First of all David Hicks was purchased during a United Nations invasion of Afghanistan. A human being was purchased wasn't that once abolished ? It was an United Nations invasion what right had the American Army to place him in a prison that is not accountable to a democratic law. ? Guatanamo Bay is suspect to Human Rights the Bush administration uses it's right of veto to ignore the United Nations judgement on Human Rights. Why do we allow human beings to be trated so bad with five years in soliatary confinement yet we would not treat an animal as bad as that. Retrospective laws were brought in by the miliatary court which makes a mockery of the whole saga.An illegal capture, An illegal imprisonment and an illegal kangaroo court with an illegal confession. Bush, Downer, Costello and howard should be made to pay the Hicks family compensation.

If we have learnt one thing over the last decade of the Howard government that is this.

No human life is more valuable than the political ambitions of John Howard and the Liberal/National Coalition. Children overboard, our troops in Iraq, people held captive and executed in foreign jails. The list goes on.

They are all seen fair game for Howard Inc. PTY LTD (merchants of fear and greed)

And oh how flip flop of the Murdoch Media Empire to feign moral fibre of late. It’s truly pathetic. Fear and Greed no longer inebriates a media audience that is slowly but surely waking up from a political Mickey fin it got slipped a long ago. Yes it was political date rape big time, flashbacks will happen for years. No cures available.

Sadly some think it was the best shag they ever had.

What were these terrible tortures that David Hicks was subjected to?
Sleep deprivation, solitary confinement, a bit of nakedness and humilitation. Dont make me laugh.

What about the torture his Islamic friends subjected Western people to, drilling holes through their bodies with an electric drill until they died. Cutting their throat on national TV. Killing some of the Western women that were captured probably because they were raped and they didnt want it known.

We only have Hick's word for this anyway and of course he and his Lawyers are trying to drum up as much public sympathy as possible because they know that public opinion effects politicians and is one route to getting off lightly.

To all these defenders of civil rights and democratic justice out there who think that that is more important than the war on terror.

Understand that if the West falls there will be no more civil rights or democratic justice for anyone least of all westeners like David Hicks. If you want to preserve all these human rights then you must get your priorities right and defend the West first.

When that has been accomplished then some of the draconian laws necessary to achieve this will be revoked by the democratic process because the voting public will demand it.

Don't be an idiot sharkfin. "...if the West falls"? What the hell is that? Who do you think we are fighting anyway? People who want to remove our civil liberties, democracy and justice system? It seems that would be YOU my friend. Bugger off to where you came from.

Debate him bugsy do not act like a child, Hicks was indeed bought and was wrongly held in an American prison while not allowed to use American law to defend himself.
Torture? anyone seen those photos? heard about the convictions of Americans who did that have we?
Hicks is a minnow in the world of hate and bigotry these rabbits he joined live in.
But America and its servant Howard wanted publicity, they must not complain that they now have it.

sharkfin: I'll repost something from another thread.

I wrote:

It's amazing that in this post-9/11 world, with this whole so-called "War on Terror", that both the U.S. and Australian (and British too I guess) governments have managed to get their (and other) populaces so incredibly offside with what should actually work very much in their favour. I'm certainly no fan of the left, but I think that Bush will be regarded as in their handful of worst (not just ineffective) presidents, and that Howard will ultimately be remembered for much longer for things like this than anything else. Obviously, it goes without saying that people on one side of politics don't like the opposition, but no one really hates any previous prime ministers. Not so with this one.

The irony in all this is that I should be the Liberal Party's biggest fan. I'm right wing on economic issues, and I'm also anti-welfare, pro-Work Choices, etc. I'm sure you can paint the rest of the picture yourself.

However, I'm (and I'm sure I'm not alone) so disgusted over the way this government has handled issues like this, the Iraq War, the general so-called War on Terror, refugees, etc. that I couldn't even begin to offer any support for Howard and his ratbags even if I wanted to (because I have major issues with the system of government we have, but that's another issue). When the Liberal Party turns off people who describe themselves as classical liberals, you know there is something really, really wrong with it.

Bronco
Perhaps the Government could provide David and his family a one way ticket to somewhere David is happier. After all poor David does not seem like he was too happy here. Its nice to keep all familes together and happy- dont you think.
Terry might even get a father of the years award over there.
I feel may Aussies would chip in for the air tickets if the Gov wont pay.
We could all go to the air port and wave and say.
Tootle Pip!

Yes Afghanistan was a United Nations invasion (NATO)
David Hicks was handed over to the Amaricans because they had ready money and a ready prison. We Australia did not have any legislation to hold him. Guatanamo Bay is convenient because United Nations cannot touch them and America has the right of Veto. So all ended well and all will be forgotten when David hicks is released. John Howard did a very good job in allowing him to be put in soliatary confinement for six years that was an excellent idea to get him to admit that he was guilty. Now David Hicks is now having a life of leisure on our expense.