With the planned executions now imminent, do you or do you not agree that these two convicted drug dealers should be executed.

For the record, my view is that they should be executed because one, they knew the risks, and two, had they succeeded and made their millions, I seriously doubt they would have had any concerns for the lives they would have potentially ruined, as many of them may well have been minors.

You need to join the ABC jarheads.

If you plugged your brain into the ABC and suspended your judgement to permit downloading of the 'Progressive' spin you would KNOW that they are just boys and it was all an understandable, excusable even, prank.

Those saintly lads (see the photos) could never conceive of the possible harm 11kgs of heroin might do. The ignorance absolves them of blame.

But hey, in 'Progressive' circles, the well-off middle class soy latte sippers do drugs as recreation, bikie-supplied tabs and powder a-plenty and they would hotly dispute that heroin is bad, RELATIVELY speaking. It is all relative you must understand. Anyhow, what right do police have to interrupt the innocent and very jolly private pursuit of doing drugs?

Importers and dealers are necessary you see.

So of course they should be released pronto. They are as regretful of their crime as any arrested crim would be and that is good enough where a heroin trafficker is concerned, isn't it? The ideal? Home Scot free, a claim for compo against those AFP #expletives#, paid media interviews, a ghost-written book to sell and a sinecure swinging off the public teat.

While I do not believe in capital punishment, I cannot convince myself that incarceration for life - if life really meant life - is any less humane. However in Australia life doesn't mean life and the apologists for the two drug traffickers would be after transfer to an Oz jail and release soon after.

What I am finding most concerning ATM is the apparent ease of swaying the mob, either way. Not much has changed in propaganda since WW2 and the methods for creating and steering the baying mob, or in this case hand-wringing mob, are still the same only easier and cheaper to manage, with anonymity as a bonus.

Having made a diplomatic protest earlier we should not presume to be telling another country what to do. Embarrassing the new President will be expensive, making up for loss of face always is. So, what will the gifts be? A large area of prime agricultural land?

My "While I do not believe in capital punishment, I cannot convince myself that incarceration for life - if life really meant life - is any less humane"

should be,

"While I do not believe in capital punishment, I cannot convince myself that incarceration for life - if life really meant life - is any MORE humane."

It's unfortunate for the families of these two; and its unfortunate their deaths will be the direct result of the Federal Police dobbing them in instead of arresting them when they arrived.

Drug smugglers know the Indonesian policy and this gang of nine people thought they could outsmart not only the Indonesians but also Australian Customs. Perhaps they never heard the adage: Don't do the crime if you can't do the time.

Personally I feel the death sentence in this instance is harsh punishment but I also wonder how remorseful and rehabilitated these two would be if they had been arrested in Australia and only served a couple years in prison. Chances are they would have got out and continued dealing.

OTB, the Bali 9 were not recreational drug users, they were drug smugglers with the intent to import these drugs home which they then intended to sell off without remorse for the damage they could cause to loved ones and their families. These two were the ring leaders.

To suggest they are kids is utter crap. They knew the risks associated with their trade and to be honest I can't believe the likes of Indonesia are being drawn in to the softer PC approach.

As for our Feds, if they see a crime in progress they must act because to suggest they could hold off to lessen the penalty is not how I would like to see our law enforcers operate. As a father and grand father myself, I would be very pissed if I knew my kids were offered drugs that slipped through the cracks all because our Feds grew a conscience.

No matter where you go the law is the law and if you don't know that then that's tough because breaking a simple law may be one thing, but trying to make millions without consideration of the effects on society had they succeeded is simply inexcusable in my view.

I just wish we would stop throwing money at this because we either have to borrow that money, or take it from some of our own, who by the way would not have benefited in any way had these two grubs succeeded.

rehctub,

I fear that some of my satire was lost on you. Probably my fault. :)

I don't have any sympathy for them at all.

Tony Abbott and others are foolish for nagging the Indonesians and putting the new President on the spot.

The President has the overwhelming support of the Indonesian people. Australia is making no friends in Asia by acting morally superior, especially where the two criminals Australia is defending were caught cold in the process of committing very serious offences.