ALP in 'me-too' policy mess over death penalty
FEDERAL Labor is in disarray over its opposition to the death penalty for terrorists, with Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd publicly humiliating his foreign affairs spokesman, Robert McClelland, for stating the party's official policy.
A day after Mr McClelland declared that a Labor government would campaign internationally to stop executions — even in extreme cases like the Bali bombers — a furious Mr Rudd described the comments as "insensitive in the extreme".
And after declaring he had "counselled" his frontbencher, Mr Rudd last night refused to guarantee that Mr McClelland would serve as foreign minister in a Labor government.
Mr Rudd said his attitude to terrorism had always been hardline and that he would never use diplomacy to try to persuade a foreign government to spare a terrorist's life.
Link: The Age: ALP in 'me-too' policy mess over death penalty
Which leads me to this:
Downer backs Labor's McClelland
Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd's treatment of his foreign affairs spokesman Robert McClelland over a speech on capital punishment has been "disgraceful", Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer says.
Mr Rudd chastised Mr McClelland for delivering a speech this week in which he attacked the coalition for opposing the death penalty for Australians but failing to speak out about it in other countries.
Link: The Age: Downer backs Labor's McClelland
My first thought was, now why would a right winger be backing a left winger at all? And the only answer I could find is, that either McClelland is on the right wing payroll or Downer actually has a heart. The latter I find impossible.
My theory is, that just maybe the right wing is so shit scared of losing this years election that they are willing to go to any lengths to secure it. And what better way to try to secure it, than to make the opposition look like total idiots. And with John Howard and his bunch of cronies, I wouldn't put anything past them.
But I also have a bone to pick with Howard, because I can see the size of the tent in his pants over this regardless. And can see this wanker is going to use this as a political tool. What makes me say that? Simple, this:
Prime Minister John Howard and Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said Mr McClelland was simply articulating Labor policy and Mr Rudd was now backing away from it in the face of a hostile public reaction.
Mr Howard condemned as "extraordinary" Labor's view that the Bali bombers' lives should be spared. "The idea that we would plead for the deferral of executions of people who murdered 88 Australians is distasteful to the entire community," Mr Howard said.
"I find it impossible myself, as an Australian, as Prime Minister, as an individual, to argue that those executions should not take place when they have murdered my fellow countrymen and women," he said.
Link already given above.
Now the PM should talk shouldn't he? After all the bombings did take place on his watch. But also the following has taken place on his watch:
Australians left grieving after the 2002 Bali bombings have reacted with anger to the freeing of an Islamic militant convicted over the attacks, and reduced sentences for 11 more accomplices.
"I want people to know that this is ridiculous, these short sentences," said a "sickened" David Stewart, whose son Anthony was one of 88 Australians killed in the bombings that claimed 202 lives.
Freed from a jail in East Kalimantan's capital Balikpapan was Puryanto, a militant jailed for five years for helping shelter one of the key players in the attacks. He walked free after his sentence was cut by three months.
Two other militants in Balikpapan, and nine more in Bali's Kerobokan jail, each had their sentences cut by four months, officials said.
A total of 33 people were jailed for the 2002 Bali blasts and those receiving remissions played relatively minor roles in the suicide bombings - from carrying out robberies to finance the attacks to helping shelter the main suspects.
Link: The Age: Anger over Bali bombers' sentence cuts
AND THIS:
(AP) Militant cleric Abu Bakar Bashir accused the United States of terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan on Wednesday, hours after being released from prison to cheers of "God is great!" One of his first stops was an Islamic school notorious for producing some of Indonesia's deadliest militants.
Bashir, 68, walked out of Jakarta's Cipinang prison after serving 26 months for conspiracy in the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people and thrust the world's most populous Muslim nation onto the front line of the war on terror.
Link: CBS News: Accused Bali Bomber Walks Free
Remember this happened on Howard's watch. He has allowed for this to happen, and yet wants to claim to be a dinky die Aussie when a blunder with in the Labor party happens? Sorry Mr Howard, you cannot turn back time and change history. Some of us are actually watching you and know your glee right now will be short lived.
And this is exactly why I am saying he is going to use it as a political tool. He will try and milk it for every drop, but when one takes a look back in history we can see exactly what has taken place during Howard's reign.
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