'The Americans hope to isolate religious extremists from insurgents they believe are more likely to cut a deal to end thewar.'
What a pity they didn't try this strategy three years ago. They might have saved a lot of deaths.
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Now this sounds like a promising alternative. I hope we hear more about it in the future.
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If you believe, like me, that Australia taking this sort of action is unjust, let Alexander Downer know. Send him an email at A.Downer.MP@aph.gov.au indicating your position.
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It seems that as far as the US is concerned, democracy should only go so far, and no further.
I can't believe the US people continue to finance this debacle that has achieved none of its original stated aims and is costing trillions of dollars a year.Read more at news.ft.com/cms/s/0f72c...
Adam had to see a play for drama so Donna and I decided to make the most of it by seeing something significant. This sounded good and all we had read about it was good but it exceeded my expectations completely.
Only four actors, but very powerfully performed. The scenes were simple but effective. I won't spoil it by going into detail but it was tense, hilarious, and disturbing. All of the characterisations were really well done and it was easy to take on the conflicts going on in their minds.Read more at www.sydneytheatre.com.a...
How wierd is this thing called Nationalism. Yesterday, noone in Australia had ever heard of Dale Begg-Smith. He wasn't born in Australia, and being an freestyle mogul champion, he probably spends most of his life outside Australia. Yet, we all well up with pride and congratulate ourselves on having our first winter gold medal. Does anyone else find this funny?
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Another great article from Ross Gittins. You don't have to be a bleeding heart liberal to consider other options than the simple solutions of the redneck agenda.
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Lucky for him that the Federal Police afforded him the courtesy of arresting him in Australia. I wonder why they didn't do the same for the Bali Nine?
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I feel the need to state my view on Gay rights. This is prompted by this article on Webdiary
As a matter of social justice, Gay people are entitled to the same equality before the law that are available to all. It is without question, unjust that property rights, inheritance rights, and legal recognition of commited relationships are not available to them.
I really struggle to understand how any fair minded person, christian or not can be opposed to that.As far as custody rights, once again, I believe that a person's sexuality should not be relevant to their right to custody. Similarly, on the matter of adoption of a partner's children, I believe that homosexuals should have the same rights as all others.In the matter of government subsidy of fertility programs, I find it a little more difficult to support. Especially in the case where the only need for the fertility program is an unwillingness to try the natural method. Here, my objection is really just a matter of priorities. I don't think, when the health budget is so tight, that this is a justified expense. I have a similar view for hetrosexual couples.For couples wanting to adopt children, although I agree that the ideal situation is for parents to be a hetrosexual couple in a stable relationship with no mental or physical health problems, this is an ideal that is rarely possible. I have no doubt that children can bloom in a healthy homosexual family as well as in any other. However, I would hope that the child's best interest is always the prime motivation, rather than any political or social agenda.Perhaps they have been misquoted, but it seems to me like another sign of how far Power has taken these men from the Love of God.
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A good discussion by Andrew Bartlett of the issues around the Papuan refugees.
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How will the Talk Show Jocks and the other commentators react to this? Clearly we have a moral duty to grant these people asylum, assuming their story is true. I look forward to seeing how the DIMIA reacts.
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This story doesn't add up. Obviously, the security guard was an idiot, but if these guys needed wheelchairs to get around, why didn't they have their own? After all, when they got out of the car somewhere else, how were they going to move away from the car.
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I have very mixed feelings about this. I can see the positives for this. If there is a reliable identifier that business can use to verify someone's identity, it will dramatically reduce fraud, however, recording that ID no against a record will make it infinitely easier to match data from a variety of sources. It scares me that this is happening under a government that has shown that it is not really interested in getting consensus.
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This well thought out article makes you wonder why anyone who believes in liberal democracy would have the slightest hesitation to allow gay marriages. I definitely do not want to live in a theocracy, so why am I not more actively supporting the right of homosexuals to marriage (by whatever name).
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This is really going to confront a whole lot of people. I hope it is very successful so that people are forced to think through this issue.
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I listened to this story on Podcast yesterday and it really hit home with what we could have been dealing with after Lauren's incident. This guy has been confined to a bed for eight years now without any ability to communicate or move. What is surprising is that his friends continue to keep up regular contact with him. Very moving story, especially after what we have been through.
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Great article. I agree with so much of what she has to say. I bet there are lots of conservatives squirming over this.
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This is starting to look like jingoistic McCarthyism. Do we all have to prove we are Australian by plastering every building with an Aussie flag? It is starting to be a bit llike those American movies where people randomly recite the Pledge Of Allegience and criticise others for not joining in.
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