Small Wars Journal

Alba an Aigh? (Updated)

Sat, 08/22/2009 - 10:34am
To my friends in Scotland; the Scottish National Party, and Scottish Prime Minister, and the Foreign Secretary, I praise their courage for having proved their independence in decision making, despite the unacceptable and unreasonable pressures they faced. Nevertheless, they took this courageously right and humanitarian decision ... my friend Brown, the Prime Minister of Britain, his government, the Queen of Britain, Elizabeth, and Prince Andrew, who all contributed to encouraging the Scottish government to take this historic and courageous decision, despite the obstacles.

--Muammar al-Gaddafi, Dictator of Libya

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Scottish Minister of Justice Announces Al Megrahi Release

Pan Am Flight 103 Mother: Release is Absolutely Appalling

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US Calls Libyan Welcome of Lockerbie Figure Outrageous, Disgusting - David Gollust, Voice of America.

The Obama administration has angrily criticized the warm welcome given by Libya to the convicted bomber of a US jetliner in 1988 who was released from prison by Scottish legal authorities Thursday because of ill health. State Department officials said the jubilant greeting given to Abdel Basset al-Megrahi calls into question Libya's promises in recent years to be a responsible actor in world affairs.

Obama administration officials had warned Libya not to make a hero out of Megrahi, who was freed by Scottish officials because he is said to be near death from prostate cancer.

They are seething over television footage showing the former Libyan intelligence agent being cheered by a flag-waving crowd and showered with flower petals on his late-Thursday arrival in Tripoli.

President Barack Obama, in brief comments to reporters, called the greeting highly objectionable while his spokesman Robert Gibbs was more emphatic, describing the airport scene as outrageous and disgusting.

Senior administration officials had pressed leaders of Britain and the Scottish regional government not to free Megrahi, who had served eight years of a life sentence for the 1988 bombing of a Pan Am jumbo jet over Lockerbie Scotland that killed 270 people.

They have said that while they object to the decision to free Megrahi on compassionate grounds, they accept the legitimacy of the court and are contemplating no retaliatory move against key ally Britain.

However they say the treatment of Megrahi by Libya could have consequences for a US-Libyan relationship that has improved markedly since Libya renounced terrorism and weapons of mass destruction in 2003.

State Department Spokesman Ian Kelly said Friday the images of the welcome given to what he termed a mass murderer were personally offensive, and that he could only imagine how relatives of the Pan Am victims felt. He said they call into question promises Libya has made in recent years to change its ways...

More at Voice of America.

Lockerbie Fallout Puts Scotland on the Spot - Wall Street Journal

Qaddafi Praises Britain Over Lockerbie Release - New York Times

US, Britain Criticize Celebrations for Lockerbie Plotter - Washington Post

New Questions in Lockerbie Bomber's Release - New York Times

The Libyan Ultimatum - The Times

London Condemns Reception Bomber Received in Tripoli - Voice of America

Lockerbie Release Casts Dark Shadow Over Britain's Ties With US - The Times

Papers: Bomber's Release 'a Betrayal of Justice' - CNN

Scots Law Now 'Laughing Stock of the World' - The Scotsman

Trade 'Link' to Bomber's Release - BBC

'Deal in the Desert' - The Times

British Firms Hope Lockerbie Release will Boost Business - The Guardian

British Trade with Libya Set to Soar - The Indpendent

Libya's Gadhafi Welcomes Lockerbie Bomber - Associated Press

Gaddafi's Son: Trade Link to Lockerbie Bomber's Release - Daily Telegraph

Gaddafi Embraces Murderer, Thanks Brown - Daily Mail

Barack Obama Calls Tripoli Welcome 'Highly Objectionable' - Daily Telegraph

Anger as Americans Wake to Hear News - The Scotsman

Gaddafi Defies Criticism - Jerusalem Post

At Home With The Lockerbie Bomber - The Times

Lockerbie Bomber's Release is a Scottish Decision - Christian Science Monitor

No 10 Facing Lockerbie Questions - BBC

So Why is Brown Silent on Release of Megrahi? - The Scotsman

US Lawmakers Condemn Release - Wall Street Journal

UK Govt Under Scrutiny Over Role in Lockerbie Release - Agence France-Presse

Scotland Official Talks of Lockerbie Release - CNN

'Boycott Scotland' Bid to Brand Nation a Global Pariah - The Scotsman

Most Families Outraged at Pan Am 103 Bomber's Release - CNN

Victims' Relatives on Opposite Sides - Washington Post

FBI Chief Condemns Lockerbie Bomber's Release - Los Angeles Times

FBI's Mueller Says al-Megrahi Release Is 'Mockery' of Justice - Bloomberg

FBI Chief Condemns Lockerbie Bomber's Release - Los Angeles Times

US Families of Lockerbie Victims Plan Next Move - Associated Press

British, Libyan Leaders Spoke of Bomber's Release Weeks Ago - Washington Times

Lockerbie Release Could Topple SNP Government - The Times

Pressure Mounting on Gordon Brown - Daily Telegraph

Lockerbie Minister Facing Critics - BBC News

Scot-Free - Washington Post editorial

'Dear Moammar' - Wall Street Journal editorial

Terrorists Go Scot Free - National Review opinion

SNP's Libya Stunt Shamed My Nation - Daily Telegraph opinion

Stench of a Deal in the Lockerbie Release - The Times opinion

Lockerbie Defendant and "Compassionate Release" - Wall Street Journal opinion

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The Brits Are Okay with It - The Corner

Scottish Sympathy & Libyan Perfidy - Blackfive

What a Wonderful World - The Belmont Club

Trade Lockerbie Bomber for Oil Contracts? - Hot Air

Letting Terrorists Go - Powerline

Mercy for a Mass Murderer? - On Faith

Al-Megrahi's Comfortable Retirement Back Home - David Calling

Day of Shame for Scotland - Jawa Report

Anger at Welcome for Mass Murderer in Libya - PrairiePundit

The Problem Is Qaddafi, Not Megrahi - Contentions

Shell Has Been Stalking the Libyans - Royal Dutch Shell

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Victims of Pan Am Flight 103 - Victims of Pan Am Flight 103

Boycott Scotland - Boycott Scotland

Comments

Colin MacKenzie (not verified)

Thu, 09/03/2009 - 6:47pm

i am sure they have other people in prison who are on their death beds. Are they going to let them "go" as well? I mean it is only fair.

Anonymous (not verified)

Mon, 08/24/2009 - 4:25pm

Scotland should heed it's old proverbs, one come to mind: <i>Is trom snighe air taigh gun tughadh</i> or in English <i>raindrops come heavy on a house unthatched</i>.

Vito (not verified)

Sat, 08/22/2009 - 7:45pm

davidbfpo - fine and dandy. I actually was planning a trip to Scotland next year. I decided to cancel it in regards to this situation. No big deal, but I do feel better about it. Thank you for thinking me silly on this issue. I don't feel silly and actually feel quite good about it. That is more important to me than your opinion.

davidbfpo

Sat, 08/22/2009 - 6:55pm

Let us isolate the one issue that the Scottish Justice Minister had: whether to release a terminally ill prisoner serving a 'life' sentence before he died. Not 'life' sentences in the U.K. do not mean natural life and can be quite short, e.g. twelve years.

On that issue alone, enhanced by the prisoner not having his family close-by, I can understand why he was released.

Like many people I have doubts that the Scottish trial convicted the right man and suspect the truth will not be revealed to the public. It is unclear whether the now ceased appeal in Scotland would have proceeded that far.

How the Libyans reacted to the arrival of the released prisoner is a quite seperate matter. Libya is not a democracy or a free country like Scotland.

I must ask if the scenes to the mainly American victims families were so upsetting, why were they given such coverage in the USA?

Note I prefer his release now, than a coffin being returned to Libya and what scenes then would result?

Is mercy a sign of compassion, mercy or abject surrender to terrorism? I know my answer.

Whether "big business" had a part in the potentially murky U.K. government's role is now emerging as an issue and is far from settled.

As for the 'Boycott Scotland' response, that is silly. There are ways of impacting the Scottish government - use those.

ConcedoNulli (not verified)

Sat, 08/22/2009 - 6:28pm

The 1998 Belfast Agreement, between Northern Ireland political parties and the UK and Republic of Ireland governments (with significant input from US government and organisations) had a key article - the early release within two years of terrorist prisoners. I note, with a fair degree of cynicism, that there was little or no outrage in US or other world governments and media about releasing mainly Irish Republican terrorists who had spent the previous 30 years perpetrating atrocities against mainly British citizens. The US government did not extradite one terrorist for trial in the UK. As a safe haven, the US welcomed Irish Republican terrorists to its shores and supplied significant monetary aid to their campaign.

It is extremely partisan of US commentators and others to criticise Scotland given the above history.

I thoroughly enjoy lurking on this site, having spent a quarter of a century as proud Ulsterman in Her Majesty's Army.

Vito (not verified)

Sat, 08/22/2009 - 11:23am

This goes well beyond outrageous and disgusting. Words fail me to describe how I feel about this mass murderer's release and the effect it is having on the Pan Am Flight 103 families. Scotland and all concerned should be ashamed, very ashamed.

John Poteet (not verified)

Sat, 08/22/2009 - 6:46am

Scotland the Brave, indeed, as they will win few friends with this decision. In fact they seem happy to have the debate.

Perhaps we should consider a treaty amendment that protects our rights to try a murderer of Americans upon their release from other countries. We could then sweep him up and begin the process of trial that he would be unlikely to live through.

Without that all we can do is pass the hat and look for an out of work Xe longshooter.

In the meantime why dont you post a picture of Jessica Alba here to be fair with those who dont do Gaelic?