My first reaction is the same as most rage.
But we need to understand much is riding on our relation ship with Indonesia.
Yes my first reaction here is mainstream too %^&*( Indonesia!
But while ever a people educated to believe in a God that rewards murder exist we will have those thoughts.
I remember a school teacher telling us if those people jumped into the sea and swam to our country enough would survive to out number us ten to one?
Well hard to believe but if we think our action should be war we need to understand what happened in Vietnam.
Governments of both types in our recent history may well think not unlike us ,but know we must try every thing to change a changing country faster.
I am appalled by the visit the idiot radical who is free ,but I will watch closely to see how our two country's handle this.
Sadly while we wait for the fireing squad to finish these murderers,
We will see Australian drug running idiots die for far less so Indonesia can save face with its radicals.
We talk of high interest rates changed governments and climate change we however should look closely at this issue.
It beyond doubt will impact on the life of our children if not us much more.

I understand how it matters to some. The victims didn't get a last visit with their families. They will be dead soon but. This won't matter a scrap. Their deaths might encourage others to join. That is the problem for me.

Dear Belly,

I really feel uneasy about Indonesia. And I don't think that the PM's request for 'leniency' for our young drug trafficers is going to get very far.

Under pressure from Canberra, the government of Sukarnoputri Megawatini has enacted so called anti-terror laws that threaten to return Indonesia to the Suharto era, when army-imposed 'security' was given priority over the desperate need for reform in many areas of public life, especially the judiciary.

The new laws have legitimised repression by the army of those Islamic groups it wishes to manipulate. In a mostly Islamic country, this has polarised communities and threatened the secular democracy in Jakarta.

I have faith in the Rudd Government - but I won't
hold my breath, expecting justice for the Bali bombings or leniency
for our young drug trafficers, from the government of Indonesia.

Foxy I share your fears I too have faith in Rudd's government true faith and hope.
The difference in culture and religious belief is very much our problem.
Remember those Australian Medea people murdered in cold blood during the invasion of East Timor.
I truly think we , yes my ALP government of that time tried to help cover it up.
The drug runners are everything I despise.
But in a civilized nation the death sentence is too harsh, and not one tenth as bad as the Bali murders yet I think they are doomed.
It comes down to this, can we wait and hope for a better Indonesia?
Or are we dealing with a tiger snake?
I think my unease is well founded with sections of the Muslim world.

Belly

When travelling to another country we must respect their laws.
Thats a good start to working things out with our neighbours.
Drug runners kill people too= Many more.
No sorry I didnt want my PM to ask for favours.

If their familes are not allowed to see them its probably FAR better for them.

I DO want to bombers shot too.

I find it hard to get an understanding of your post TarynW?
So what do you think of the murderers having a party?
Or the threats made to Australia?
Lets hear your views on the idiot who trained them grinning away in the film?
Are our drug idiots as guilty of as big a crime?
Do you think they could have such a party?
Is Indonesia a threat to us?or will diplomacy work for us?
Did it impress you to see the prison guards grinning away in the back ground?
On a one to ten scale how do you place the idiot drug runners crimes against Bali boomings?
Me? Bali ten
Drugs? 7 well past enough to serve life but never enough to murder them.

Belly
My cousin worked there for twenty years. The family ran a large business there for a major company.

Steve was ok because he was dark and fitted in. The kids pretty much too.
My cousin- Not so. She was blonde blue eyed and stuck out like a sore toe to them.

What you dont see on TV is the way things have been there for many many years.

The UN cars being smashed and burnt etc.

Dont forget- I am going back twenty years ago.
Its worse now.
Much Worse.

Put in its most simple form.
They hate us by majority. All ur aid etc means nothing! to them.

Now that aside we can nt g into other cuntries demading that Aussies are treated differently to their own.

There are lots shot for trafficking drugs there so why expect our Aussies to be treated differently.

That will only cause even more resentment- " If thats possible"
You asked? What I think of the Bali Bombers having a party?

What do you think anybody here thinks?

However its their way and these bastards WILL be shot.

Then I can hold my own party. WE ought to be aware of course that is going to make it much wrse for this countries postion.

There WILL be much pressure to take Australia- Or should I say- more pressure.
we have buckleys of holding onto Australia Belly in the long run.

She will take us when shes ready and avendge the deaths of the bombers that they see as Allah chosen.

We are no where near as safe as you might think Belly.

I doubt this country, small as it is in numbers will be taken so easily.
However we are not the people who we once had been , I understand one day like it or not want it or not the west will have to confront Islam.
That statement is enough to earn me the contempt of some who post here, but it is true.
Right now the west, exclude America, is trying another way.
Do not blame multi culture's it is a far different thing, than the experiment of living side by side with another religion, that truely thinks, read its holy book, we are lessor beings!
It is working for some Muslims, and in places for us.
We try harder to understand that culture than Indonesia did for ours in letting cameras into that party.
Let those who think diplomacy will work do their best but remember like it or not we are only free while we are willing to fight for it.

Belly
Yes you speak the real facts this time.
We must fight for it- But it should start Now.
The problem is Belly we dont have those brave loyal men now.
These young ones by large have no such loyalty and are off on drugs.
We are going to be in awful trouble- but I will meet you at the front line.
There are not so many willing now I can assure you.

While we are getting a little of thread I think it deserves an answer.
It is often said we are not the Australia of ww1 or ww2 or even the Asian war.
We are soft self interested and maybe not as we once had been, but we will be Australians forever and I do not fear todays youth.
We do need to truly understand the nature of our country's working with different people and different cultures like Indonesia.
A balanced diplomacy may work, remember our lifestyles is as strange to them as the other way round.
Why did I hesitate to state the real truth?
The danger lies in our deferences in religion, a shrinking Christianity we mostly do not live within vs a religion that controls whole of life even sometimes whole of politics.
My concerns with this complex country remain but maybe I am wrong diplomacy may work.
Soon these killers will be taken on to a beach and shot, for every one killed two who helped will walk free.
Out idiotic drug runners? tell me their crime was as bad!
May die too to save religious face.
While worse drug runners walk the streets of that country in police uniforms.
Complex and concerning.

Belly
No its not complex.
Its their law. If Australians go there they should respect their law.
Much like we expect them to follow our law.
Whats their crime you ask?
Are you kidding.
The peddal and smuggle the drugs that destroy our kids and smouther the very protection of our nation.

Cant defend a country if you cant train its youth due to drug use throughout the society.

The term Bali prison visit has taken a new turn or has it?
An Australian prisoner has done her I did not do it claim no good by smuggling a phone into the prison.
She has had some restrictions placed on her for charging tourists to take her photo while leaving gifts of food and clothing.
Given that food is of the worst quality and very short it will be no party for her.
Is this double standards? well she acted stupidly many times in fact but what rules apply to the Bali murderers?