I must say that I am a little unsure about what kind of response I actually expect or want from the rest of the world. On the one hand I think that this slide away from democracy and freedom of expression is deeply disturbing and demands an internation response (particularly to support the activists in question). On the other hand, it makes me cringe when we talk about exporting our brand of democracy and presume to dictate to other countries how they ought to run their countries - as though our houses were actually in order on that front…

The solution must lie somewhere in the middle - more towards providing support to the local people who are trying to build a better political system, rather than a simple attack on the government from outside. How you actually go about doing that effectively is, of course, no where near simple.

Again, Cristy, well done. Take no notice of him.

Shorter CL: I never go off on a trolling tangent when Gough W. or “Islamofacism” can be dragged into it.

Gough was never held accountable, Pavlov - despite greenlighting the liquidation of 250,000 people. Keating and Evans were also obedient servants of Suharto - the butcher they called “Father.”

Peter, you started the tangential commentary when you referred to Howard’s view of “brown people” in a post on Cambodia. It was perfectly reasonable to point out that the left’s hero-in-chief, Gough Whitlam, did not like Asians - nor did he want them in Australia.

‘’screwing Cheryl Kernot.” Well all I can say is we can be thankful is history doesn’t record a parallel universe and some liberal ladies that spring to mind. That would be a situation far way above and beyond the call of Labor party duty. (retching sounds.)

I’m really unimpressed with the way you guys address the issue of Cambodia, but I’m really impressed by a seemingly secret web software that funnels attacks on your beloved exemplars, your political deities, straight to your current web browsers?

”He threw an ashtray” —well, such perfidious malicious indictable evil shouldn’t over-ride anything good the man did I suppose.

Senator Lugar was most congratulory of ”Biggles” and his multilateral efforts in the Cambodian gig, but hey, maybe that guy has skeletons in his closet as well, so let’s go off on another irrelevant tangent!

(Re Evans and his achievements: oh, CL, do the reading, chum!)

What matters to Australians now is the behaviour of the man who has been running the country and shaping its laws for nine years, the man through whom international views of Australia are refracted and who now wields quite extraordinary power. If he f*cks up, he should be held accountable — as, God knows, Gough was held accountable in his own time. NB: his own time was 30 years ago. Pull yourselves together. As it were.

There has been some quite some coverage by the media on the latest developments http://news.google.com.au/news?hl=en&ned=au&q=“hun sen” cambodia&btnG=Search News

“Dec 1993
Consultations with Human Rights Centre, Geneva on Human Rights for Cambodia.

Jan 1994 [Representative until 1996]
First Mission to Cambodia as Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations.”

One telling point in his 1994 report which resonates with the recent arrests:

http://www.lawfoundation.net.au/resources/kirby/papers/19941127_uncam3.html

There is an urgent need to build truly independent courts. How can Judges be independent of the Executive where they are paid but $20 a month?

(We need to clone another Gareth Evans. Dolly just isn’t up to it.)

Double yawn.

I did, the post by Peter Kemp was another feeble attempt to have a shot at John Howard under the guise of concern for Cambodia.

Probably because Peter - who, like the Cambodian government, believes in making arrests on trumped-up charges of “defamation” - poisoned the discussion by reference to John Howard and his “which brown person” foreign policy.

Gough Whitlam, like today’s left, believed it was preferable for brown persons to be robbed by people-smuggling mafiosi and left to drown at sea.

John Howard’s policy has saved the lives of probably hundreds of the “fucking…Balts” that Whitlam hated. Gough also okayed the Indonesian liquidation of East Timor. Cost in human lives: 250,000 dead. Not a word of protest from Whitlam then or since. Who led the intervention that ended that genocide?

John Howard.

What concerns me even more is that this has not even registered in the International media.

It was reported on sbs last night, Cristy. But not on the abc news. My general impression is that the foreign coverage on abc is getting thinner and more selective - whether because of budget cuts or editorial decisions, I don’t know. Last night’s abc news was almost standard tabloid tv - fires, new years eve stuff, crime, sport, weather.

I will now make a racist statement, I like chinese food.