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False Wringing of Hands

With one week to go before the scheduled hanging [how barbaric!] of Nguyen Van in Singapore hope of saving this young man from the gallows seems to fade by the minute.

Meanwhile the Australian Government wrings its hands, falsely in my view, and says there is little it can do. Hey, what about the International Court of Justice? All informed legal opinion suggests that that is a course open to the Australian Government. So what if Singapore won't come along or agree to participate. Isn't that what happened when Israel was taken to the same Court a little while back?

Messrs Howard, Downer and Ruddock - heaven-forbid to have to rely on anything in their hands - make "noises" but do nothing. It all has an element of falsehood and duplicity about it. After all trade with Singapore can't be put in the way of principle! But then again, has this Government ever shown anything by way of leadership or principle? John Howard is far more intent on "strutting" the world stage emulating his "mate" George Bush [increasingly discredited in the USA as not being trustworthy] by now, too, wearing a leather jacket, a la Bush, when visiting the troops.

Read an excellent analysis, as always, by Richard Ackland in today's SMH on how Howard, Downer and Ruddock really haven't done anything for Nguyen.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Why should our government spend any effort fighting for Nguyen Van in Singapore ? If one travels to another country and commits a crime why should they be treated any different then the people already living in that country? Lving here in Australia how can we judge Singapore. We don't know the inner workings of their government and how they came to decide what crimes attract capital punishment.
Or perhaps we should just act like Americans and have the view that only our ideas and laws should matter and all other countries should fall into line.

Mark D.
November 29, 2005 3:36 pm
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