The United States, East Timor, and intervention

Abstract

East Timor's independence came at a frightful human cost, a cost that was almost totally avoidable. Moral responsibility for this tragedy is shared by the governments of leading countries, especially the United States, which for a quarter of a century armed and trained the Indonesian military and provided Jakarta with economic and diplomatic support, amid constant denials and evasions. In fact, U.S. support for murderous Indonesian policies began well before 1975, and the evasions continue today.