The SMH is reporting that a US Navy sailor has been arrested by Australian officials for "grooming" a teenage Australian girl online. He was arrested after his ship docked in Rockhampton.
As I pointed out the other day, there is an increasing US-centric attitude to our legal system. It comes as no surprise, therefore, that the US Navy is now demanding the sailor's release into their own custody to deal with him as they choose.
I find this intolerable.
First of all, an Australian citizen commits a crime over the internet and is arrested and sent to the US for trial, even though he didn't set foot in America. On the other hand, a US citizen commits a crime over the internet and is arrested as soon as enters Australia - and the US argues that he should be on trial in the US.
So - if an Australian commits a crime over the internet that is punishable in America, he should be sent to America to be put on trial and imprisoned. But if an American commits a crime over the internet that is punishable in Australia... well he should be put on trial and imprisoned in America as well.
Australia is not the 51st state. We are not America. If an American commits a crime here we arrest him and throw him into jail. If America can't handle it then boo hoo.
America should butt out of our legal process. Thanks to Dubya and Johnny, they will continue to interfere in the sovereignty of Australia and other nations.
Perhaps its time we in the rest of the world began to interfere with America's sovereignty.
As I pointed out the other day, there is an increasing US-centric attitude to our legal system. It comes as no surprise, therefore, that the US Navy is now demanding the sailor's release into their own custody to deal with him as they choose.
I find this intolerable.
First of all, an Australian citizen commits a crime over the internet and is arrested and sent to the US for trial, even though he didn't set foot in America. On the other hand, a US citizen commits a crime over the internet and is arrested as soon as enters Australia - and the US argues that he should be on trial in the US.
So - if an Australian commits a crime over the internet that is punishable in America, he should be sent to America to be put on trial and imprisoned. But if an American commits a crime over the internet that is punishable in Australia... well he should be put on trial and imprisoned in America as well.
Australia is not the 51st state. We are not America. If an American commits a crime here we arrest him and throw him into jail. If America can't handle it then boo hoo.
America should butt out of our legal process. Thanks to Dubya and Johnny, they will continue to interfere in the sovereignty of Australia and other nations.
Perhaps its time we in the rest of the world began to interfere with America's sovereignty.
1 comment:
Hi Neil,
Would be good to get together in the hols. Tom is going away next week to the snow, so how about this week? What about a pub meal? I'm reading 'The God Delusion' by Dawkins at present, it's bad, really bad, so bad I find it funny and sad!My usual email is down at present.
John
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