TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) on Tuesday delivered his views on effective military and how nations can act together to prevent the world from deteriorating, during a speech in front of 1,000 cadets of the United States Military Academy in West Point, Orange County, west of Hudson River, the Unite States.
“First, the solution that only depends on military action will not solve deterioration,” said SBY.
According to SBY, comprehensive settlement that involves political solution and soft power or smart power is need. He gave example on Islamic State of Iraq and Syria problem. Military solution is not enough because there also have to be efforts to prevent the future generation from emulating their ideology, which can be done through deradicalization program carried out by Indonesia.
Second, SBY expressed the need to solve problems through diplomacy rather than war. “Ending a war is more difficult than starting it,” said SBY.
Even though it was not easy, SBT gave examples on Timor Leste and border issues with the Philippines and Singapore that were solved diplomatically and politically.
Third, SBY also affirmed the need to build trust through educational exchange, joint military exercise especially in anti-terrorism, disaster mitigation and peace mission. He asserted the importance of role of leaders and politicians in preventing wars.
SBY arrived in the United States on Saturday. On Tuesday, SBY attended the 2014 UN Climate Summit: Catalyzing Action and delivered his speech in General Assembly room.
NATALIA SANTI