Mirko,
Unfortunately for this drug trafficker the moral force of your argument, is not as powerful as you believe.

The ethical approach - and the resolve - adopted by the Singapore government is - as it stands - more powerful.

Severe penalties are a reminder to us, that the whole human race does not see ethics through your lense. Punishing serious crime, severely is their conviction. You are taking the position of intellectual superiority - 'I know better'.

People are not always won over by - what you believe to be - an extremely powerful argument.

Just as many people are not won over by the promise of eternal life, through the merit and deeds of the man, Jesus.

Time for Nguyen Tuong Van to acknowledge that he deserves to be in this mess, and to utter in faith, those timeless words, together with all repentant criminals: 'Remember me'

Death is barbaric, cruel...etc

The drug mule should be spared. Simple mistake. 26,000 doses of drug that could either kill, ruin life of many australians.

Lets spare the Bomb Maker mule in indonesia that killed dozens of australians too. He just made a mistake, though indonesian, lets write to john howard to spare his life. Anyone to start petition to spare life of indonesia bombers/bomb makers?

How about the aussie guy who had sex with underage asia children. I guess we can petition for that too. Spare him!!

Bit OT, but I don't think drug dealers are responsible for other adults sticking needles into their arms to get themselves high, or for the same people breaking into houses and/or mugging people to get the money to purchase said drug.

Also, why can't the same victim mentality we apply to drug addicts apply to this drug mule? This guy risked his life for money, how crazy is that? He obviously must have some kind of psychological disorder, extreme greed, the poor guy needs counselling to correct his priorities.

Now picture this for a scenario - I hop on a plane in Bangkok with 10kg of heroin strapped to my body. Extrapolating the 400 gram/26,000 dose statistic that makes 650,000 doses. I manage to get through Bangkok customs, and also Singapore on the stopover, and then onto Tulla and through again, I've made it. I've committed a crime that could have me sentenced to death twice and a further 20 or so years in this country.

Then, after arriving home in my taxi, I go to my lav and start flushing the 10kg of smack down the sewer. The capital crime has still been committed yet not a single sole other than myself is even aware of that fact - some damage I've done! The net affect to society of my capital crime is that some fish possibly get seriously stoned.

(continued)
The reason we have such serious penalties for drug importation is that in the end it does make a difference. If you could import a million dollars worth of smack and risk say 6 months in prison a lot more of us would be doing it, you can be sure of that. The importation itself though does not harm anyone. Yes I know reality is that it's all destined for the street, but we seem to making a fairly large cause/effect jump that we don't do elsewhere with the law. Are smoking companies held to account by the law? No, as long as they make the it clear on the packet that the activity is dangerous. Is there anyone unaware that heroin has harmful side effects too?

We sacrifice the few to protect the many and pretend they were evil evil people that are responsible for the actions of others. I'm not against the first bit, but do we need to pretend?

People must be really bored to talk about the imminant death of a drug mule.

Watch the grass grow or do a crossword. Far more important!

But Banjo, you came in from watching the grass grow, for a breather, and then made a comment.
And then you put down your crossword to have your 2 bobs worth.
Was the crossword too hard, or too easy?
And did the grass have a drought moment.
Human beings like to talk about big stuff and little stuff.
cheers!