Largest Islamic Nation’s Leader Heads for U.S.

JAKARTA, Indonesia â€”  President Megawati Sukarnoputri, the leader of the world’s largest Islamic nation, left Monday for Washington to meet with President Bush as he attempts to build an international coalition against terrorism.

Megawati, who was invited to the White House after she took office in July, will be the first Muslim chief executive to meet with Bush since terrorists attacked the World Trade Center and the Pentagon a week ago.

For Megawati, the daughter of founding Indonesian President Sukarno, her first major foray onto the international stage could prove to be a decisive moment.

While economic issues were originally to be the focus of her visit, Megawati could give Bush a boost if she were to declare support for his plan to wage war on international terrorists.

At the same time, if she aligns herself too closely with the United States, she risks creating a backlash at home.

“Some of her detractors could use this to question her commitment to Islam,� said Dharmawan Ronodipuro, who served as a spokesman for former President Abdurrahman Wahid. “It could be used by certain political parties who don’t like a woman but were forced to accept her.�

Indonesia, with a population that is nearly 90% Muslim, is one of the world’s most moderate Islamic nations. But in the three years since the collapse of the Suharto military dictatorship, hard-line Muslims have gained a significant following.

Relations between the U.S. and Indonesia have been strained since 1999, when pro-government forces destroyed most of East Timor’s buildings and killed 1,000 people in retaliation for the province’s vote for independence.

Soon after, Congress passed a law suspending military relations with Indonesia until the military is held accountable for the devastation. Bush’s declaration of war on global terrorism could offer Megawati a chance to win the restoration of military ties.

Indonesian officials recently acknowledged that Osama bin Laden has begun operating in Indonesia, where recruits are plentiful and law enforcement is weak.