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April 12, 2000
   

President Wahid's government plans to cut the KOPASSUS special forces unit from 6,000 troops to 5,000 immediately and then to 3,000 in a year or two. The unit was often used by the previous government for politically-sensitive missions (blocking coups, driving off protesters, wiping out insurgents). Wahid has vowed to bring the unit into the normal military chain of command and remove its ability to conduct independent politically-motivated missions. --Stephen V Cole