Mohammed Haneef's case-Principle of Law turned around

One thing is sure after the Mohammed Haneef's tragic saga in Australia. Leading Western Governments have turned around the cardinal principal of criminal law. Instead of 'Innocent until proved Guilty' it has now become 'Guilty until proved otherwise'.

What a shame that leading countries like Britain and Australia have fallen into the American trap of paranoid viewing of people of other religions, colour and culture. Like it has exported it's detrimental influence in food habits, entertainment and sex, now USA has succeeded in forcing its allies to re-write their law and practice of law. Witness the movement in UK for micro-chipping and surveillence, etc. Here also, USA is getting Britain to try out the dirty things first, because in USA because of the separation of powers and the strong Supreme Court and Congress and Civil Liberties Movement, such things cannot be introduced.

In Australia such attitudes led the police force to arrest and isolate a medical practitioner on false, trumped up charges and show no remorse. Witness the utterances of the Australian Prime Minister and Immigration and Foreign Ministers. I saw Alexander Downer, the Aussie Foreign Minister on TV telling 'Get real' meaning Haneef will gloat in his release, but Australia will not change the way it enforces USA's dictums.

It has been proven beyond doubt that the irresponsible and illegitimate way USA responded to the 9/11 atrocity has created chaos and damage to many societies and nations and has created a particular xenophobia in several Werstern societies. Instead of stengthening Democracy's benefits, Bush has given a bad name to Democracy. While saying he has invaded Iraq to promote democracy, his USA and Allies are trampling the basic tenets of Democracy, while also taking the assistance of autocratic countries like Pakistan. How is that justified?
To persist in such practices will alienate a large section of population living in those Western societies and will deepen the rift.

It is high time cooler heads prevail and steps are taken to engender and promote trust. We are living in an inter-dependent and inter-locked world. Just for example, Australia wants to export Uranium to India to participate in the expected boom in nuclear trade there after the Indo-US agreement. But Australia has treated an Indian very badly without cause and is showing no remorse.

It is simply not on.