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After Abdel Baset al Megrahi, convicted for the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, was released on "compassionate grounds" and received a "hero's welcome" in his native Libya, the Scottish government has been trying to defend itself from criticism, much of it American (most of the victims were from the U.S.). Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill now says they asked Libya to promise not to throw a big party for al Megrahi, "Assurances had been given by the Libyan government that any return would be dealt with in a low-key and sensitive fashion. It is a matter of great regret that Mr. al-Megrahi was received in such an inappropriate manner." British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is expected to make remarks about the release; he had discussed it with Moammer Gadhafi weeks ago. There's also been suggestion that Britain lobbied for al Megrahi's release in order to gain lucrative oil contracts with Libya—Senator Chuck Schumer said on Meet the Press, "Was there a quid pro quo here? I don't know if that's the truth, but if it is: shame, shame, shame on the British government."
Scotland: We Said No Hero's Welcome For Lockerbie Bomber
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Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill is a leader of the Scottish National Party, which seeks independence and is not particularly fond of London. The Brits feel the same way about the SNP. To suggest that the SNP would take orders from London is ludicrous. After all, London has been stealing Scottish oil for years.
The Scots released the Libyan, not the Brits. For Schumer to suggest that Britain was getting a quid pro quo is typical Schumer-grandstanding.
Schumer didn't make this up...Gadhafi's son said himself that it was part of a business deal.
you mean we can't trust libya on their word? this is all so shocking.
I wanna see Groundskeeper Willie get lynched on The Simpsons.
Or sent to Gitmo.
Wait a middle eastern tyrant actually gave you their word... and didn't keep it?
Wait, Libya is in the Middle East?
http://www.dinglebum.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/the-world-according-to-americans.jpg
win!
No. I meant what I said. Egypt is in Africa but considered a Middle Eastern, or Far Eastern country. Libya adheres to the same, but is part of the 'Greater Middle East', as do other N. African countries.
(tee hee Jibbly)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:GreaterMiddleEast3.png
Egypt is not in the Middle East and neither is Libya!!! No wonder the Europeans thinks we are stupid. But it isn't our fault, Miss Teen South Carolina says WE don't have maps in US.
http://joethedeveloper.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/the-world-according-to-america-2.gif
WHY are you STALKING me and COPYING MY POSTS???!!!! DAMN that is FREAKY. It is OFFICIAL, FELIXTHECAT2 is in love with me. Maybe you are just after my NOBLE PRICE?? LOL!!!
Sorry I couldn't resist. I'll stop feeding him now.
CopyCat.
He is an unoriginal, uneducated douche bag who clearly has no knowledge of geographical reference or regions.
Oh dear...
where is Madame Secretary?!
The Scots got taken for a camel ride. Regardless, they never should have released the scumbag. I guess they're more interested in appeasing the increasing muslim population in their midst than justice for those hundreds of innocent people whose mangled and burnt bodies got scattered around Lockerbie.
If the Scots had any real guts, they would have put a bullet in that terrorist's head and wrapped him up in a shroud of bacon and tossed him in the sewer.
I thought this was and always was about OIL.
+1
Another sign that devolution was a huge mistake. But for Gordo to proclaim innocence on this whole debacle is just a joke! Just another nail in the coffin of New Labour.
And what about this: what if the cancer this terrorist has isn't as fatal as some said? What if he lives for many more years?
The Libyans also promised to confine him (house arrest, I think), so he's not (supposed to be) totally free.
what a strange world when a us politician can shame britian for doing something immoral for money and oil.
how many innoicent iraqis have been killed by now.....50K? 100K? Its impossible to even concieve what americans would think of themselves if they could realize what our goverment has done.
The UN called a special meeting today to condemn Israel for causing the terminal illness that led to Megrahi's release.
The naivite is incredible. Is there anyone who doesn't think al Megrahi isn't leveraging his new "hero" status in offering his terrorist services to the highest bidder now?
Scotland's misguided path of appeasement, of these terorists and anti-western immigrant communities, steamrolls over justice for the Lockerbie victims.
I guess it's even easier to put one's head up one's ass when wearing a kilt.
Actually I kinda agree with the scottish decision. Holding yourself to a higher standard than your enemies is pretty freaking noble. The guy has a family that didn't bomb airplanes and he'll be dead in 3 months. Giving them the chance to say good bye is absolutely compassionate and in no way a strike against justice.
There's no way one man can pay any price that would atone for the death of one much less hundreds of people. The people who lost family and friends on that flight will never be able to recapture what they lost through the continued suffering of this man and his family.
Ask yourself where the line between justice and vengeance ends. And ask yourself if the Scots decision is really a mark against justice.
Personally I can see why there would be anger... that's obvious. But I still say the decision has absolute merit.
The Scottish government could have paid for plane tickets for his family to visit him in prison. Problem solved. They get to visit on compassionate grounds and he doesn't get out.
Agreed. Holding ourselves to a higher standard is the whole fucking point. But the point of justice is also that you pay for your crimes with your freedom. He should have died in jail. If they wanted to be compassionate about it, and that compassion is indeed noble, then as you said, they could have flied his family out to visit him in his last days. I think there is much more to this story than what we are getting. None of it makes any sense.
I'm not going to argue the semantics of it. I'm just saying that it's not right to demonize the Scots for simply being compassionate. Could it have been handled better? Maybe, but neither you nor I are aware of the technical and legislative problems that may have surrounded this mans case. I assume that the Scots had reasoning that took into account a number of factors that aren't being widely publicized. And, that's just me being generally weary of news media's ability to antagonize situations in an effort to create news and intrigue.
The Scots have shown they are better than the murderers. For this the vengeful scorn them.
After all, what the fuck does Shakespeare know:
The quality of mercy is not strain'd,
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown;
Or as Ghandi said, "An eye for an eye leaves everyone blind".
Point well taken. "But I still say the decision has absolute merit."
Now go home home take a hot bath and slit your wrists.
Idk, personally, I think that vengeance is a perfectly acceptable rationale for one's actions.
As for Scottish Justice Secretary MacAskill: Really, dude? Do you always accept the word of a known despotic whackjob (or his staff) at face value?
Adios, single malt scotch, hello "freedom flasks".
It's not just the politicians, many of the local British/Scottish victims' families publicly agreed to the release. I doubt all of them are getting oil development deals in Libya.
It's not just the politicians, many of the local British/Scottish victims' families publicly agreed to the release. I doubt all of them are getting oil development deals in Libya.
I dont believe MacAskill. High level politicians always say things like this to the press, but there's no proof he actually said "no big party" as a condition of the prisoner's release. He can make up whatever he wants about what happened behind closed doors. Dont believe him at all.
So when are we sending the wet ops team to libya to compassionately liberate this guy's brain from his skull case? I mean, we've only got 3 months people.