In the minority again

OK, to balance out this morning's "butterflies and unicorns" post, I thought I would once again peek into the David Hick's debacle. I wish I hadn't, I really do. I've seen his guilty plea reported on a number of websites, some of which allow comments from the public. These ones sadden me the most. The number of people who seem to have missed the point entirely scares me.
Comments like these:
"We need to bring back capital and corporal punishment. I don't know how anybody could turn against their own country like this guy. Shame shame shame."

Why will he be coming to Australia, he should be sent back to the country he was fighting for and that was Afghanistan. I'm surprised that there are not more comments from the do-gooders saying he has been coerced into pleading guilty.

He's no longer a terror suspect but a self confessed terrorist and will shortly be a convicted terorist. He's had his day in court which we've all been waiting for, so now it's time see what punishment this sloppy bit of dog s*it has agreed to.

and the worst of all
"Obviously we've had enormous concerns about the allegations that have been brought against David Hicks," he said.

"(But) I'm pleased for everybody's sake ... that this saga has come to a conclusion." Foreign Minister Alexander Downer

Reading back over these comments has convinced me that I have been wrong all along. The people of Australia have EXACTLY the sort of government the majority wants (and for that matter deserves). A Government that abrogates it's responsibility to a citizen who, while in a foreign country, is captured by an invading force and shipped to a third country, incarcerated away from the rule of law for 5 years until he pleads guilty to trumped up charges, then allows the invading force to then "graciously" hand responsibility for that person back when they've finished, but agree to lock him up at taxpayers expense until they say it's ok. That's the sort of Government we have. I don't care if David Hicks is guilty or innocent, and neither apparently do Howard and Downer. It's the difference of opinion about how he was treated that scares me.