CDR: Re: 'Shoot to Kill Bill' set to pass the Senate with no safeguards

[James A. Donald]

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At 10:19 AM 9/7/2000 +1100, Julian Assange wrote:
 > 'Shoot to Kill Bill' set to pass the Senate with no safeguards
 >
 > [...]
 >
 > "Now, in a stunning overnight turnaround, the ALP has accepted a new
 > government amendment that would allow troops to be used against
 > civilians when there is 'serious damage to property'.

In recent years US troops have been trained with some namby pamby stuff 
about minimizing civilian casualties.  Australian troops are not trained 
like that. They are trained that their first priority is to blow the enemy 
away as fast as possible, their second priority is to stay alive in order 
to blow away more enemy in future, and if they have any time and energy 
left over after the first two priorities, they might think about minimizing 
damage to civilians caught in the middle.

While that is sound training for war, it is rather poor training for 
keeping order in peacetime.

It is interesting that this draconian legislation follows rapidly upon 
draconian anti gun legislation.

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          James A. Donald
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