‘Among the fundamental conceits of the architects of the Bush administration's war on terrorism is that heavy-handed interrogation is useful, even necessary, to get any information that will protect the American people, and that such interrogation techniques are devoid of negative consequences in dealing with real or suspected terrorists.  

One way this notion has played out in practice is the CIA's use of "extraordinary rendition," in which terror suspects overseas are kidnapped and delivered to third-party countries for interrogation - which, not uncharacteristically, includes some measure of torture, and sometimes fatal torture. 

Adelaide, the Australian home of Star Wars, Halliburton, Global Hawk and the Joint Strike Fighter Project, has begun building a global-standard data transfer system that will allow local activities to be co-ordinated internationally.

Today's Adelaide Advertiser announces the commencement and construction of a major fibreoptic network, connencting defence, science and educational facilities at speeds enabling synchronisation with global projects.

[excerpt] 

SABRENet will cut the time to transfer a terabyte of data to just 17 minutes, compared with about three months using business broadband.

‘Last week's events give further proof of what the Right do best.  

They divert and distract our attention from what they are up to with wars, and rumours of wars. 

Last week should have seen an assessment of Whitlam's policies and his legacy. Free university education, a rich robust ABC, an empowered, resurgent Aboriginal minority, an empowered union movement, an artistic renaissance, a new film industry and so on should have been discussed and praised and criticised.  

‘You stood with your back to the concrete wall and had the audacity to say to the Palestinians people, "This wall is not against the Palestinians. This is against the terrorists. The Palestinian people have to help to prevent terrorism. They have to change the attitudes about terrorism."

Your words proved yet again that neither you nor anyone else in our government has any grasp of reality of what is actually happening in the ground in Palestine.  

I have a few cartoons to upload but I am having some technical difficulties with the etherblog.... Be patient...

Interesting day at the Rumsfeld rally (nothing huge, around 600 I'd guess) particularly to watch the level of covert security.

Came into town by train at 4 o'clock... a couple of police on the platform, fifty people with backpacks heading in different directions.

Up to the main street. Immediately to the right is the Halliburton-constructed barrier blockading the Hyatt from the world, a few constabulary behind it- nothing major.

Strolling up past the Casino, you see a few more parked at the outdoor cafe, a couple across the street, three or four at the front of Parliament House.

As Prime Minister Howard does an "about face" calls for an inquiry into Australian bribes in Iraq, it appears that knowledge of suspicious financial transfers by the
Australian Wheat Board's trucking company has been available for
several months, possibly well over a year.

According to a LA Times article in June this year, U.S. Embassy offoicials were aware
before this year that Jordanian trucking company Alia may have been
acting as a "front" for bribes to the Saddam regime.

I wonder how much "unravelling" is going to occur at the Australian end of the Bush fiasco? A few more problems like the Australian Wheat Board's Bribes to Saddam, David Hicks' mistreatment "on Rumsfeld's Watch", and the "loopholing" of US foreign aid funds through Australian (specifically the Adelaide offices of Halliburton/KBR) bookwork, could show a level of inter-cabinet complicity that runs much deeper than the Ausmin meeting in Adelaide.

I wonder if Rupert Murdoch, "back home" this week to open his new SA Headquarters, will hang around Adelaide for another day to shake hands with Rummy?

 A planned Adelaide protest against U.S. Secretary of Defence has been cancelled by South Australian Authorities, and those gathering at Parliament House without permission wil be "moved on" by police.

Protest spokesman Mr Mike Khizan said in a media release tonight that “Donald Rumsfeld, a man whom many millions of people around the world see as an international war criminal is coming to Adelaide, and in the name of ‘protecting’ him, free speech is being denied and the right to dissent attacked.

 A planned Adelaide protest against U.S. Secretary of Defence has been cancelled by South Australian Authorities, and those gathering at Parliament House without permission wil be "moved on" by police

.

Protest spokesman Mr Mike Khizan said in a media release tonight that " “Donald Rumsfeld, a man whom many millions of people around the world see as an international war criminal is coming to Adelaide, and in the name of ‘protecting’ him, free speech is being denied and the right to dissent attacked.

• By Gus Leonisky at 9 Nov 2005 - 10:49am
• Gus Leonisky's blog
• 2 comments