Spreaders of Conspiracy Theories: Unmasking the Motivations Behind the Lies

[snoop1130]

Australia defends intelligence chief after Duterte photo

 

 

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia on Thursday defended its most senior intelligence chief after he was pictured posing with a clenched fist alongside Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, an image rights groups said undermines criticism of Duterte's war on drugs.

 

Director-General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service Nick Warner met Duterte in Manila on Tuesday, where he was photographed mirroring Duterte's clenched fist pose.

 

The president's clenched pose was used throughout his 2016 presidential campaign during which he promised to use deadly force to wipe out crime and drugs.

 

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said Warner was complying with a request from Duterte and the image did not weaken Canberra's criticism of Duterte's war on drugs.

 

Duterte's ferocious 14-month-old war on drugs has seen thousands of Filipinos killed, many in what critics say are suspicious circumstances.

 

"On both occasions that I've met with President Duterte I've raised the issue of human rights and the extrajudicial killings," Bishop told reporters in the city of Perth.

 

Amnesty International said Australia must do more to try to curtail the firebrand Philippine leader.

 

"Australia is sending mixed messages amid an incredible spike in killings of the Philippines poorest people," said Michael Hayworth, a human rights campaigner at Amnesty International.

 

"Australia must condemn in the strongest terms the killings by Philippines police of people without trial."

 

Since Duterte took office, more than 3,500 people have been killed in what the Philippine National Police (PNP) says were gunfights with drug suspects who had resisted arrests.

 

The PNP says some 2,000 more people were killed in other, drug-related violence that it denies involvement in. Human rights advocates, however, say the death toll could be far higher than police say.

 

Philippine presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said the clenched-fist photo reflected the friendly nature of the meeting and the warm relationship between the two countries.

 

"It was done in a light-hearted manner," Abella told reporters. "It wasn't meant to be in any way political."

 

(Reporting by Colin Packham; Editing by Michael Perry)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-8-24

[PremiumLane]

Never worried the Australian government when they supported Suharto who at time was slaughtering people in East Timor. Guess times have changed. 

[johnarth]

54 minutes ago, PremiumLane said:

Never worried the Australian government when they supported Suharto who at time was slaughtering people in East Timor. Guess times have changed. 

yes Australian government has lost every ounce of guts and spine, could call them spineless sh--s

[maddox41]

Tell me about I it Im a Australian and I left the place because of are weak and gutless and tax grabbing government And Julia Bishop <deleted>  she is as useful as a broken lawnmower Once the lucky country now just a piss weak excuse for one.  But I'm sure most of my friends would differ in Oz as they love living in there bubble called Australia which is now owned by Hong Kong China and Japan anyway 

[klauskunkel]

I'm guessing that the Australian Intelligence Chief did not know what the significance of the Duterte Fist was. Which of course would point to a lack of intelligence.

[simple1]

5 hours ago, klauskunkel said:

I'm guessing that the Australian Intelligence Chief did not know what the significance of the Duterte Fist was. Which of course would point to a lack of intelligence.

No. Expression of support for Philippine government with their poor performance taking on the Islamists in Marawi. Endeavours to destroy the Islamists in Marawi has been going on for months, even though assistance provided by the US & Oz military - not a good look for counter terror capability in SE Asia.

 

A comment on a post above - UK & US investment in Oz assets is far greater than China / Japan.

 

http://dfat.gov.au/trade/topics/investment/Pages/which-countries-invest-in-australia.aspx

Edited August 24, 2017 by simple1

[DoctorG]

9 hours ago, johnarth said:

yes Australian government has lost every ounce of guts and spine, could call them spineless sh--s

Yep. Strange that OZ gives tacit support for the Thai military coup gov but quickly condemned and sanctioned our poor friend Fiji when they had a similar military coup. (which was also wrong)

[harleyclarkey]

Grow up, this and other,  "Rights group"...stop seeing something bad in everything you see in the world. The guy has a clenched fist.....so bloody what? 

Do you spend your days just trying to look concerned?

 

I cannot agree with his method of dealing with drug dealers. I have no doubt a few other scores were settled under this guise.

 

However, tell this to the unbeleivable number of, often innocent, 60,000 victims killed in Mexicos drug wars.