Global Security and Intelligence Studies Volume 2, Issue 1, Fall 2016 | Page 50

Global Security and Intelligence Studies
Figure 3: U.S. Military Force in the Pacific
Source: Military Balance 2011, Commander Navy Installations, Pacific Air Forces, Thomsonreuters:
http://blog.thomsonreuters.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/military-west-pacific.jpg
and recovery missions. There were also significant military-to-military contacts, such
as joint defense operations and the sale of weapons systems (Denmark, Sukma, and
Parthemore 2010; Gates 2008; Haseman and Lachica 2005; Rice 2006).
The massive humanitarian operation and subsequent cooperation between the
two governments helped improve the image of the United States in Indonesia where
anti-U.S. sentiment was strong since the beginning of the Iraq War. Following the
March 2003 invasion of Iraq, the percentage of favorable views of the United States
fell to 15%, but after the United States participated in humanitarian operations that
number jumped to 79%. U.S. assistance improved their impression of the United States
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