Pixelated Semantics

A schizotypical inventory

Characteristics of dictatorship by deceit

New York-based Human Rights Watch has described Man of Steel's 'anti-terror' laws as "...a shocking departure from Australia's proud tradition of protecting individuals from an overly powerful state" and that the new measures not only threaten civil liberties but also "violate international law". The ABC reports the Federal Government defending the laws as "unpalatable but necessary." The Asia director at Human Rights Watch has stated what many Australians are beginning to privately assert, that "Locking people up or seriously restricting their liberty when they have not even been charged are characteristics of dictatorship, not a democracy."

The impetus for these unwanted, draconian laws may not be all that it seems, either. The relationship between the security services that implement counter-terror laws and measures, and targets identified as extremists, may be closer than admitted.

Dateline on SBS last night also pushed the boundaries of debate over terrorism with the former President Wahid's statement that his nation's police or military officers may have been involved in the Bali bomb blasts:

REPORTER: So you believe that the Bali bombers had no idea that there was a second bomb?

ABDURRAHMAN WAHID: Yeah, precisely.

REPORTER: And who would you suggest planted the second bomb?

ABDURRAHMAN WAHID: Well, it looks like the police.

REPORTER: The police?

ABDURRAHMAN WAHID: Or the armed forces, I don't know.

Interesting indeed that The Australian singularly spends serious effort the morning after this discussion in attacking Wahid's credibility, calling it a 'Weird Wahid claim' from the 'famously eccentric former president' that is 'bizarre and disturbing, not because it is convincing, but because it could further confuse the terrorism debate'. Though it's described as a 'wholly unsubstantiated assertion', links between the Indonesian security services and extremist groups are then outlined in the following paragraphs, with the dismissal resting on attacks on character and lack of corroborating evidence; though an even greater lack of evidence regarding WMD did not stop the war on Iraq proceeding, and indeed questioning that deficiency also resulted in character attacks at the time.

Note: By October 17, SBS has removed the transcript of Wahid's interview from its site, potentially exposing itself to accusations of censorship.

Item posted by AutoEditor at 8:52 am ::