The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
The Forum - On Line Opinion's article discussion area



Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

Main Articles General

Sign In      Register

The Forum > General Discussion > The US Senate Report into CIA Torture.

The US Senate Report into CIA Torture.

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. ...
  6. 23
  7. 24
  8. 25
  9. Page 26
  10. 27
  11. All
Hi (again) DAVID F, HASBEEN and PAUL1405...

Listening to the news earlier on this morning, an academic, apparently an 'expert' on terrorism from Macquarie University (I stand to be corrected ref. Uni.) uttered words to the effect '...the authorities should have seen this coming, obviously a deficiency in their systems, and why did this fellow seem to slip through the cracks...? Or similar language ?

Well I suppose hindsight is a wonderful thing ? Imagine if they were so gifted prior to WW l; or the rise of Adolf HITLER in the early 1930's ? Consider the countless millions of lives that would've been saved, with this unique understanding 'after' the event or situation ?

Of course it would've been far better if tougher Bail conditions were in place, Intelligence was more accurate and reliable, and when suspicions were realised, immediately acted upon...? What is not OK is another asinine academic, attempting to get his name in the media by pontificating about the obvious ! If this fellow is so gifted, rather than re-identifying the problem, ad nauseam, provide a realistic solution ?

DAVID F...

Please understand, I'm not trying to denigrate you, your profession, or academic 'calling' ? And you're right, I do know a little about 'critical incident' management. Surely you must see though, what a stupid, pointless and unhelpful remark to be made by this fellow ? When we have two 'extended' families trying to grieve for their pointless 'loss' ? If any criticism is due, then in the fullness of time, I'm sure the Coroner will identify any and all the problems that existed during the prosecution of this incident ?
Posted by o sung wu, Friday, 19 December 2014 11:06:42 AM
Find out more about this user Visit this user's webpage Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
G'day PAUL1405...

Sorry for the delay, had a headache last evening. It's accepted that our noble politicians are uniquely accomplished at CYA, however would they learn to survive, in order to 'pocket' their massive cheques, after a term or two in parliament ?

Only time will tell how Andy SCIPIONE and ors. come out of all this ? You're a man of the world Paul, the accolades 'always' go up ! And 'effluence' always heads down ? That's why many a sergeant and senior constable have rounded shoulders, because of the huge weight on them, and wear their 'body armour' backwards to deflect the knives they cop in the back, from the bosses ?

Seriously, I'd be surprised after the dust settles, if there are no recrimination(s) levelled, both at police command, and those at the coal face ? Still I really don't know ? It will prove interesting to see what the Coroner comes up with ? He's the guy who has all the wherewithal to 'tease' out all the facts, rumours, allegations, fairy tales...everything really. I just hope it's given to the 'State Coroner' himself (the Boss), generally the most experienced of that august assembly ?

As a footnote PAUL, I really empathise with the copper or coppers who fatally shot that fellow. It matters not, how justified their actions were, they still need to await the Coroner's findings ? It's always the unknown factor, that's the worry ?
Posted by o sung wu, Friday, 19 December 2014 11:37:38 AM
Find out more about this user Visit this user's webpage Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
Dear o sung wu,

The remark was indeed stupid and pointless. However, you made a bunch of generalisations about academics which were completely unreasonable.

I have not commented on this thread about the Sydney atrocity as I wasn't there and wouldn't have known what to do if I had been there.

It's best if one doesn't know what one is talking about to keep silent.
Posted by david f, Friday, 19 December 2014 11:46:18 AM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
david f,

Perhaps there is some advice there that you might heed yourself.

By way of example,

" However, if one compares the rate of death by firearms with that of the rate in the US which does not have gun control laws similar to that in Australia, the US is far worse. In my opinion Australia is better off than the US in that respect, the upside is greater than the downside in respect to the Australian gun laws, and Howard did a good thing for Australia."

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?discussion=6664&page=19

What you are silent on is the well-publicised fact that almost all of the firearms violence in the US is black (and Hispanic) on black (and Hispanic) and is linked with drugs and gangs.

Regarding the Howard inspired 'initiatives', you might like to educate us all on what exactly there is in the bureaucratic paper-chase that came from Howard that actually acts to reduce gun crime. Because it is a sad but true fact that criminals don't obtain a firearms licence (wouldn't get one anyhow) and they certainly don't buy from legal sources and nor do they register their 'pieces'. Police reports prove that offenders don't get their scary weapons used for crimes from stealing from licensed members of the public either.

Frankly it is hard to imagine how any additional regulation can top the rather obvious one that have always been there to protect the public. Murder IS unlawful, isn't it?

Rather than lecture another poster for alleged lack of knowledge of academia you might look to your own responsibility as a (past) senior academic to be scrupulously correct in your claims and to at least note any relevant qualifications and research to back up your claims. Otherwise, what purpose is served by appealing to your claimed senior academic status?

If you are siding with gun control at least declare your interest. That it is your opinion and worth no more than any other person's. That is the way of academia isn't it? To be up-front so readers can look for that researcher error you have already displayed, for instance?
Posted by onthebeach, Friday, 19 December 2014 12:28:04 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
Hi there DAVID F...

'It's best if one doesn't know what one is talking about to keep silent' and to extrapolate your sentence a fraction further DAVID, '...and seem a fool ? Rather than to continue to open one's mouth and confirm the fact...' ?

Your remarks are not completely lost on me, DAVID F ? However, I totally refute any notion that, because an academic says it's so, so it is ? I've absolutely conceded, that people who've dedicated a substantial part of their young adult lives in pursuit of further knowledge, should be appropriately acknowledged.

However there are instances where a more pragmatic, even an intuitive approach is far more appropriate and effective, than the relentless input from a theoretician. And I'm not speaking of scientific assistance provided by highly specialised academics the likes of Doctors and those within their broad discipline.

I refer specifically to the social engineers, criminologists and the many other 'ologists' who tend to skirt around the periphery of human behaviour. And when their opinions are sought, often they furnish highly credible data that assists those at the coal face. What other concessions can I possibly make DAVID F ? I've not been impertinent enough to ask your discipline of study either. That is in deference to your age ? I hope we can at least part cordially, on this Topic ?
Posted by o sung wu, Friday, 19 December 2014 2:08:45 PM
Find out more about this user Visit this user's webpage Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
Dear o sung wu,

We don't have to part at all. We can continue to interact with each other. Academics as well as others can pontificate about matters of which they know little. Part of the blame rests with the TV media. They go to universities and get talking heads to comment on matters in the news. There was simply too much commentary on the Sydney siege. Much of it sounded worthless.

You wrote: ", I totally refute any notion that, because an academic says it's so, so it is"

I would go further and maintain that because anyone says it's so it is so. Unless they present reliable data to support their case doubt is called for. Even so one may question whether the data is reliable.

I taught computer science, mathematics and physics. I have been a design engineer among other things.

In designing anything we have the objective criterion that it must work well and be easy to repair if something goes wrong.
Posted by david f, Friday, 19 December 2014 3:08:12 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. ...
  6. 23
  7. 24
  8. 25
  9. Page 26
  10. 27
  11. All

About Us :: Search :: Discuss :: Feedback :: Legals :: Privacy