[Smokin' Joe]

Ping...

[arderkrag]

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the second largest faction in the House, proposed the fact-finding team because of allegations the U.S. laboratory is engaging in espionage and the lack of apparent benefits to Indonesia from their research.

Struggle is right...I'm struggling to believe that this isn't a story from the Onion.

[G.Mason]

" ... The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the second largest faction in the House, proposed the fact-finding team because of allegations the U.S. laboratory is engaging in espionage and the lack of apparent benefits to Indonesia from their research ..."

Hmmmm ... In need of dancing around the May Pole money are they?

I can't blame them. They better get as much as they can before the U.S.A. falls down and goes boom.

[kingu]

From the Navy website: Current staffing is 21 Americans and 120 Indonesians.

So a US hybrid military/civilian facility with a 6:1 locals to American ratio needs to be more transparent in it's day to day operations? Don't quite get where they're coming from on that. Spying? Sure, they're spying, in mostly the same way that any good intelligence agency subscribes to the newspapers published, or listens to radio broadcasts or watches TV.

I'm sure that India or another nation in the region would enjoy a transference of the facility if that's what they desire. Personally, considering the high populations, the constant international traffic, and the ties the lab has not just to the CDC but the WHO as well, they'd be fools to let the facility shutter itself, and the US fools to let them play games with it.

Foggy Bottom, however, will of course call upon the Navy to be open and receptive to even more Indonesian influence as let us always appease everyone.

[EBH]

Something here just doesn’t make sense.

There are only 19 US Citizens working at the lab in the first place. All the others are Indonesians?

[Cenobite]

Actually, the labs is set on the some very nice grounds within a health department building owned, operated and staffed by Indonesian health officials, MD’s and scientists. Yes, we floated one hell of alot of money to that particular NAMRU. However, if you look at the mortality of malaria just in this century alone, you can see why it is a good investment for all nations, not just America and Indonesia. But, if Muslims wish to sit idly by as their loved ones die of disease, then let them. After all, if you hew to the liberal line, all cultures are equal, even if they opt for self-inflicted genocide.

[piasa]

“Mrs Supari, who has famously refused to share bird flu samples with international scientists, “ (because she says she doesn’t want lucrative vaccines made.)

Translation...she wants a bribe or cut of the deal.