I am of the opinion that Australia will continue to grow as an increasingly secular country that won't be towing the line of any particular religion.

I look forward to that happening, and knowing that these religions that have caused so much angst in so many ways will slowly die out, as people start to see reason.

The question ought to have been "Can a Democratic society peacefully co-exist with Islam?"
The answer is that it can, until it is taken over and becomes an Islamic State.

Islam is a political movement, blessed by Allah.

@Foxy, Thursday, 13 November 2014 7:12:16 PM

You say then that your previous savage criticisms of the government of which Costello was part and of LNP administrations since was undeserved and all a mistake, because now you have changed your mind?

Or are you saying that Peter Costello is a liar and a hypocrite and actually does not support LNP policies on immigration.

What you are doing is indulging in semantics to score shabby political points, by claiming that Costello supports the opinions you have expressed on immigration over the years.

You and Peter Costello are chalk and cheese. You take Costello's carefully crafted speech to convert it into your spin. Otherwise, please show your posts over time supporting for instance, the Howard policies on migration. Or alternatively, show a clear difference between Costello and Howard that might support your views.

I am sure that partisans for the other side could show where Rudd, Shorten and others support LNP policies too. Interesting rhetoric for partisans of both sides but a complete waste of time, because the public are not so gullible and vote.

Now, what about you come up with some arguments to support to counter the obvious criticisms of yours? See here from my previous post,

<There are numerous infamous cases [some presently in the media] where long stayers and economic migrants for example have been easily able to defeat deportation and eventually gain citizenship.

It is quite obvious that the policy you wrongly imply that Peter Costello might have meant and supported, viz take any and all and hope that the law can take care of them later, introduces an array of serious problems that can extend beyond the lifetime of the unsuitable foreign interloper.

Asking that they enter into an agreement to obey laws is ridiculous.>

Hi HASBEEN...

You say inter alia '...you and I will be gone, if not we'll go out in a blaze of glory...' It's the 'blaze of glory' bit that worries me !
I reckon we had the perfect grounding back in our era, so I guess we should count ourselves as being very lucky to have experienced those eclectic times ! I reckon, the forties, fifties and sixties were a great period to have grown up. Sure my family were dirt poor, though we always had food on the table, each of us had one pair of shoes etc.

Still life was simple and generally predictable in our day. Many of the poor kids of this generation, have so many injurious distractions; the likes of drugs, alcohol, and a politically based education system, it's no wonder some find it hard to remain straight and on an even keel ? I know I've always been a little too critical and judgemental with some of the youths I've needed to deal with when I was working. Often forgetting how difficult it is, for normal Aussie kids to successfully carve out a life for themselves. So I can only imagine how some of these young Islamic blokes must feel ?

Not only do they experience the same pressures a normal Aussie kid will feel, but they have the added impost of acquiescing to the will of their dominant family members. And later on, the Imam's at their local Mosque, as well as the strict tenets of their Islamic faith ? I do accept, most of them don't enjoy an easy ride.

Whether or not it's us and our western secular culture, that has 'radicalized' some of them, I really don't know ? However I don't believe for a moment, it's sufficient motivation or excuse for some of them to become so enraged with our society, a society that's given them so much. And in return, they repay us by behaving in such a sadistic feral manner ! That I really don't understand at all ?

o sung wu,

Australia must learn from the very sad Rotherham (UK) experience - which is ongoing with no end in sight.

While the political correctness of political 'Progressives' was responsible for paralysing government authorities that should have acted instantly, it was the toxic political system, traditions and culture thoughtlessly imported from the Kashmir, where there has been a conflict for years between Pakistan and India that introduced, embedded and protected the sex and drug trafficking and other serious crimes as well.

The federal government and its senior bureaucrats in foreign affairs and immigration would be failing the Australian people where they cannot show they are firstly, cognisant of all risks of immigration and secondly do not have strong controls in place to protect our safety and way of life.

A non-discriminatory immigration policy is the aim, but that should never be taken as meaning that Australia should not be discriminating in its encouragement and selection of potential migrants. Government should always err on the side of caution in what applicants it accepts.

Spindoc, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wahhabism. I know it's only Wikipaedia, but thought it might be a simple start for you.

Wahhabism is an extreme form of Sunni Islam. The main enemy of Wahhabism is not Sunni Islam, but Shia. Hence the debacle with Al-Maliki, who is Shia, and the subsequent rise of ISIS. Hussein was Sunni and kept the Shia in control in a less awful way than what subsequently happened after the overthrow of his dictatorship by a Shia majority government in Iraq, supported by the West, wanting to keep the Sunni down a notch or two.

Your comment shows how dangerous it is for ignorant Westerners who know nothing of either Islam or the history of the region to militarily involve themselves in 'regime change'.

Remember the Iran-Iraq war? Sunni dominated country against a Shia dominant country fighting for regional power. The West supported Saddam Hussein's Iraq against the Shia Iranians. The Iranians hate the Saudis with a vengence and vice versa.

I have a very, very good grasp of the history of the Middle East and of the various forms of Islam. Unlike yourself.