Alright. I’ve decided I’m not posting any more on that issue. Sure, maybe I’m dropping the newsworthy hot potato, but I don’t think there is anything I can add to the dialogue from here on out. The story is big, big media will cover it and, hopefully, ask the big questions and demand big answers.

Really though, reaction in Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan in the next few days, and other likely areas of unrest will determine whether this story fizzles out or becomes a very big issue.

Go here for both the Dateline – Transcript – Stephen Dupont Interview and the video.

Or link directly to the Stephen Dupont video here (RealPlayer)

GEORGE NEGUS: Do you think they understood the ramifications of what they’re doing? The burning of the bodies, pointing towards Mecca and going to the trouble of reading to you in English the deliberately provocative stuff that they were shouting across the valley to the Taliban?

STEPHEN DUPONT: Look, I think the airborne unit that were responsible with the burning of the two Taliban soldiers weren’t really thinking in that way. I think the psychological operations unit, who were responsible for the broadcast along with some other broadcasts to the Taliban, they’re quite well aware of it. They’re older guys. That’s their job. They’re PsyOps. They use it as a weapon.

UPDATE: more outlets are picking up the burning of Taliban fighters story

CNN.com – U.S. probes burning bodies report – although it seems strange they left off the “This just proves you are the lady boys we always believed you to be” part of the quote.

Pictures of bodies being burnt here, with actual bodies being blacked out. I’m sure they won’t be out of the ‘home snaps’ taken by one of the soldiers though. In the actual footage last night you could see one of the soldiers standing above and behind the body (very similar position to the guy in the top left frame), holding a camera and taking pictures with a digital camera.

Metafilter has posted and are now talking about it, using pretty much the same links I have (although I took the photo link from that post).

And many, many more. Google News link to all of them

UPDATE: on Dateline and US soldiers burning dead Taliban fighters.

As that SBS link says the incident is being “aggressively investigated” by the Army Criminal Division and corrective action would be taken if the allegations are found to be true.

It’s not really a matter of whether or not the allegations are true. It’s right there on camera. What we’ll have to wait and see is what the outcome is; whether it all blows over and nothing happens, or it all blows up if the Muslim world becomes enraged.

It’s already old news here, but a member of the New South Wales Parliament assaulted another member, at one point grabbing him by the neck with both hands.

The BBC has picked up Dateline’s story about US soldiers burning Taliban bodies.

Australian Sheik Taj el-Din al Hilaly wants to personally guarantee the government there will be no terrorist attack in Australia, but can only do so if proposed terrorism laws (see previous post) are scrapped.

Also says he’ll happily go to jail himself if a terrorist attack does take place, proving him wrong. via smh.com.au

Jon Stanhope, Chief Minister for the ACT has released on his website the entire 107 pages of Draft Anti-Terrorism Legislation (pdf-332kb) that has everyone in an uproar.

Why has he done it? Maybe because he’s not a Liberal. That said, given my earlier posts and podcast following up the story about whistleblowing and the amendments federally, I wonder if he can, or will be, investigated for unlawful disclosure. I don’t think he could be investigated, but interesting times nonetheless.

UPDATE: to prove my point, Blogger didn’t let me create a new post to say this.

I’ve had a domain parked for a while now, but today’s Blogger spac-attack – and the fact that my parked domain is up for renewal in the next month and I hella don’t want to stay with Yahoo – has led me to buy some hosting. I’ve also downloaded WordPress and will now begin the slow process of killing myself in order to try and make it work…
posted at 3.30am
————-

Blogger seems to be back and working again.

Okay, this is pretty big news. Macworld reports Apple has announced a major music-related event for October 25. They could be launching an Australian iTunes Music Store that day.

It’s about time.