Prisoner X: Well Hello...?

"Fairfax media understands that ASIO and Mossad had an explicit deal not to use each other's nationals as spies but that the Israelis broke the agreement by recruiting Mr Zygier and at least two other dual citizens." (Officials broke rules on Zygier, David Wroe & Tom Allard, Sydney Morning Herald, 7/3/13)

Well hello, what part of dual nationality doesn't ASIO understand? When Mossad recruited Zygier was it recruiting an Israeli or an Australian?

"Foreign Minister Bob Carr... admitted that DFAT had been wrong to rely on ASIO, which was in turn accepting the assurances of the Israeli government that Mr Zygier was being well-treated." (ibid)

Well hello, ASIO continued to accept these assurances after Mossad had misused Australian passports in the assassination of a Hamas official in Dubai?

"Former attorney-general Robert McClelland has confirmed he was briefed on the Ben Zygier case in 2010, making him the only politician to date to admit any first-hand knowledge of the affair... He said ASIO briefed him on the case shortly after Zygier's arrest in January 2010. As attorney-general, Mr McClelland had responsibility for ASIO, the agency first told of the 34-year-old's arrest. He recalled a high degree of security accompanying the Zygier briefing. Mr McClelland said an official had brought the material to him and sat with him in his office when he read it. When he was finished, the officer retrieved the documents, meaning he retained no copy. Such practices were standard for sensitive briefings." (Former A-G admits he was briefed on Zygier, Paul Maley, The Australian, 8/3/13)

Well hello, who's running the country here, the elected government or ASIO?

"Mr McClelland would not discuss the content of the briefing. 'But what I can say is that I had recommended to me the course of action that ASIO proposed to take - to brief relevant agencies, departments and officials, a course of action I approved and thought was appropriate,' he said." (ibid)

Well hello, is it a case of whatever ASIO wants, ASIO gets?

"[Kevin Rudd] says he has 'no recollection' of being informed about the matter..." (Rudd still in the dark about facts of Zygier case, Judith Ireland, SMH, 8/3/13)

Well hello, PM Rudd knew nothing?

"Yesterday, a spokesman for [then foreign minister Stephen] Smith said he had no recollection of being briefed on the case. [His chief of staff Frances] Adamson also had no recollection of being briefed." (Former A-G admits he was briefed on Zygier, Paul Maley, The Australian, 8/3/13)

Well hello, foreign minister Smith also knew nothing?

"An internal investigation by the Department of Foreign Affairs revealed yesterday that Dennis Richardson, then head of the department... [was] briefed by ASIO... on February 24, 2010, about 3 weeks after the arrest." (Officials broke rules on Zygier, David Wroe & Tom Allard, SMH, 7/3/13)

Well hello, he didn't think it worth mentioning to the minister?

"The Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, Vivienne Thom, said she was satisfied that ASIO had not acted unlawfully and inappropriately, and would take no further action. Wednesday's report, despite its broad criticisms of the handling of the case, acknowledges this was an unusual situation and says the DFAT officials' judgment not to follow up on Zygier 'Was reasonable in the circumstances'. Perhaps most tellingly, the report adds that their decision 'took into account concerns that a diplomatic approach might jeopardise the intelligence channel'." (Spies like us, David Wroe & Ruth Pollard, SMH, 9/3/13)

Well hello, Australia can't possibly survive without an intelligence channel to Israel?
Well hello, does this mean that ASIO is telling our polliewaffles that (to tweak the words of St Wilders) 'The struggle against Israel is a struggle against us. We are Israel. The reason Australian parents can sleep soundly without having to worry about their kids is that Israeli parents stay awake at night because their children are in the army'?
Well hello, is ASIO that dumb?
Well hello, are our polliewaffles that dumb?
Well hello, are WE that dumb?