This is an interesting article that raises a number of points. I am rather more pessimistic than the author however as to the direction of US policy. A number of factors militate against optimism. Eisenhower in his farewell address famously warned against the "military industrial complex" which these days would have to include the "intelligence" complex. Three years later Kennedy was killed in what was effectively a coup. The failure to hold accountable those responsible marked the beginning of a al deterioration in US democracy.

There have been many subsequent indicators of this decline, so much so that former president Carter recently opined that American democracy had effectively ceased to exist. That remarkable statement was met with a stunning silence by the mainstream media that has been so hugely complicit in the decline of American democracy.

Obama is a president with a greater disjunction between what he says and what he does than any other president in living memory.

The hypocrisy over Russia's granting of asylum to Snowden is a further pointer of the double standards that now prevail. There are very real dangers in the path that America pursues and Australians need to show a greater awareness of those dangers. There was nothing in last night's debate to suggest that either of the two main contenders have any such insight.

What a mess of an article.

At the risk of being considered "rogues" some Australians need to write updates on the fall of Snowden - adding a bit of context to avoid a totally American context.

Hi Pete. I would prefer to think of it as the "rise" of Snowden. I agree that it badly needs an article with an Australian emphasized slant, but who would publish it? For all the freedom of its comments policy, OLO's publication policy is decidedly more conservative. We get endless articles from Singer for example trying to justify Israel's lawlessness, but nothing from the Palestinian viewpoint. Ditto Julie Bishop's pathetic forays into foreign policy. Even comments that try and discuss alternative views in a rational manner attract a barrage of nonsense from the usual suspects. I suspect it reflects Australia's political reality where we have two conservative parties in a race to the political policy bottom, each claiming to do "better" than the other mob. The only post war PM to try a slightly different path than "all the way with LBJ" and its equivalents was Whitlam and look what happened to him.

Hi James

Well after http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=15120 I'll have another go - after I finish my Master's degree essays in mid October.

By then Obama's attempt (to open the way for more checks and balances on America's surveillance programs) may be emulated by a speech or two by an Australian politician. We always need America's example...

Snowden will also be experiencing cold Russian weather by then - not like Hawaii - another talking point.

Cheers

Pete

Hi James,

You almost certainly do take the prize in the pessimism stakes, but I don't know that I'm all that far behind. And yes, no question, your point about Obama is an excellent one.

By the way, have you come across a decent transcript anywhere of what Carter actually said? As you say, for the most part it's fallen into a black hole.

Hi Pete,

I read your article and enjoyed it. You're clearly infinitely better informed than me about the Australian aspects of this whole surveillance business, and I should imagine about the international aspects as well.

Like James, I'd like to see more discussion about Australia's position in these matters and look forward to your next effort.

I am puzzled, however, as to why you labelled the article such "a mess."

Hi Ingolf

The main problem with the article is the use of slab quotes (including the first para) which chop up the narrative and twist it in various directions.

Use of quotes in that way usually shows an author is in a rush and suffering from the journalist's curse of having to fill column inches very rapidly. A smooth narrative, interpreting the evidence, is preferable, in my view anyway.

Cheers

Pete

Hi Ingolf. You can read Carter's remarks on the English language version of Der Spiegel on line. This is notwithstanding the fact that Carter made the speech in the US.
I suspect if you googled it using the key words it would come up pretty quickly.

Thanks for the clarification, Pete.

I see your point and will give it more thought but suspect we may have to agree to disagree.

To my mind, using slab quotes is an efficient way to flesh out points in a narrative, whether through external illustration or providing proof of a sort. Readers then only need to click through if they're particularly intrigued by that aspect. Certainly articles in this style are what I prefer to read when looking for rapid, effective communication on an issue.

As always, what matters is how well something is executed. Done poorly, you're undoubtedly right; it does chop up the narrative and pointlessly fill column inches.

Thanks James. What I found was pretty sparse but it will do.