Soft Power of Defence Diplomacy: A New Approach ... - ISIS Malaysia

11The United StatesThe US has in fact maintained military ties with the Myanmar regime since 1988through its defence attaches at the embassy, though without giving aid. 39 Recentmilitary-to-military engagement with Myanmar was limited to facilitating delivery ofaid to the Myanmar people in response to Cyclone Nargis in May 2008. The recentlycompleted US government policy review and subsequent high level visits have notaltered US PACOM military engagement with Myanmar and it remains non-existentas a matter of policy. However, whenever US policy allow, US PACOM is preparedto reengage in a military-to-military dialogue with the Myanmar military junta. 40 TheUS Department of Defence is looking at the possibility of resuming InternationalMilitary Education and Training (IMET) programs with Myanmar if circumstancesimprove to the degree this is feasible and desirable. 41 A more realistic policy is toadopt a non-provocative defence policy which encourage a high degree of peacetimemilitary cooperation and confidence building by relying more on perceptions tocommunicate benign intent. 42ASEANMilitary IMET training via proxy through an ASEAN partner which in turn holdsclose ties with the US and the West using the strategy of indirect approach to affectthe mentality and professionalism of the Myanmar military elite is another viableoption. An Indonesian initiative of taking responsibility in training the Myanmar army,the Tatmadaw to establish a higher level of professionalism, is an alternative to directbilateral defence diplomacy between the US and the West with Myanmar due to thepolitical sensitivity involved. It would be less sensitive for the military of a SoutheastAsian country to conduct such training and also in their interest due to the objective ofthe ASEAN Charter to increase regional cooperation, especially with the formation ofthe ASEAN Defence Ministerial Meeting (ADMM). Training the trainers (TenteraNasional Indonesia (TNI)) who in turn will be conducting training for the Tatmadawwould see the US and the West acting via proxy with ASEAN as the channel ofinfluence in promoting gradual reform through defence diplomacy. This is because it39 International Crisis Group, Myanmar: The Military Regime’s View of the World, Asia Report No.28, December 7, 2001, p. 14.40 Statement of Admiral Timothy J. Keating, US Navy Commander US Pacific Command Before theSenate Armed Services Committee on US Pacific Command Posture, March 19, 2009., 12 June 2010;Statement of Admiral Robert F. Willard, US Navy Commander US Pacific Command Before theSenate Armed Services Committee on US Pacific Command Posture, March 24, 2010.,12 June 2010.41 Kingston, Jeff, After the Whirlwind: Post-Nargis Burma, the 2010 Elections and Prospects forReform, Asia-Pacific Journal, Vol. 10-1-09, March 4, 2009.42 Roggeveen, Sam, A Non-Provocative Defence Posture for Australia. Lowy Institute Perspective,December 2008., 12 June 2010.