Why Indonesian extremists are gaining ground

On Java? Indonesia is one huge nation as spread out as it is and it does have the resources that others want.

LTC Eric Udouj - resources that others want, historically has been why wars have always been fought.

And that is Indonesia is important -- yet focus is far away on places that have few resources... other than oil.... and time to shift focus to other places from there as the sole focus.

LTC Eric Udouj - My Old unit cover the Pacific Rim and we had a few missions there, the natural resources that Indonesia offers are best discuss in private and that is why the focus is else where, because by the time decision makers get together in private they forget to talk about because they have gotten sucker into what is on the news. Human nature at it's lowest, sound military strategy is lost to reality TV.

Also - I really like the President in Indonesia - have followed him for long while since he was a mayor and did some different and really great things. Good man - but he has to have some great advisors to tackle the issues.

agreed on all counts. but as you say, ISIS is taking a whole different approach. as long as they proclaim the Caliphate, and hold territory, it becomes an almost religious imperative.

Wayne - it is that hold territory place where have seen a change - it no longer really is to hold territory - it is that they did the action that is a central key now...

LTC Eric Udouj - True. But if there is a place, then it is more than a symbolic act