Lafayette Defendants Found Not Guilty

Politics Taiwan Politics
1

From the China Post:

[quote]The Taipei District Court yesterday acquitted six former high ranking military officials of corruption charges over the purchase of French-made Lafayette frigates that is believed to be connected to the murder of a Navy captain in 1993.[/quote] chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national … icials.htm

I’m having trouble getting the Taipei Times’ page to load, so I’ll quote from today’s hard copy of that paper: [quote]“The case remains classified as it involves national security. I therefore cannot elaborate on the reasons behind the verdict,” [Judge] Liu [Fang-tsu] said.[/quote]

There’s not enough evidence to warrant a verdict of guilty, but it’s all very secret, so they can’t let anyone know what’s going on. There’s this dead guy and some other dead guys, and a bunch of money in Swiss accounts, but nothing noteworthy actually happened. And apparently it’s not all that newsworthy, either. I mean, the English-language papers had to run the story, but that’s about it. Life goes on.

2

Meantime the Swiss wont return the 500 million kickback paid to a shadowy Taiwanese arms dealer who is still on the run.

And the French company (govt) is not keen to pay a 1000 million penalty for providing kickbacks either.

TW will never see that money, the swiss will just keep it forever. And the guys death will never be solved.

3

[quote=“tommy525”]Meantime the Swiss wont return the 500 million kickback paid to a shadowy Taiwanese arms dealer who is still on the run.

And the French company (govt) is not keen to pay a 1000 million penalty for providing kickbacks either.

TW will never see that money, the swiss will just keep it forever.[/quote]

The French government also knows how to hold a grudge. This is from Asia Times Online, a couple of weeks back:

[quote]A story appeared, again in the Liberty Times, on an expatriate Frenchman. Didier Cornolle had lived in Taiwan for five years and was married to a Taiwanese woman, but he had been suddenly ordered home. His alleged occupation was leader of a small team of French military technicians that functioned as a connecting point between France’s and Taiwan’s governments, arm dealers and Taiwan’s military. [/quote] atimes.com/atimes/China/LF10Ad02.html

But the French military liaison office cannot have been closed, because there was no such thing to begin with, according to the French government (from CNA, June 1):

[quote]France’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied the existence of a military liaison office in Taiwan in a press briefing Monday after Taiwanese media reported that the office has been closed over the handling of a warship sale dispute.[/quote] focustaiwan.tw/ShowNews/WebNews_ … &Type=aIPL

At this point it doesn’t seem likely that it will. And just in case there’s anyone reading this who’s not aware of the following (from the Vancouver Sun, May 25, 2010):

[quote]Another eight people associated with the story have died under strange or mysterious circumstances [i. e., in addition to Captain Yin Ching-feng].[/quote] vancouversun.com/business/Ta … story.html

One more thing–well, two, actually. France, too, has a “national security” interest in keeping some of the details secret (from the Johannesburg Star, November 17, 2003 ):

[quote]Successive ministers of finance have refused access to the documents concerning the deal, claiming that the material is classified.[/quote] thestar.co.za/index.php?fSec … eId=285767

And this, from one of the French participants in the scandal (taken from the Daily Telegraph, February 2, 2004):

[quote]“There is only one way to survive in France and it is to be a politician, because they can kill, they can steal, they can do anything, and justice protects them,” [Christine Deviers-Joncour] says. After receiving violent threats in 2000, she wore a bullet-proof jacket for 18 months. “Once I decided to tell the truth, I had no political protection.”[/quote] telegraph.co.uk/culture/3611 … -lost.html

4

Send in double Oh 7.

5

To do what, take out The French?

Hmmmmmm, a couple years ago I would’ve said that’s nationalist hogwash, nowadays, after a few years working with one of the companies mentioned herein, I’m on the next troop transport over to help with the ahem population control.

6

To do what, take out The French?

Hmmmmmm, a couple years ago I would’ve said that’s nationalist hogwash, nowadays, after a few years working with one of the companies mentioned herein, I’m on the next troop transport over to help with the ahem population control.[/quote]

No to take out the villain, there must be a villain somewhere here right? OR villains plural.

And i thought you were in TW to help with the low birth rate?? :slight_smile:

7

To do what, take out The French?

Hmmmmmm, a couple years ago I would’ve said that’s nationalist hogwash, nowadays, after a few years working with one of the companies mentioned herein, I’m on the next troop transport over to help with the ahem population control.[/quote]

No to take out the villain, there must be a villain somewhere here right? OR villains plural.

And i thought you were in TW to help with the low birth rate?? :slight_smile:[/quote]
I’d say villains plural, about 66 million of them. And the assistance with the local birth rates ended on March 19th at the Thai Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei when the blood was drained from me and my johnson was put in a jar for eternal safe keeping thereafter.

8

Well they have to call you James BONDO now as you are patched up?

9

In Plato’s Republic, there’s a character called Thrasymachus, who somewhat famously says:

[quote]I proclaim that justice is nothing else than the interest of the stronger. [/quote] bill.ballpaul.net/archives/pol27 … _1_490.htm

In situations like this one, the issue to me isn’t whether that’s what justice truly is, or even whether that’s what justice works out to be in this broken-down world (I think that, often enough, what people call justice or law does work out to be just that–the interest of the stronger).

The issue in this situation is whether it’s OK that in reality, justice often works out to be nothing more than the interest of the stronger.

Is it OK with you guys? Just asking.

10

Sssht … I can’t actually tell anyone but I’m supposed to be the head of Frances Foreign Legion Liaison Office in Taiwan … it’s a secret … :whistle: :roflmao: :ponder:

11

Baking pies is a great cover tho.

12

[quote=“Charlie Jack”]In Plato’s Republic, there’s a character called Thrasymachus, who somewhat famously says:

[quote]I proclaim that justice is nothing else than the interest of the stronger. [/quote] bill.ballpaul.net/archives/pol27 … _1_490.htm

In situations like this one, the issue to me isn’t whether that’s what justice truly is, or even whether that’s what justice works out to be in this broken-down world (I think that, often enough, what people call justice or law does work out to be just that–the interest of the stronger).

The issue in this situation is whether it’s OK that in reality, justice often works out to be nothing more than the interest of the stronger.

Is it OK with you guys? Just asking.[/quote]
“Often” is a huge qualification. Are we talkin sheer number of cases, dollar amounts awarded, sentenced prison time, or what is your measure? A better question might be, are you stoned out of your mind, because if so, please save me a wee bit.

13

That just means that your immediate task is to… SURRENDER!!!

14

Okie-doke. No problem.

15

Shit man, you ARE stoned! Damn you for being Da Man! I’m envious dude, envious…

16

Umm. Am I the only person to think that this guy’s name reads like, “Did Yer Corn Hole?”