So Redneck (hello again!),
Just as an intellectual exercise, what would you say being wrongly on death row?

I must take issue with a comment you made though. The “immeasurably small risk that an innocent might get executed by mistake.” Can you expand on this? Given there have been a number of cases (even recently) where people have been found to be wrongly convicted, can you state your position if it were that the death penalty had been imposed and innocence found after the fact? What is your recourse? What is to be done? I ask only to get another view. No insult intended.

I also ask have you ever met a drug user or a drug trafficker. Do you know what motivates them? Have you talked to them about their problem/trade?

Arron,
I agree with your summation on international law. Any attempt to circumvent the ‘sovereign state’ position of a country can only lead to confusion and a loss of respect between states. Until the world truly unites (if ever) we will have to accept that different parts of the world operate differently. Right or wrong. This does not mean other countries and peoples cannot campaign to change another – just that it must be done within the law.

AndrewH – I’m going to remember that quote: “If the harm a behaviour causes is not the measure of our response to the behaviour, what is?”
...very nice indeed.

Perseus,
LOL, I got tied up counting down! Can you drop a hint as to how many? I might have slipped in that knotted bunch!

People who haven't read the court proceeding should not post comments, as they are unsufficiently informed about the facts of the case.
http://www.geocities.com/law4u2003/nguyentuongyan.htm

LET OUR JUDGEMENT NOT BE TAINTED BY THE FOLLOWING FACTS:
1. The drug wasn't destined for Singapore: it doesn't matter where it was destined for, drugs are drugs.
2. I'm a humanitarian: but others are not!
3. There's a lot of media attention on his case: innocent people die everyday!
4. Van is young and has potential: Van is an adult and aware of his action and consequences.
5. Crime rates around the world: what the hell does that have to do with this.
6. Governments intervention: governments are about politics, politicians care less about some traveller's life.
7. Singapore laws are strict: it's unfortunate that its law is strict, but what are laws if they can be bent. Laws shall be changed by the people, so if the penalty is to be abolished, let the people decide. If the country is totalitarian, too bad we'll have to wait.

So if your mind is not bent by any of the above facts, let's discuss whether Van deserve to die:

400mg of heroin, that's a lot of drugs. Undoubtedly, the courrier of this heroin does deserve a very SEVERE punishment. But how severe?

- People who know well the harm drug-trafficking cause but driven by financial gain incentive, definitely has to suffer the death penalty. These people has disregard for other's life and well-being.

- People who has no intention to do harm, but driven by personal financial gain incentives, are also punishable by death. As they clearly ignore the life of others.

- People who has no intention to do harm, knowing the consequences of his action, but not driven by personal financial gain incentives but some dire circumstance, deserve a smallest mercy, compared to the two above, don't you agree.

Van's dire need to help his family is NOT an excuse to traffic drug, it is a horrible choice, horrible judgement. But it is a fault of judgement, not of intent.

I think life with no possiblity of parole is the fit penalty here. Who should deserve to die, "Sun" and "Tan" (only if Tan knew what he led his friend into) and those drug traffickers. What are they doing? they're having a blast of beers on some beach in Thailand, miles away from ordinary. Even I don't have chance to do that, working my ass off in a cubical.

Pericles,

Obviously you suggest the maxim could be construed as being based upon Dulux paint.

However, the spelling of 'Duralex rex est rex' could possibly be a mispelling of 'Durex rex est rex', which if nothing else could be a particularly erudite slogan for the safe sex campaign.

The added benefit of which is that our children could assert that they were semi-literate in at least two languages? It certainly is no worse than the recent spate of 'six-month Anniversaries' (rather oxymoronic).

Redneck did not say anything about Armored regiments, Trooper is also the rank and title of a SAS soldier, all of which regardless of rank that enter become Trooper, so Redneck is not alone: Moochers.And you should fear their presents.
It is a pity, the enemy within is the 5th column army, about 60,000 times the number of our actual defence Force. It consists of foreign Occupation and Elite Looters on Government Pay roll, Our defence force charter would be to repel any that threatens our society, well not much left of our society to defend, it has been Looted and trashed.Some of the Commentry above obviusly not enough. So, police and Armed Forces soon will, well they become the 6th column.

Well you certainly caught me out redders; but maybe I was leaving a cunning trap to get you to demonstrate your propensity for gloating. I am certainly not keeping score here.

I am not overly concerned about a making few errors in this sideshow - some of my comments like so many others are some what seat of the pants observations - some are more considered - I really dont care who takes me seriously or not - unlike so many pedants here who get miffed when some ones "refutes" - what a pompous word - their assertions without some form of lengthy bibliography and attendant references;

This aint my lifes work - if there are those that wish to make it theirs go for it I say but dont apply some silly set of arbitrary rules of debate.

As for the death penalty I see no honest argument other than revenge or blood lust neither of which I approve and neither of which justify the act of state endorsed murder - it is that simple - it fails to deter - it gains us nothing - and it kills the innocent; for me the debate ceases at that point - there are no more issues on which it turns.

AND I may be on unsound ground here - heaven knows it will be pointed out to me if I am - a recent poll saw a 50-50 split or close enuff - as I am fast and loose with data - maybe a few more punters wanted to see Nguyen hang than didnt - but a few years ago I thought those in favor of capitol punishment here were far greater than that.

Even if everyone else thought it to be right I would not: there is often a great deal of stupidity resident in the collective mind of the majority.