US to resume ties with Indonesia's special forces

The United States will cautiously resume cooperation with Indonesia's special forces while still pursuing reforms in the commando unit more than a decade after ties were severed over its alleged human rights abuses, officials said.

Both countries stressed that the Indonesian military had improved its human rights record, and American officials noted the decision required that those reform efforts continue.

Human rights activists, however, were skeptical that the special forces would be held accountable for past alleged abuses or would reform enough to prevent future abuse.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates made the announcement Thursday after …