On Tuesday, I listened to commentary on ABC Illawarra radio by a journalist who decried the false piety of the alleged terrorist who refused to stand for a Melbourne magistrate when brought before the court. I wonder whether that same journalist would decry the false piety behind the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan where hundreds of thousands of innocent people have died. Western governments have continued to argue that their actions in those nations are just and noble. When are we going to realise you can't unjustly invade a country and expect not to be attacked in return? We invaded Afghanistan; they didn't invade us! Australia's foreign policy has and will cause us to be targeted by organisations that seek to retaliate for what our politicians have authorised. The decision taken by our leading politicians to invade and occupy Iraq and Afghanistan will haunt us long into the future. As Australians, if we want to reduce the likelihood of our countrymen falling victim to terrorist attacks, we must acknowledge the heinous wrongdoing we have caused!
Adam Bonner, Meroo Meadow, NSW
I know we that all are supposed to be politically correct, and oh so tolerant in relation to Muslims, but I feel very angry over the latest terrorist threat to Australia. We don't see many (or any) Christians, Hindus or Buddhists etc, planning and perpetrating horrendous terrorist attacks on innocent, random people. I trust that if those arrested this week are proven guilty their Australian citizenship (if they were not born here) will be stripped from them forthwith. Their actions are thoroughly un-Australian, not to mention inhuman.
C. Thomas, Deakin
Turnbull's troubles
I reckon Malcolm Turnbull's attempts to absolve himself from his involvement in Godwin Grech's (seemingly) illegal activities can be likened unto someone, holding the ladder for a burglar, trying to absolve themselves from their involvement in the burglary by arguing that it was the burglar's idea to break in.
Gordon Fyfe, Kambah
Malcolm Turnbull needs to hang in there and remember Lazarus with a triple by-pass who said of his critics, ''I've gone beyond caring about them. The best way to deal with your critics is to try and keep winning.'' Turnbull needs to stay dogged; Australia will need him in 2013.
Kenneth Griffiths, O'Connor
Spin not substance
It's fairly predictable that the Labor Government will string out the so-called Utegate affair into a personal attack on Malcolm Turnbull and claim vindication from the Auditor-General's report. It will claim poor judgment by Turnbull (and possibly corrupt political practices with the fake email although that is hard to claim). Meanwhile in Queensland (Rudd and Swan's home state) the Labor Party is embroiled in an ever-expanding scandal of favours for money and mates (sounds like Utegate!). As an auditor I know the Auditor-General's report will really say nothing, because it can't comment on the politics and irregularities involved in the Treasurer's intervention in a case, and in particular the extraordinary fax volumes to his home (on average 10 every day). The Labor Party will be delighted that the focus will continue on spin not substance, as the media faithfully runs the government's agenda rather than doing its job. And on it goes.
M. Gordon, Flynn
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