The problem with your argument FrankGol, is the underlying assumption that Albrechtson and the commentariat in general are interested in facts. Clearly that's not the case.

In real life opinion columnists are given space to spout whatever garbage they like with the minimal provisos that they can string words together and that they stir up controversy.

If it's facts you're looking for you're wasting your time reading any of them. If your tastes tend towards bile, conspiracy and hysteria you're well catered for in Australian print media.

Chainsmoker,

While I have some sympathy with your assessment of media commentators - Albretchsen, Ackerman, Bolt, Devine Pearson, Sheridan and some others fit your description, including Jones on radio and Donnelly and Flint as regulars on OLO - there are some journalists who don't produce just 'bile, conspiracy and hysteria'.

Commentators like Michelle Grattan, Muriel Porter, Peter Harcher, Hugh Mackay, Shaun Carney, David Marr and - on radio – Jon Faine are interested in assessing facts and often wrestle with contradictory facts and opinions.

I must concede that when I thought about your comments on writers of opinion pieces I realised it was easier to apply it to the right than to the left of the political spectrum.

The problem is that people like Albrechtsen get readers riled up and they respond in kind by writing letters to the editor. Albrechtsen and her colleagues have then done their job. Moreover, I get the impression that columnists usually thrive on hostility and really enjoy getting a negative reaction.

Difficult as it may seem, it's best to avoid reading such malarky trotted out by Albrechtsen et al. Let them die from indifference. And if you really have to read their rubbish just read the last paragraph. It saves valuable time.

As with Hicks, Ruddock and Downer have again been caught out trading the rights of an Australian for the US Alliance.

Four Corners last night traced the Government’s knowledge of Habib’s abduction by the US and torture. As the alleged case against Habib seems to rest on his confession under torture Janet apparently chooses to believe those Americans who outsource torture.

The Four Corners transcript is at http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2007/s1947389.htm In it Ruddock and Downer deny they knew about Habib’s rendition by the US from Pakistan and about his torture in Egypt:

- “JACK CLOONAN, SENIOR SPECIAL AGENT, FBI'S BIN LADEN UNIT, 1996-02: We share things with the Australian Government, intelligence-wise, and so we would tell ASIO as a matter of courtesy, they would have been involved in this, one of their citizens, they're the lead agency”

- “BOB BAER, FORMER CIA OFFICER AND AUTHOR "SEE NO EVIL": If you want to get a good interrogation you send a prisoner to Jordan, and the prisons are full in Jordan of American prisoners.
If you want somebody tortured to death you send them to Syria.
If you never want to hear from them again, send them to Egypt. That's pretty much the rule.“

- “JACK CLOONAN, SENIOR SPECIAL AGENT, FBI'S BIN LADEN UNIT, 1996-02: This is a willing partner, we're married to each other. So to think that we, the United States, would just say don't tell them and we'll tell them afterwards and don't worry about it, we'll clear it up, you know, baloney.

This was done in a co-ordinated way. Now it may not be popular in Australia and there's probably people looking to jump in a hole some place because they don't want to acknowledge this, but believe me, there's an audit trail and somebody is just not telling you the truth if they are denying this.“

Its unfortunate that ASIO, the AFP and DFAT had been ordered not to FORMALLY advise their Ministers than an Australian has been abducted by the US and then sent off for torture by the US. These agencies usually do better.

Pete
http://spyingbadthings.blogspot.com/

FrankGol,

Mostly no argument from me there, but the left is not entirely innocent of mindless frenzy itself. Maybe we'd be better off we classified such things as either "moderate" or "immoderate" - "immoderate" being a polite way of saying "nutter extremist" at both ends.

Pete,

Watched it, was totally horrified and have been waiting all day for some response. Check the media today. No questions, no comment. I'm not sure what's worse, the possibility that Australia has been complicit or that nobody in a position to ask questions appears to care.

What is happening to this country? Not sure I want an answer to that.

Why would Janet Albrechtsen, former lawyer and now resident bitcher in the Australian know anything about the law, anymore than she knows anything about broadcasting, but shes on the ABC board.

One should not expect anything of substance from her.

Ten years of Howard has given birth to some of the most intellectually barren public intellectuals ever.

And she's not the worst of them!