> Well, if the allegations are true -- and I am not
> saying one way or the other because I know no more
> than anyone here -- nothing made him fall for the
> sting. People talk as if that sort of tactic was
> unfair. Obviously it doesn't go to credibility on
> weappons inspections (it's not a crime of fraud or
> deceit), but it doesn't reflect well on his character
> if he was an almost-40 year old man trying to hit on
> what he thought was a teenager. I've seen people
> sentenced to long prison terms for that sort of
> behavior. Personally I think they need treatment
> rather than prison. But if grownups will exploit
> children sexually, I see nothing wrong in "stinging"
> them to stop them. jks
I'd just like to comment on a couple of your inferences. The reports I've read said this was a sting and that the 16 year old girl was really an adult police officer posing as a teenage girl online. Given anything that is "for the children" usually leads to what I see as a complete lapse of logic I am not surprised that people in similar circumstances go to jail. But where you see an exploitive predator being lured out of hiding I see demented police acting out their own fantasies emulating teen age girls so they can seduce older men. When one of these men happens to be intelligent (he went to my alma mater so I am biased :)) well known and an outspoken critic of the ruling regime I become suspicious.
Also I find it a little absurd to refer to a 16 year old girl as a child. A girl of this age is usually well aware of her sexuality and I would not say it unlikely that she might be the seducer. If we are talking about an adult woman pretending to be a teenage girl then her seductive powers shouldn't even be in question. I give Ritter the benefit of the doubt unless the government can produce transcripts showing he really is a predator trying to take advantage of innocent children. I would image they would leak them if they had them, gag order or not.
Matt
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