An illuminating argument.

Apparently, if you try to uphold the right of an Australian - any Australian - to be tried fairly in another country, you are some kind of left-wing loony.

Also, it appears, by attempting to bring common sense into the argument on the right to a fair trial, you are some kind of terrorist-lover who by definition puts the David Hicks of this world on a heroic pedestal.

What a wacky world.

Populated, clearly, by people whose idea of the unvarnished, self-evident truth is Fox News.

Who believe that if you are arrested, you must be guilty - totally at ease with the concept that this state of affairs only holds true in a police state.

The article is quite shameless in its pandering to its audience, who respond so quickly and vehemently to its dog-whistle.

I disagree with matilda, though.

>>I am also deeply concerned that the editors of 'online' permitted the publication of this article.<<

It is vitally important that articles such as this continue to be published. Free speech, and the right of the individual to access it, is one of the last bastions of our civilization. Reading such unstructured ravings is the price we have to pay, and I for one am happy to fork out for it.

I'd rather hear the detail of their arguments, such as they are, all the better to hone my own.

The thought of David Hicks making millions in Australia from reminiscing about his criminal activities must be music to the ears of other Australian ex patriot criminals. Perhaps there are a few pedophiles ready to tell of their criminal exploits for a price. I wonder how much they might get?

I think Don Aitkin is right, although I can remember one other article that was an absolute shocker too.

Interesting contrast in responses to the same article by Bill Muehlenberg on his own web site:
http://www.billmuehlenberg.com/2007/04/01/how-to-make-millions-by-hating-the-west/

There he's pumping out the old dualisms - devil/god; them/us; liars/truthtellers; left/right. He's milking the line that the Left is a 'sour and humourless' lot going 'absolutely ballistic' with 'plenty of hatred and venom being poured out' in OLO comments.

Apparently, if you disagree with Bill, you are part of that 'sour and humourless' Left. If you agree with Bill you are part of the Right which 'still has a sense of humour'.

But I don't think he gets his own joke when he maintains that 'the Left has become expert at turning the truth inside out'.

This article and the various responses gladden my heart. The crunch is, surely, not whether the article was over the top and contained not too funny humour. Neither does it matter that some of the resposes are rather excited, perhaps even a bit personal and also over the top.
What does matter this that we all have the right in our society to speak out, to be candid, to express our opinions, to bawl at the government if we feel like it etc. So to the author and all the critics I offer my thanks because you have all demonstrated the inner strength of our system.
Mr Hicks mixed with, consorted with people whose objectives are to produce a society which, being theocratic, would be entirely contrary to what has been shown in this article and responses.
To me Hicks represents a thinking which I reject outright. Hence I am unable to have any sympathy for him at all.
Again thankyou to all of you.

Each and every attacker of the author has used the same old leftist strategy; deconstruct the argument and the arguer. It's not David Hicks per se that evokes such foaming at the mouth but rather the idea that someone would dare to put forward the idea that...wait for it...Justice was done...*gasp* He deserved five/six years in jail and more; that he actually got off quite lightly and that actually the US with this generous offer, has relinquished their chance to actually go through the long list of Hicks' treasonous actions and see real justice done. Actually real justice, as one contributor has pointed out would have been a well-placed bullet instead of the handcuffs as was the military's right in this war.
Or, alternatively, we could just hand him over to India if you don't like our legal system and let him be tried for his crimes against their citizens just like our other Aussies who transgressed the laws of other states and are suffering the consequences.

I can’t wait till the C I A releases the Mohammad Dawood History files;
Especially the one that names him a Whale killer and an animal genocidal maniac; and the Neurotic change created an Islamic Terrorist.
I want the video footage rights of the Leftoids lobotomized bouncing around in their rubber rooms extraordinarily violently.
We the living just hope they get the Hertz frequency correct.
The Horror, The Horror.
Ha

I guess that is something we did not know, and besides, India is applying for Dawoods extradition to face charges of war crimes in Cashmere.

All the money in the world will not save him.
25 cents would have saved all this drama and disappointment.

I'm Barraking for India.