Welcome back from the moral brink, Professor.

The death penalty is cruel. As is torture.

Can we expect a recanting of your previously expressed opinions on the topic of torture?

The Australian Government has done what it could do. It has made absolutely no difference to Singapore's intention to carry out the sentence. The PM understands "NO" - it's time others did too.

Australian citizens who are too stupid or too arrogant to accept that laws in foreign countries apply to them deserve what they get. Our own views on capital punishment in our own country are irrelevant.

Try to imagine the feelings of the families of Singaporeans hanged in their own country if their government made exceptions for foreigners.

Forget the traditional beauracratic angles, there is not the time for it.

Singapore is a trading partner with Burma, one of the most unashamed drug hubs in the world, yet they kill the pawns transporting it. It shows no logic, they choose to take a stance on drugs yet work with a drug country. Then they execute all those who are on the wrong end of the problem.

Australia needs to apply pressure, not polite pressure, but pressure publically and privately to ensure this does not happen. If John Howard was passionate enough about it, it would be his focus.

Someone needs to be strong and represent the majority of Australians opposed to this. Have we even said a bad word about them publically? How do we get what we want? its not by being a yes boy, thats for sure.

We will incarcerate him here, save them the money, but this is just a case of Singapore trying to flex its muscle. If a Singaporian imported drugs to Australia and was caught in Australia, i bet there would not be many who would object to putting him on a plane and letting his own country deal with him.

If it were John Howards son or daughter, i bet it would be different

I am sorry for his family, however,

He is a CONVICTED drug smuggler, moreover a convicted drug smuggler in a country with draconian, mandatory penalties for this activity. However, despite the fact that Singapore is closely allied with Burma, a major drug producing, non-democratic country, it is a sovereign nation.

If Australians wish to demonstrate their distaste for the policies of the sovereign state of Singapore (or Indonesia) they should not go there. It is not Australias place to intrude upon the domestic policy of other nations, because if Australia could, then it is obvious that they could intrude into ours.

As I understand it, the excuse appears to be that his crime is supposedly mitigated by the fact that in the Vietnamese-Australian community, selling heroin is viewed as being no different to selling any other commondity. If this is so, how exactly is this a good thing? Perhaps, his punishment whilst barbaric and cruel, is a timely lesson to those in our community with no respect for our laws - being that other countries are not so lenient, and that Australia is powerless to intervene.

Anybody smuggling drugs in asia should remember that if you cannot to the time, do not do the crime.

NB I also see no reason fo rAustralia to come to a grinding halt on Friday, unless others advocate also doing so for the carrying out of sentences on domestic drug dealers etc.

When is this bleeding heart rubbish going to stop! He is a drug trafficker! He was caught and now he will be punished, as it should be. Does it matter at what end of the problem he belongs, No! he is the problem. The Singaporeans are going to hang him as an act of self defense! They are defending the lives of their citizens (and ours) from the scum and riffraff that would trade and traffic drugs. The Singaporeans advocate for the right to life also, the right to live a clean and unobstructed existence, free from the degradation of drugs. The universality of the right to life comes with an unstated but essential responsibility which is to live that life in a way that harms no other. Nguyen’s drug trafficking means he failed in his responsibility and now he will pay the price metered out to him by the Singaporean justice system.

ON THE SURFACE, It makes sense what you guys say.

I am sure on the plane he would have been warned, i am sure he knew the risk, but desperation drove him to ignore this and attempt to change his life for the better.

Just because he is Vietnamese in origin, once again people judge.

It is about our citizens being killed by other nations. Lets say that his crime was urinating in a public place. Over here it is a slap on the rists, in some countries you can get 20 years.

There is nothing wrong with the death penalty. I wish it were here. But the death penalty in 2005 should be reserved for mass murderers, not kids with dope, that is the problem. We are not asking to change the laws in Singapore, Australia is asking to spare his life and for him to be housed in Australia for his incarceration. We wouldnt mind sending their citizens back on the first plane if the situation was reversed.

Get some balls Australian Representatives, and stop tip toeing around not wanting to rock the apple cart. Dig your heels in for god's sake, make a stand, or let Australia's wishes be ignored by Asia for generations to come.