> - Intervention in East Timor has a good chance of stopping an existing
humanitarian catastrophe. <
i doubt it very much. most of the damage has already been done, and the so-called peace-enforcers have already said countless times that what happens in west timor is outside their jurisdiction (ie,. the fate of the east timorese refugees currently in west timor).
> - There seem to be no ulterior motives for intervention in East Timor. <
this would be the claim of someone who can only hear the one tune: 'US imperialism'. i assure you, there are countless motives for both the timing of the intervention and for the character of it. much of which i've posted on already, so i won't again. suffice to say that the 'motives' are a result of a restructure of military and economic power in the region post-the asian financial crisis. a reworking of the lines of coercion and cohesion. but little seems to be cohering at the moment: ambon (on of the indonesian provinces) has exploded into serious violence. and a note: please, i ask that no one beleives the stories being propagated about religious violence. this has religious overtones, but it is far from being the cause of antagonism.
Angela _________