The Multilateral Military Response to the Indian Ocean Tsunami in Indonesia, 2004: The United States, Australia, and Japan (original) (raw)

Abstract

The multilateral military response to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami in Indonesia relied heavily on collaborative efforts between the United States, Australia, and Japan – allowing each state to serve their own national interests while working cooperatively to improve diplomatic relations with Indonesia as well as to respond to a major crisis using their military’s capabilities. In disaster management, one of the major actors has often been the military of the state or states involved, and this has proven true internationally as well as domestically. Additionally, military forces are a major player in multilateral disaster relief efforts. The response to the Indian Ocean Tsunami in Indonesia in 2004 was without a doubt one of the greatest examples of this. Some of the most important aid by way of world militaries was provided by three states from outside of the region, each a non-member of ASEAN: The United States, Australia, and Japan. The United States assumed a major leadership role in the operation through its coordination of Operation Unified Assitance (OUA): however, although the U.S. assumed a leadership role, it was one of a few extra-ASEAN actors, Japan and Australia also included, who contributed collaboratively to the relief efforts in Indonesia. In contributing, each state was able to pursue its national interests: The United States wanted to solidify and legitimize its influence in the region. Australia wanted to boost and to an extent rectify its image in the region. Japan wanted to prove its capabilities and potential with its limited military forces. Each state was able to achieve what they wanted in responding to the Indian Ocean tsunami in Indonesia in 2004, but could not have done so without an appropriate fusion of both national interests and of each states’ capabilities. Although this type of response has some critics who level accusations of disaster militarism against the U.S. or its allies, the response to the 2004 tsunami in Indonesia nevertheless demonstrated neatly how those national interests and capabilities can fuse together in a situation that benefits all actors involved.

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