FOUR Russian-made Mi-17 helicopters ordered by the Indonesian Army, according to schedule, should have arrived at the Halim Perdanakusuma Airbase, Jakarta, last Friday. Until dusk, no rumble of an Antonov, the Russian giant air carrier delivering the choppers, was heard. So, even four of them are not yet on hand, let alone a squadron.

This project has been muddled from the start. And another bad story was behind the latest delay. The Depart