WHO AUTHORISED THIS?

It was a hard fought battle.
Have you heard? 
They've finally decamped.
The man glared as he passed, as if it was his fault the gross waste of time and money, caught out in the lies of their superior, was his fault.
Who authorised this? an official demanded to know, and went quiet at the answer.
Oldest trick in the book. 
Fool anyone. 
Give them hope we are leaving them alone at last. 
That they can finally relax, have their own lives back.
Be quiet or scary or out of control, be wimpish or brave or very funny indeed, let it roll, without the incessant critique," he had a camera on him the entire time", without the whispering threads of intelligence watching, the new surveillance technologies, without a care in the world.
As if.
Government funding.
There was no reason for remorse, apology, admittance of wrong.
They lifted their heads in an arrogant lion sweep, and on the distance, inside that impossible border, where the ghosts tried desperately to come to form and the giant Boschnian hummingbirds hovered over their targets, ready to suck the brains of the infidels and the desperates, the sad little men who followed him, there, he said: beware.
The authorities gained yet more information on how people behaved when they knew they were under surveillance.
He gained a deep sense of treachery. 
And of tyranny.
A collapsing state.
More would be revealed.

THE BIGGER STORY: 

ISLAMIC STATE EXECUTIONS TAL AFAR

Tal Afar (IraqiNews.com) Islamic State have reportedly killed 200 Turkmens, who were held by the militants in Tal Afar town, west of Mosul.

The Iraqi Turkmens, who included children and women, were held by IS militants two months ago and were killed during their attempt to flee toward safe regions, Nour Eddin Qablan, deputy chief of Nineveh provinvial council, told Anadolu Agency on Tuesday.

Islamic State has executed hundreds of civilians and security members since it took over large areas in Iraq over accusations of collaboration with the Iraqi security authorities or for attempting to flee areas under its control.

$70 MILLION SETTLEMENT PLUS COSTS MANUS ISLAND

 

Current and former Manus Island detainees will receive $70 million in Australia's largest human rights class action settlement.

Lawyers for the 1900 detainees have reached a conditional settlement with the Australian government and the operators of the Manus Island Regional Processing Centre.

Legal firm Slater and Gordon says the case has been settled for $70 million plus costs, currently estimated at $20 million, with no admission of liability.

Principal lawyer Andrew Baker said the settlement was an important step towards recognising the extremely hostile conditions the detainees endured on Manus Island.

"Most were fleeing religious persecution and violence," he said on Wednesday.

"They came to Australia seeking protection but rather than consider their cases onshore, the Australian government sent this vulnerable group of people to be held on Manus Island indefinitely."

Mosul, Iraq