On Abbott’s assistance to terrorists

Martin Gordon writes: Re. “Tony Abbott is helping the terrorists win” (Wednesday).

I enjoyed reading Michael Bradley’s item. I agree that Abbott’s comments are unhelpful. I note Michael’s concerns and frustrations too. Jim Molan is actually quite thoughtful, but I am not attracted to the idea of special courts, although there is ample US and UK precedent in their darkest hours of World War II. 

The problem of our legal system helping enemies is not new. The notorious Soviet spy Kim Philby provided instruction to KGB officers on western security and legal systems. He referred to the limitations placed on western security services, and if agents did not confess, the likelihood they would not be charged let alone convicted. 

I am not sure what the answer is, but we do need to think about it. I don’t want to lose our democratic society, but I know our legal system might be fine for minor criminals, but not dangerous enemies.

Jack Robertson writes: Re.”Tony Abbott is helping the terrorists win” (Wednesday).

Superb piece. And not for the first time since 9/11 you can’t help noting the most striking thing about the Abbott, May and Trump “tough guy” stuff (and it was the same for Howard, Bush and Blair): how utterly and successfully terrorised they clearly are, personally, by “terrorism”. The response of the Murdoch crew is the same, all terror-frightened flailing arms and quivering jelly-legs, turning to water and screeching for ever stronger daddies to come save us, with every instance of random blood shed. Howling and screeching and trembling and quailing, as if these grubby disparate crims with this or that narcissistic personal grievance against this or that imagined/exaggerated failing of Western Civilisation are some kind of super-boogieman.

More than anything else I find it…embarrassing. To be so hysterically scared, so publicly panic-stricken, that you’d start flinging about such nut-fuckery as special courts and not-internment…it’s the equivalent of that scene in Stephen King’s Dead Zone where the would-be Prez becomes so terrified of an assassin’s bullet that he grabs a nearby toddler and holds it up as a shield…in front of a hundred press snappers.