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woodsjohn Profile
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Registered: 07-2003
Location: Toronto Lake Macquarie NSW
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David Hicks


David Hicks

David Hicks represents a challenge to way Australians see themselves. Whatever crime he is allegedly guilty of, it seems he will be tried by American Law.

During World War One, one hundred and twenty-one Australians were sentenced to death, the majority for desertion.
None were executed because Australian military law all but forbade capital punishment. Moreover, domestic antipathy to the death penalty in the AIF was etched in stone and governments attempting to introduce conscription could not afford to challenge it. Those attempts failed anyway. The Australian soldier remained a volunteer free from the threat of extreme sanction despite attempts by various Australian and British Generals to adopt the British system of military justice.
Such �Justice� had �Field Punishments� for example.
This involved tying the offending soldier to a gun carriage or such in �No-Mans-land� for long periods of hours on a daily basis. Australians in the circumstances did not give way to the pressures to relinquish Military diciplinary rights of its soldiers to the British.

But, David Hicks�s trial has already begun. In a re-run of the Lindy Chamberlain debacle the Herald-Sun conducted a macabre opinion survey asking whether Hicks should be killed. Despite not having been charged with any offence, Hicks was tried in the court of public opinion. The results, published on December 14, announced that 19,721 respondents (89.7% of the voters) voted yes.

The question is:
1. Should David Hicks be brought home for trial by media
OR
2. Should we leave this unpleasantry in the land of the�Lynch-Mob� and the Klu Klux Klan in a �Kangaroo Court� where the President has the final word?
OR
3. Should we acknowledge that he is an Australian and afford him the dignity of his rights to be tried under Australian Law with perhaps a jury of his peers.

Is this not, with the blessings of our Prime Minister, another 'Breaker Morant' situation about to happen?

You may add your opinion on these questions in the poll at:
http://www.anzacs.net/DavidHicks.htm
7/8/2003, 10:10 am Link to this post Send Email to woodsjohn   Send PM to woodsjohn
 
Kate Blake Profile
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Re: David Hicks


John ,
It would be interesting to see a result of a poll such as this now. The last one was done Dec 14th last year, when the public was still grieving for what had happened in Bali, and therefore anyone thought to be in anyway linked to terrorism would truly be wished the very worst. I do think people are starting to question many things more deeply - rather than what is just feed through the media - I hope so anyway.
Yesterday this editorial was in the Herald Sun under the title 'Justice for all"
Taliban fighter David Hicks is not a man most of us would comfortably claim as one of our own. As an enthuisiastic soldier of a brutal regime, he represents much that is anathema to our values. But with his military trial looming, Australia should demand the highest standards of justice are applied. The US Military tribunal Hicks will face has been described by his lawyers as a kangaroo court. That is understandable. To date, the U.S had refused to allow access to Hicks. It has not told our Government what charges he will face. In normal circumstances, that would be a concern. Because of the tribunal's sweeping powers, it is alarming.
Under it's rules, Hick's will have no power to appeal against a guilty verdict that could carry the death penalty. Our authorities must demand of the US that Hick's trail is fair - and open. As it's unflinching ally in the war on terror, the U.S owes us that.
7/8/2003, 1:18 pm Link to this post Send Email to Kate Blake   Send PM to Kate Blake Blog
 
stevebecker Profile
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Re: David Hicks


Mate,

You seem to think that Hick's by vertue of his Nationality is entitled to the use of Australian Justice. Did you raise a word for justice when the young girl and her drug pusher friend were sentanced to life in some Thailand jail.

You may not be aware or if you do seem to disregared the fact that he was fighting in another countries Army against our own Army.

Yes he may have been there before we started the war but thats the sad facts if you go and become a Mercenary by fighting for another country in a forign country.

Now as a so called soldier for the Taliban/Alkida (?) he was well aware of what he was doing when he left this country to do his soldiering.

I would have more confidence in the Justice of the USA then if I had been captured by the Taliban.

His aussie lawers have equated his soon to be trial to be like that given to Morant/Handcock. Would that be so then both Morant and Handcock would have to be fighting for the Boers and not is some British raised coloinal unit in the Transvaal.

Let's see what happens to Hick during the trial then we can make an informed commant.

S.B
7/21/2003, 4:31 pm Link to this post Send Email to stevebecker   Send PM to stevebecker
 


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