Somehow predicting your reaction, I almost added a personal note to you, in the above post, apologising for my OTT WW2 analogy, but I stuck it on the end instead. I completely agree with your comments about about the world of diffence between my analogy and the topic.

However, when we're talking about pressure exerted on people to force them to sign false confessions, the Nazis and Communists spring to mind first of all. There aren't too many others that make it onto the list afterwards either.

And in response to your question, "What does it take to make people turn on their friends and abandon their principles?"

Well this is an excellent question.

It's easy for me to answer on a personal level. If someone tied my wife and children to a post, pointed a gun at them, and said, "Sign this or I shoot", my response would be, "Pass the pen, where do I sign?" Shit Jim, I'd even sign if you were tied to the post.

I'd walk away in a much better state than John did.

But in his case, nobody threatened anybody with a gun. They sure threatened him with something though,and from the descriptions of two people who spoke to him afterwards, the result has damaged John. Maybe he held back from signing longer than he should have, trying to uphold those very values of friendship and principle you mentioned. Maybe he held out longer because someone had donated lots of money to help in his battle. Whatever the reason, he held on too long and became ill. If anything he signed was used in court, he could always show up as a witness and tell the true story of why he signed it.

Humans are delicate complex creatures (being one yourself, you are obviously aware of this) and Johns battle left him wounded but not dead. The priority for him now is to get himself back to health.

I'm not easily intimidated, but there were times when the Jagdeo affair was being brought to light publicly, that I felt extremely vulnerable. Shit you've been the target of crap and maliciousness for years Jim, so you probably know these feelings yourself. I was lucky in having support from two strong and lovely women, Susan and Abi, but there were times when it felt like the three of us were in a rowing boat in the middle of a storm.

I wonder if John had such close support. I don't mean emails, or even money, and for sure this may help, but it's not the same as someone being in the same boat as you.

Who knows what he went through. His battle was fiercer than ours, as we were merely responding to events. He was charging the cannons on a horse. I'm quite sure, in time, when he's fit and settled, he'll write the whole story in a book. I'll buy a copy for sure.

Don't you think there comes a time when the antagonism has to drift away and the care remain? Sure he's pissed some people off because of what he signed, and maybe he spent somebody's money on a lawyer of something, but he signed under great duress. How bad should he have become before he quit? And as regards the money? Well, if you give it for a fight and the fight is lost, then the rules are, you don't get it back.

If it's a personal loan, then sort something out with John when he's better.

I completely share Nya's sentiments on the matter.

Take care,

Anth the financial advisor.