The Long Reach of US Extradition 242
CuteSteveJobs writes "The New Matilda reports how the U.S. is now able to extradite people for minor offences, and asks why foreign governments so willingly give up their nationals to the U.S. to 'face justice' over minor crimes committed outside U.S. borders? Lawyer Kellie Tranter writes, 'the long arm of the Government is using criminal enforcement powers to enforce commercial interests at the behest of corporations and their lobbyists.' A former NSW Chief Judge said it was bizarre 'that people are being extradited to the U.S. to face criminal charges when they have never been to the U.S. and the alleged act occurred wholly outside the U.S.' He said although copyright violations are a great problem, a country 'must protect its nationals from being removed from their homeland to a foreign country merely because the commercial interests of that foreign country.' Australia recently 'streamlined' its laws to make extradition to the U.S. even easier."
Fixed link ** Re:nocookies (Score:5, Informative)
"ATTORNEY-GENERAL Nicola Roxon has authorised the extradition of an ethnic Tamil, wanted by the US on offshore terrorism charges, despite his fears he will be deported to Sri Lanka and punished. Ms Roxon signed the extradition order in February, sparking a legal challenge by the man's lawyers, who insist he has never been a threat to the US or Australia and that the alleged offences are more political than security-related. Documents obtained by The Australian under Freedom of Information laws show the extradition case was considered especially sensitive by Australian bureaucrats
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/foi/roxon-clears-tamils-extradition-to-us/story-fn8r0e18-1226438076806 [theaustralian.com.au]
Re:There's a good dog (Score:4, Informative)
Re:This is, (Score:5, Informative)
Friend, the Americans aren't too happy with America right now. What they're (American Corporations) doing to your country they're doing vigorously all over America, and they're a damn site closer here, so if its chafing you, its frigging killing us.
This strikes me as a powerful indication of the state of the world. The Nation state is in decline. The multi national corporation is calling the tune, and the laws are now being adjusted to ensure that any infraction against the all mighty corporation anywhere on the planet is dealt with swiftly and with overwhelming force. The new terrorist is anyone who isn't consuming his proper allotment and paying his bills. Now might be a good time to take our world back.
Re:There's a good dog (Score:5, Informative)
Vote Pirate.
http://pirateparty.org.au
Re:There's a good dog (Score:5, Informative)
"The major parties are Labour (more left wing) and Liberals (who oddly enough are very un-liberal conservatives)."
Left and Right doesn't mean shit anymore in any of the major English-speaking countries. The mainstream parties all seem to favor copy monopolies and increased surveillance of citizens. UK's Labour was a willing partner in Bush Jr's Iraq misadventure. I also remember reading in the BBC how the party was actually disappointed over the Conservatives' decision to block security "hacker" Gary McKinnon's extradition to the US.
I think we're at the peak of the empire. (Score:2, Informative)
The USA is an empire with vassal states all over the world, but it's about to collapse just like the Roman empire, and for the same reason. An empire is expensive, and the will of the American people to maintain the empire is fading away.
Re:This is, (Score:5, Informative)
Unfortunately we in the developed countries that are in decline are not unhappy enough in large enough numbers to effectuate change at this time.
Unfortunate indeed. FTUSDI: [ushistory.org]
[...] whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.
What's that they say of the cyclic nature of history? I put it to you that it's not enough to know history to avoid repeating it; We must also be mindful of it always. Otherwise, in the end there will be lots of, "sorry, but you leave us no choice" on both sides of the double edged sword of power.
Re:There's a good dog (Score:3, Informative)
Pirate Party Australia currently does not have the number of exclusive members required to register with the Australian Electoral Commission. This status is unlikely to change before the next election.
We do have a handful of more liberal minor parties that one can vote for, though most Aussies have never heard of them. Two that spring to mind are the Liberal Democratic Party and Australian Sex Party. Of course there is always The Greens, but who wants to undo centuries of human achievement and plunge back into the dark ages.
Re:There's a good dog (Score:5, Informative)
The big parties everywhere reflect what they can get away with. If you want to change something, you have to infiltrate them. Which means going to local party meetings, arguing, etc. Just hoping that someone with the right ideas comes along so you can vote for him/her does not work.
Much of what happens depends on someone doing it, and if there is nobody to do it, it just doesn't happen. If you want change - make it happen. Organize anti-extradition rallies, generate awareness, etc.
Everybody blames the politicians, but you must as well blame the people who expect someone else to fix it for them.
Comment removed (Score:3, Informative)
Re:There's a good dog (Score:5, Informative)
The Liberals are not "very un-liberal conservatives" they are for economic liberalism (when compared with the labor party anyway) hence the name. If you want to use the American definition of liberal (social liberalism - center left) rather than the Australian definition (economic liberalism - center right) then obviously the names of Australian political parties won't make sense.