US betrayal - who is the terrorist?

Staying true to their tradition of indefinite detention without trial, Howard crony and Foreign Affairs minister Alexander "Mummy's Boy" Downer announced that the government supports the UK’s decision not to plea for the freedom of Guantanamo Bay hostage David Hicks.

Although the UK have now granted Hicks citizenship, they say that there are no plans to plea with the US for his repatriation to the UK, as has been obtained for all other British citizens held in the American outpost in Cuba, known for its cruelty, its mortality rate and its undisciplined staff.

Guantanamo Bay is in a no man’s land, and the so-called prisoners therein have been allowed none of the rights due to prisoners of war or crime, as they have not been properly defined as either.

The US has labelled the hostages in the Guantanamo Bay facility detainees. A non-committal term neither relating to war or acts of crime. The Geneva Convention means nothing to the US, nor does the International War Crimes Tribunal, and nor, for that matter, do the hard won laws and constitutional rights upheld by the US judicial system.

Many claim that the incompetence the US has so far in bringing charges against detainees is because they acted too quickly, rounding up everyone they could, proof of ill will or not. Hick’s was initially captured by a Warlord of the Northern Alliance who many say was simply trying to curry favour with the coalition forces.

The US has switched allegiances so many times in this region that the Northern Alliance obviously felt a need to win as many points as they could. Their previous encounter with US forces in the 90s was on the other side, fighting alongside Soviet forces. That conflict resulted in the US assisting the Taliban into power. It really doesn’t seem too long ago.

How can anyone trust the US?

Saddam Hussein must also be reeling after his association with previous US administrations amounted to nothing in the 90s, when the US suddenly decided to take notice of the Kurdish situation when it seemed likely to blow out and affect Oil.

And what about poor old CIA trained Osama bin Laden? Not only did he receive arms and training from Bush senior’s gang, he was also a business associate and family friend to the Bushs.

Talk about betrayal and dishonesty.

Nobody is saying that Hicks or any of the others are guilt free, but justice has to be served to be real. If there is a case against them, bring them to trial. If not, send them home.

Rumsfeld gets deep on death and war.

"Death has a tendency to encourage a depressing view of war."

Donald Rumsfeld - the 21st United States Secretary of Defense

Americans speaking intelligently about America....

ABC Radio National has some really fascinating programming aired at the most bizarre times. I was awake late on Saturday night/Sunday morning and had RN on in the background.

The program was called New Dimensions, and the topic was Turning America On.

Of course, it has happened before. American's can be intelligent, insightful, and even critical of their government's policies. Noam Chomsky springs to mind. Michael Moore does too, but I'm not sure if he is an entertainer or a satirist. New Dimensions just seemed more topical, less intellectual (than Chomsky anyway), but not "dumb".

This week's guest was Steve Bhaerman, a kind of political satirist and commentator, though he is hard to define. He was witty, frank and scathing of the US administartion. It's really worth a listen, as it is not a rant, a rave, or an unwarranted attack, instead it comes a ccross as thoughtful and reasonable and quite entertaining.

"People need to wake up. This is not a matter of Democrats and Republicans. It's a matter of there's been a huge brainwashing in this country. We're up to deprogramming. That's what this is all about."

The program is aired out of California and re-broadcast on Radio National.

Listen to and watch your ABC. It belongs to us all, and tends to be a lot more informative and entertaining than its in-bred commercial cousins. Next time you listen to "Grubby and Dee Dee" or watch "Big Brother" and you notice that your brain has begun to switch off, change stations. That is, unless you like living in a coma.

Welcome!

I am just an opinionated wanker with a rant about everything.

At the top of my list is a cold shiver down the spine type of dislike for American Colonialism and Cultural Dyslexia.

What can I do about it?: Not a lot, but it doesn't mean I have to shut my gob.

Hate is a very strong word, and damages the hater more than the hated, so I won't say I hate the US, nor do I hate the citizens of the US. They don't even try to foo themselves anymore that they control which Administration is in power, and which rich kid of an oil wealthy sanctioned criminal family, with ties to every despot of note in the world today.

Forget about TV, Krispy Kreme is the latest fad, so I really don't like them today.

As if we weren't fat enough already, bring on the piles of fried fat, sugar and dough, put em in a cool box, sell them at airports full of rushing commuters. Next step, open some franchises in poorer areas, where people already have the lard addiction, and won't be able to resist. They have less money than others, but it all seems to go on shit: alcohol, cigarettes, other drugs and fast food. Whats one more addiction?

Krispy Kreme, go home, fuck off, and take KFC with you.