoputri. The New York Times' description of the general's campaign makes him sound like a combination of the worst of Dukakis and Kerry: Gen. Yudhoyono presented himself as a man of competence who could set things right, although he gave few details of precisely what he would do. They go on to say: Those who know him describe him as cautious.  "He's a cautious reformer," said Harold Crouch, an Australian expert on the Indonesian military. . . . But not necessarily a cautious reformer with results. No doubt Bush, failing to get his mouth around the general's polysyllabic name, will dub him something like "General Bangbang Yoohoo". Megawati's loss will end the hopes of her supporters for what would have been, in effect, an upgrade to Gigawati. 1:11:56 PM