Kopassus: Inside Indonesia's Special Forces

by Kenneth J. Conboy

In a nation where the military has played an influential social and political role since its founding, perhaps no unit has wielded more power-and seen more action-than Kopassus, Indonesia's Special Forces. From the jungles of Irian Jaya to the backrooms of Jakarta's most powerful political figures, this elite group of commandos has influenced nearly every major policy decision taken since its inception in 1952. Here, for the first time, this secretive and controversial unit is exposed in Inside Indonesia's Special Forces by acclaimed author Ken Conboy. In this new age of terrorism and counter-terrorism, and especially in the wake of the October 2002 Bali bombing, understanding Kopassus is an integral part of understanding the politics of modern Indonesia. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in unconventional warfare, contemporary Indonesian history, and the brushfire wars that have swept the Indonesian archipelago over the past fifty years. KEN CONBOY is country manager for Risk Management Advisory, a private security consultancy in Jakarta. Prior to that, he served as deputy director at the Asian Studies Center, an influential Washington-based think tank, where his duties including writing policy papers for the U.S. Congress and Executive on economic and strategic relations with the nations of South and Southeast Asia. The author of a dozen books about Asian military history and intelligence operations, Conboy's most recent title, Spies in the Himalayas , has earned praise as an intriguing account of high-altitude mountaineering and covert missions. A graduate of Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service and of Johns Hopkins' School of Advanced International Studies, Conboy was also a visiting fellow at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok and has lived in Indonesia since 1992.

Genres: History, Military History

324 pages, Paperback

First published November 16, 2002

About the author

Kenneth J. Conboy is a former policy analyst and deputy director at the Asian Studies Center in Washington, D.C., and author or coauthor of seventeen books, including The CIA’s Secret War in Tibet and Spies and Commandos: How America Lost the Secret War in North Vietnam and, most recently, FANK: A History of the Cambodian Armed Forces.

Reviews

[Irwan Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buku ini merupakan tulisan pertama tentang Kopassus. Buku ini mengupas sejarah Kopassus sejak Slamet Rijadi mengutarakan keinginannya untuk mempunyai pasukan komando kepada Kawilarang di Ambon. Buku ini cukup menarik jika anda senang dengan sejarah. Beberapa kesalahan kecil terdapat pada asal daerah Moeng dan SM Kartosuwiryo. Keduanya berasal dari etnik Jawa dan bukan Sunda seperti diceritakan oleh Conboy

[Anjar Priandoyo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book about history of Kopassus between 1952-1992s. As the author also mention that post 1993 he did not give detail analysis. So I agree with him, basically I would divide this book into five parts

- 50s: complicated period: separatism prri/permesta; internal army nasution conflict, rpkad era
- 60s: consolidation period: papua trikora operation; internal military conflict; end of communism, special warfare
- 70s: timor operation, stable period
- 80s: peak period under moerdani, kopassus era
- 90s: declined moerdani period, prabowo rise

Personally I would said that the story in the 1970s period is not that interesting as too many familiar name e.g Sutiyoso, Luhut Panjaitan, Prabowo. As most of sources is interview so it will be very subjective.

What most interesting about the Kopassus story is 1965 event that changed the course of military history, Sarwo Edhi which lack of commando experience as transitional leader prove otherwise. Sarwo Edhie is interesting story, from Suharto POV, Sarwo Edhie is Yani friend and never close to Suharto.

Interesting things also history remind me that it is not black and white, some of RPKAD also supporter of PKI (page 154). Omar Dani success hiding in Cambodia due previous relationshop is countered by RPKAD connection to muslim minority in Cambodia.

This is story about loyalty, family connection, affiliation/primordial (religious, ethnic). This also story about efficiency such as reducing the kopassus troop from 6,000 to 2,500 at its peak in 1986s that emphasize the quality over quantity, a reminder what a special force definition means.

[Franky Rengkung]

Conboy bukan orang Indonesia tapi dia menulis tentang Kopassus, hal ini tentu saja luar biasa sekali. Saya senang membaca buku ini karena ada beberapa hal yang menjadi jelas untuk saya, salah satunya kisah tentang Si Tahril yang ikut memerangi PERMESTA di Minahasa. Kisah tentang si Tahril anggota RPKAD tahun 1958 yang terluka parah adalah salah satu kisah menarik bagaimana Operasi Merdeka APRI meskipun mengerahkan pasukan elitnya kesulitan menghadapi Permesta yang sebagian besar adalah masyarakat sipil yang dipersenjatai.

[Ambar · Rating 4 out of 5]

The must read book about the history of Indonesia's Special Forces. This book has extensive sources from interview with witness, ex-members and active members of Kopassus to build chronological involvement to secret operations from Permesta (with CIA covert in Sumatra), Serawak, to Papua. Conboy also unmasked some political struggle inside Kopassus, including dissatisfaction and rivalry among the top officers.

[Kris Wijoyo · Rating 4 out of 5]

gw beli ni buku waktu kelas 1 sma, pas pertama kali terbit. gw paling suka baca bagian perang di Tim-timnya, mulai dari penokohan Dading Kalbuadi, operasi komodo. bagian laen yang seru waktu M. Idjon Janbi mantan baret merah belanda disuruh bikin pasukan komando..kisah ini ngasih inspirasi buat gw dalam membuat sesuatu dari awal...

[Danny Lazuardi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ow jadi gitu yah...??? *au ah,like i care anyway :P*

[Chandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Army has long history and many tragedy in Indonesia, influence authority of government, influenced by foreign army.

[Endank Koestatik]

woooowww