Missing the Mark: The U.S.-Indonesia Relationship

New forms of alignment in international relations emerged in the late 20th century, forging new comprehensive and strategic partnerships among countries, namely the U.S.-Indonesia Strategic Partnership. An analysis of strategic partnerships and military alliances in the Indo-Pacific region reveals the United States and Indonesia have missed the mark by not expanding their partnership to form a bilateral military alliance, and have missed an opportunity to counter Chinas hegemonic aspirations in the South China Sea. Strategic partnerships are established based on shared goals between countries and are not formed to balance power against a regional threat. Conversely, alliances form to achieve balance against a perceived threat and are shown to deter major conflict. However, these terms are incorrectly combined in strategy and policy documents to achieve deterrent effects. This combination prevents alliance formation and courting of Indonesia based on a shared ideology with U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy, commitment to a rules-based international order, and geo-strategic position. This missed opportunity has resulted in a continued imbalance of power against a growing threat in the region, which China exploits through the expansion of island-building operations in the South China Sea.