Right-wingers are nothing if not predictable. And their greedy philosophy is not only truly eeevil, but also inconsistent. Take their reaction to our fellow traveller David Hicks and his searing and unflinchingly honest book about his ordeal in the hell holes of the Great McSatan.

While the Australian Government decides whether to let Hicks receive the proceeds from the tome, free market zealots like Iain Hall spout fatuous nonsense like this:

Hmm I very much hope that the profits from this book are seized by the Commonwealth, but I am cynical enough to expect that they won’t be because the Labor government and their masters the Greens will ensure that Hicks is able to profit from his crimes, just as they caved in to the spurious law suits from that other terrorist Mandoub Haib.

If Hicks was genuine  about wanting to put those, err,” indiscretions” behind him, then he would just look to the future and not try to profit from a very disgraceful past.

Yes, Iain. You are certainly "cynical enough"! Because only a true cynic would believe that "greed is good" as you do, and rub your clammy hands with glee as massive multinational companies continue to rape the Earth for profits, deaf to the screams of Gaia! But then when a brave freedom fighter wants to make a few measly dollars from his struggle against oppression, you fly into a rage!

Well, I for one do hope that David Hicks's book is a best seller, and that the Greens do allow him to pocket every cent. This is surely one of the few times in which capitalism is actually justified.