WASHINGTON — The clock is ticking for Indonesia's president, Abdurrahman Wahid. His health, both political and physical, is so much in question that there is palpable fear of what would happen to this sprawling archipelago if it were to lose the unifying force he exerts.

It is hard to fix 30 years of problems in barely seven months, but, since assuming office last October, Gus Dur, as he is affectionately known, has begun the arduous task of building a democracy from the ground up and quieting ethnic and religious tensions.

He is starting to wean the armed forces away from their political and business involvements and to send them back to the barracks. His plans for greater regional autonomy are dampening the separatist movements that could unravel the uneasy ties holding the nation together.

He has formed a new anti-corruption commission with wide-ranging authority to combat endemic graft. And, despite confusing signals from government officials that have caused the rupiah to plunge, he is trying to speed economic reforms through key corporate and bank restructuring — moves applauded by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

For all his efforts, the press has changed from cheerleader to critic. And there is a concerted campaign to discredit him and provide an excuse to oust him. Both his erstwhile political allies and his longtime foes are calling for his head.

A loose coalition of hard-line Muslims led by an old political rival, Amien Rais, has threatened to begin impeachment proceedings in August. Claiming that he handed Mr. Wahid the presidency, Mr. Rais said, "I did not give him a blank check to do whatever he wanted after taking office." Mr. Rais seems determined to stir the political pot. He is one of those giving direct or tacit support to calls for a holy war against Moluccan Christians.

Cronies of former Presidents B.J. Habibie and Suharto and powerful former cabinet members, together with rogue elements of the military and rent-a-riot private militias, are bent on causing unrest. Some analysts give Mr. Wahid only a 50-50 chance of surviving the impeachment vote.

His fragile health adds to the uncertainty of his future. He is diabetic, has a bad heart and is virtually blind as a result of a near fatal stroke two years ago. He lives under constant medical supervision. He calls his time in office "already too long" and say he hopes "it can be over soon."

But this part philosopher-king, part stand-up comedian has also said he will not leave office until he is sure that his policies will be continued, promising to stay through his five-year term to ensure that political reform, human rights and the rule of law are secure.

Washington is not making his job easier. While proclaiming that he deserves strong support, America continues to punish this fledgling democracy for crimes committed during previous administrations.

Secretary of State Madeleine Albright named Indonesia, along with Colombia, Ukraine and Nigeria, as one of four democracies to be assisted. She announced an increase in annual aid to Jakarta from $93.5 million to $125 million. Compare that to what Washington is promising the others.

The White House is pushing a $1.7 billion aid package to assist narcotics control in Colombia. And $2 billion has already been spent in dismantling Ukraine's nuclear arsenal.

As for Nigeria, the United States will begin training a new generation of its military leaders, refurbish the country's transport planes and help increase civilian oversight over the military. American financial assistance to Indonesia, the world's third biggest democracy, is dwarfed by the amount given to Communist North Korea.

The cutoff of American arms and suspension of programs aimed at human rights training for Indonesia's military after the East Timor atrocities may have felt good, but it did little to solve Mr. Wahid's serious security problems. And the recent decision by the Clinton administration to hold joint U.S.-Indonesian military exercises is raising opposition from members of Congress and human rights advocates.

They take a catch-22 approach: Until your military is more professional and your officers understand human rights protection, our International Military Education and Training program that can teach your military to be more professional and to protect human rights is closed to you.

The geopolitical importance of Indonesia cannot be overemphasized. The world's fourth most populous nation has more strategic value to America than any other country in Southeast Asia. It is a voice of moderation in the Islamic world. It can serve as a counterweight to China, especially in territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

It needs Mr. Wahid to triumph over his political foes. But it also needs the United States to provide significant financial support and expand military-to-military ties. Doing too little too late may one day have Republicans and Democrats pointing fingers at each other over who lost Indonesia.

Stanley A. Weiss is founder and chairman of Business Executives for National Security. The views he expresses are his own.