Blogs and Stories
The Lockerbie Outrage Gap
Amr Nabil / AP Photo
Before departing for vacation Friday, the president called Libya’s warm reception for the freed Lockerbie bomber "highly objectionable." Katty Kay says America’s reaction to the Pan Am bomber’s release has been radically different than Britain’s, showing just how wide the trans-Atlantic gulf remains on attitudes about justice.
It is very easy to sympathize with the relatives of those who died in the attack on Pan Am Flight 103. It's clear why they feel so outraged that the only man imprisoned for the deaths of their loved ones is now free in Libya, having returned effectively to a hero's welcome. The pictures of Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi being cheered off the plane in Tripoli tonight are particularly galling.
What's politically and culturally less explicable is the gulf in reaction over his release between the U.S. and Britain, even in Lockerbie itself. BBC correspondents who've spent the day in the town (which will forever be defined as the sight of the largest mass murder on British soil) report that most people there agree with the Scottish justice minister's decision to release al-Megrahi, who is suffering from terminal cancer, on compassionate grounds. And even the relatives of those Brits who died supported his release.
The overwhelming majority of his 270 victims were American, but 11 people, two entire families in fact, did die on the ground in Scotland, and one might expect, in Lockerbie if nowhere else, outrage similar to that expressed by American relatives. But not so. Perhaps it's because Brits, with their experience in Northern Ireland, are, more inured to terrorism, whereas, before Lockerbie, Americans had never really been exposed to this kind of attack, and so it became a watershed event that shattered America's sense of invincibility. Perhaps it’s that more in Britain question al-Megrahi's guilt to start with. Or is it just a more confident American sense of wrong and right?
The phone lines between Washington and Edinburgh have rarely run hotter, and after the jubilant scenes in Tripoli, Scotland’s decision looks even shakier.
It's not entirely clear to me why the outrage gap is so pronounced on al-Megrahi's release, but it definitely is, and I don't think it's just a question of numbers. The people of Lockerbie seem to support Kenny MacAskill, the justice minister, in his view that the West's identity rests on mercy as well as justice, and that even in the case of a mass murderer that value still applies. As one of the residents of Lockerbie told my colleague, "We just don't see these things in black and white."
It was sort of intriguing to watch the dour Scottish minister using the kind of spiritual language that comes so awkwardly to British politicians but is virtually required of their U.S. counterparts. MacAskill said that al-Megrahi was returning to a "sentence imposed by a higher power." It was clearly a not-so-subtle attempt to pacify his American critics.
It didn't work. At all. The U.S. government has joined the families in slamming the Scottish decision. From Obama on down, America is furious. The phone lines between Washington and Edinburgh have rarely run hotter, and after the jubilant scenes in Tripoli, Scotland’s decision looks even shakier. But the president is vulnerable to the charge that America looks the weaker today. Washington appealed to the British government not to release al-Megrahi and asked the Libyan government not to treat him like a hero, and was rebuffed on both counts.
Every now and again, a story reveals a surprising trans-Atlantic gulf. The release of al-Megrahi is one of them. I cannot even begin to imagine how it feels to have lost a loved one to terrorism, how the anger and sense of total injustice must burn for years. The people of Lockerbie, however, appear to have put their faith in our capacity for compassion. I fear on this there is no mid-Atlantic position where both sides can meet.
Katty Kay is the Washington correspondent for BBC World News America. She is the author, along with Claire Shipman, of Womenomics: Write Your Own Rules for Success.
John Talks Joe
Lloyd Grove is editor at large for The Daily Beast. He is also a frequent contributor to New York magazine and was a contributing editor for Condé Nast Portfolio. He wrote a gossip column for the New York Daily News from 2003 to 2006. Prior to that, he wrote the Reliable Source column for the Washington Post, where he spent 23 years covering politics, the media, and other subjects.
The Right Dumps Carrie
Jacob Bernstein is a senior reporter at The Daily Beast. Previously, he was a features writer at WWD and W Magazine. He has also written for New York magazine, Paper, and The Huffington Post.
I Just Had a Baby, I'll Call You Back
Katty Kay is the Washington Correspondent for BBC World News America. She is the author, along with Claire Shipman, of Womenomics: Write Your Own Rules for Success. Kay has covered Washington since 1996 and is a contributor on "Meet the Press", "Larry King Live", "The Chris Matthews Show" and a regular guest host for Diane Rehm on NPR.
Claire Shipman is the senior national correspondent for ABC News' Good Morning America and a regular on This Week with George Stephanopoulos. Previously, Shipman was the White House correspondent for NBC news and a reporter for CNN in Moscow, where she earned multiple awards for her coverage of the demise of the Soviet Union. She currently lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband and two children.
Can Women Save the Economy?
Katty Kay is the Washington Correspondent for BBC World News America. She is the author, along with Claire Shipman, of Womenomics: Write Your Own Rules for Success. Kay has covered Washington since 1996 and is a contributor on "Meet the Press", "Larry King Live", "The Chris Matthews Show" and a regular guest host for Diane Rehm on NPR.
Claire Shipman is the senior national correspondent for ABC News' Good Morning America and a regular on This Week with George Stephanopoulos. Previously, Shipman was the White House correspondent for NBC news and a reporter for CNN in Moscow, where she earned multiple awards for her coverage of the demise of the Soviet Union. She currently lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband and two children.
Washington's Dreariest Ritual
Katty Kay is the Washington Correspondent for BBC World News America. She is the author, along with Claire Shipman, of Womenomics: Write Your Own Rules for Success. Kay has covered Washington since 1996 and is a contributor on "Meet the Press", "Larry King Live", "The Chris Matthews Show" and a regular guest host for Diane Rehm on NPR.
Thanks for the article Ms. Kay, you are always the voice of reason and intelligence during your appearances on 'Meet the Press' and the "Diane Rehm Show". I wish you would go into a discussion on WHY the U.K. families still believe that Al-megrahi is innocent. There was a trial with evidence. What evidence is there to show that Syria or Iran were involved? I just don't get it. What other murders have been released on this "compassion" clause?
"Compassion." Really ?
Many prisoners in Scotland die, in prison,
of natural causes,
and don't have the luxury to go home and die surrounded by family.
Over the past several years,
many countries have recently "reopened" diplomatic
relation with Libya, and "Coincidentally,"
Libya has lots of oil ?
"Many prisoners in Scotland die, in prison, of natural causes, and don't have the luxury to go home and die surrounded by family."
You just make things up don't you.
When a prisoner is sentenced to LIFE IN PRISON ,
many actually die in prison, of natural causes.
sophie, you might be interested in knowing that North Sea Oil is extracted off the coast of Scotland. Availability of oil doesn't have a damn thing to do with it.
sophia5
So now you say "When a prisoner is sentenced to LIFE IN PRISON , many actually die in prison, of natural causes," OK maybe so, the world is a big place - but previously you said "Many prisoners in Scotland die, in prison,of natural causes, and don't have the luxury to go home and die surrounded by family". (Emphasis on Scotland).
I still say that you made that up.
This comment has been removed by The Daily Beast's editors.
Pan Am Flight 103 explodes over Lockerbie, Scotland from Semtex that had been secreted in a cassette recorder. All 259 (or 260?) passengers and crew are killed as well as 11 victims on the ground. [Warning of a bomb threat had been posted in the snack bar of the US Embassy in Moscow, and it is alleged that the US Ambassador to Lebanon and the South African Foreign Minister Pik Botha changed their travel planes to avoid PA 103. US intelligence officers were on the scene within two hours, searching for particular pieces of debris and particular corpses. A local police surgeon has insisted that one body was moved after it had been tagged and another disappeared completely. (The traveling public in general was not warned of any possible travel danger.)
Suspicion initially rested on Syria and the PLFP-GC (Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command.) The latter had already bombed two Israel-bound planes in 1970 and 1972. However, attention quickly shifted to Libya and in November 1991 two Libyan airline staff were indicted by the US State Department and the Scottish Crown Office. President Bush apologized to Syria for the "bum rap", Syria signed on as an ally in the war against Iraq, and the last of the western hostages held in Beirut were released. Qaddafi stonewalled for years before giving up the men for a trial at Camp Zeist" in Holland before three Scottish judges. After a prosecution replete with circumstantial inferences and no hard evidence, one man was acquitted and the other, Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi, was convicted.
Ashton and Ferguson further allege that the bombers utilized a Lebanese drug smuggling route that was protected by the CIA in return for their help in freeing the remaining hostages in Beirut. In Frankfurt a suitcase containing the bomb was substituted for one containing heroin. The authors believe that the bombers were the PLFP-GC hired by Iran to avenge the shoot-down of Iran Air 655.
Source: John Ashton and Ian Ferguson, Cover-Up of Convenience: The Hidden Scandal of Lockerbie
Compassion? I don't think so. Libya must have something they want. They wouldn't let me or you out if we had been convicted of this.
mary
Can anyone talk about the alleged oil deal with the UK if he was released?
"Inured to terrorism" - Have we reached the point where the murder of innocent strangers by people wishing to make a political/religious statement is somehow understandable? A review of the American media last week reminds us that the murder of 270 puppies gets more ink than the death of a single college student. Stop the world, I want to get off!!!!
They can't blame Obama for this one, although they will try, of course. It's not as if he's in charge of Scotland.
People must understand by now the Scots and Irish tend to be fiercely independent, and react badly to criticism.
Frankly, it would have been better if this Libyan person had had the decency to die in prison, but what's done is done, and nothing can change it.
Nobody believes he is innocent. They are just granting a request to a dying man. I agree with the Justice Minister that we must show compassion (especially to those who despise us the most). To win the War on Terror we must take the high road and prove to the people of the Middle East that we are good. I believe that regular Middle Eastern people support terrorist organizations simply because they are seen as the lesser of two evils. We need to prove that we are not evil at all, and pull the support of the people from under the terrorists feet.
/sigh
Taking the moral high road is definitely a long term strategy, though. After all, the Libyans praised a man for killing innocent people, and killing fellow human beings is about as evil as anybody can get.
wow, you are shockingly ill-informed.
1) "nobody" believes? cite your source.
2) *you* believe that's why terrorism receives support? are you an expert on the Islamic fundamentalist mindset? (my guess is no.)
3) "take the high road" to convince them "we are good"?!? you DO of course realize, that to prove virtuosity would mean operating under Sha'riah?
i have an idea -- why don't you go to Afghanistan and try killing with kindness.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. My day will be better for your comment (and you said it better than I could have). Peace.
Let's see someone YOU love killed and then let's let THAT killer walk free out of compassion gtartar...it's so easy to huff and puff with opinion until it affects YOU.
No one other than the families that suffered this loss should even have an opinion because they do not know how it feels and that makes it an uneducated opinion....worth nothing.
Someone I grew up with was on the flight. The family is re-living the nightmare again. Compassion? Get real! Justice for this bastard (excuse me..TERRORIST) is two rounds to the body one to the head.
When will people like you ever get it through your thick heads that peace is not going to solve everything? We aspire for it, we work for it, but in the end there are evil people out there who need to be dealt with (and yes, by that I mean killed)
Releasing a mass murderer to a hero's welcome hardly qualifies as the "moral high ground". Your comment that "we" have something to "prove' to middle easterners completely ignores the fact that they, too, have much to prove to us.
Presumably the "we" you refer to are we of the United States, who in my mind showed unimaginable compassion and restraint by not shooting that plane down.
Taking the high moral road? Right. Some news sources are reporting that Gadaffi's son is claiming that every meeting that Tony Blair had with Libya concerning commercial concessions (read oil) included discussions of releasing the prisoner.
Eight days in jail for each person he killed.
And presuming that the Administration took appropriate steps to protest the Scottish decision, maybe someone can tell us when Obama's new way is going to result in any more "pull" with our allies than we had after Bush got done flushing it all down the toilet.
Perhaps the truth is that "pull" is what gets flushed down the toilet when the country from whom we are seeking support places its own commercial interests above basic decency. Ah, but I only thought that the U.S. was the only country that would ever do that.
There is much more to the story than "putting faith in our capacity for compassion". Even though only one person was tried and convicted for this act, it stretches credibility to believe that only one person was involved in this plot to blow up Pan Am 103. Many closer to the scene of the crime think that there was a cover-up at high levels in the investigation, so another conspiracy theory has been born.
Seeing that Libyan dictator Gaddafi sent one of his private planes to pick up this man and he was given a heroes welcome on his return home, there is obviously more to this story than is being told to the public.
Cnn went to Scotland to interview the people on the ground regarding their "theory" on what really happened. I'm not buying it, sounds too much like the old "government cover-up" theories.
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2009/08/20/martin.uk.lockerbie.to wn.reacts.itn?iref=videosearch
From the TimesOnLine: the rest of the story ...
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6795312.ece
The subs who wrote your subhead are ill-informed and misleading - it refers to "Britain's" reaction, although the article makes it clear that this is a Scottish legal and moral issue. There has been NO formal response from the English government.
I assume Tina is on holiday, or she would have picked this up.
The answer is actually pretty simple. While pools in 2007-2008 show 76-78% of US citizens call themselves Christians, few actually live by Jesus' words.
And Jesus said:
Matthew 5:38-44: Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.
Most that call themselves Christians quite simply aren't Christians. They don't live by Christs words, they simply give him lip service.
From the World Public Opinion work in 2008, ~44% of US citizens think some degree of torture should be allowed. Countries that have a smaller % of people thinking torture is good: China, Russia, Indonesia, and even Iran (only ~37%).
And, in the 2008 Pew polling, the leading group in the US that says torture can often or sometimes be justified (a combined 62% of the time): white evangelical protestants.
Apparently, the more you go to church in the US, the less Christ-like you become as well. The leading group based on church attendance (a combines 54%): attends religious services at least weekly.
You ask why there's a difference? Possibly because in Britain, religious people are religious for some reason other than material or social benefit; not like the social liars here in the US that merely use religion.
It's no wonder that in the US, those who claim "no religion" is a fast growing segment of society. If Christians actually lived like Christ, truely lived by his words, the whole world would be far better off.
I was almost afraid to read the comments after the article because I expected moronic, blind outrage from the so-called "Christians". You also provided me with the Matthew quote. I printed it and intend to read it to all my "Christian" friends when they spew their hate and suggestions of the type of torture al-Megrahi should receive.
I learned of this quote from someone on here
I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.
Mohandas Gandhi
YES, AGAIN!
You can justify whatever position you hold with scripture. I can't speak for all, but our sense of liberty in the U.S. is closely tied to a sense of justice. In this case justice demanded a convicted murderer serve his time. It is not inhumane or un - christian for this man to be cared for in a prison hospital until his death. I don't believe angry Americans wanted him to receive end of life care that was inhumane. I'm also confident the Scottish prison system does not treat dying inmates inhumanely.
Christ accepted his fate for the salvation of mankind. He understood truly free men must accept justice. Justice is what protects the vulnerable from men with bombs. Demanding justice is not weakness.Maybe the hand wringing of morally superior British religious people just allows them to feel better about themselves. And what could be weaker than that?
Demanding justice is, also, not Christian. Forgiveness and living a pure life devoted to God is... which is where the the differences between the reactions in the UK and US come from. Christians in the US are simply less Christ-like in the actual manner in which they live.
The points on torture were to show how those differences manifest, and, obviously, do exist. I could just have easily called out ANY member of the new fad of wealth oriented christian churchs, that espouse that "God wants you to make money and be rich," while trying to interpret away a very point-blank statement from Christ:
Mark 10:24-25: And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
While in the US people espouse moral superiority, they don't live up to the words they speak; however, my post wasn't about the US sense of liberty, or your vision of weakness, it was about the implied question the author made regarding not understanding the disconnect, and the obvious answer as to why there is one.
The man at least had a trial and served 8 years in prison. 6 months before the Lockerbie bombing a US warship shot down a scheduled commercial Iranian Air Bus air service killing more people than died over Lockerbie. No one responsible for that outrage every went before a court or served a day in prison. So much for the great US sense of justice.
Meglon, in Matthew, Jesus was not saying that your enemy did not have to do penance.In this case, Megrahi 's penance for wantonly murdering 270 innocents was life in a prison away from people. This is not a debate about torture, this is a debate about lack of spine.
This guy gets released on humanitarian grounds by a Scottish magistrate that is feeling sorry for him? Not a chance. Decisions like this on this level are made higher up the food chain for reasons of statecraft. If I'm wrong, then the level of compassion in the West is getting to the point of cultural suicide. Showing "compassion" like this does not demonstate some great level of moral awareness at least to guys like Qaddafi or for that matter Mubarek. It shows weakness. It shows that we are more concerned with being seen as good persons rather than seeing to it that those who commit transgressions, serve penance. If they wanted to show this guy compassion, they could have arranged to have his family relocate to Scotland for the duration of the illness and then when he dies they can take the body back to Libya.
Real penance for this guy should have been tending to the graves of those he murdered. Real penance for this guy would be to live in Lockerbie tending to that memorial and serving those families that were killed on the ground. Prison...the guy got off too easy. Being able to die in Libya at home on his own soil...this was not an option that he did not afford 180 Americans.
Luke 6:36: Be you therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
This article wasn't about penance, it was about the disassociation of reactions between people in the UK, and the US. The points made were while the majority of people in the US claim to be christian, they rarely even try to feign living as such. There are groups that do, the Amish come to mind.
The additional points on torture were to add further evidence that most US "Christians" don't actually live as Christians. Revenge is not a word Christ used to convey his message on how to treat people, live godly, and enter the kingdom of God.
Matthew 7:24-27: Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
I'm not laying argument about penance needed, or justified, in this case. I am trying to shed light on an overlooked element to the implied question: "It's not entirely clear to me why the outrage gap is so pronounced...."
Isn't it a difference between Catholicism and Evangelical Christians?
Catholics (U.K.) have to LIVE like Christ.
Evangelical Christians (U.S.)only have to believe that Christ is their savior, they DON'T have to live like him (that's optional).
This user is no longer registered.
A better place? It would be a fantastic place. Kind of like the Star Trek version of Earth as represented in Star Trek TNG. It's a bitter thing that it's not.
YES!
I, for one am no Christian, nor Muslim, and thus hold myself to a higher moral standard, being bound by a faithfulness to my own rational ethics, rather than those of manipulative Mullahs, Priests and Parsons or dictated by books full of nonsense, fairytales and superstition.
That having been said, justice "tempered with mercy" was meted when he was not put to death for his crime. The release of this arch-criminal to his co-conspirator Q'addaffi, and the inevitable celebration of his arrival was deplorable.
Now, his fellow terrorist Q'addaffi is scheduled for a visit to the US. In light of the recent propensity for nutballs with guns to show up at public events, I'm assuming he'll be better protected than our own President.
Permission to vomit.
ceartas - well said. I am sick of reading this revolting, self-righteous blather about "christian" this and "christian" that as though Christiandom is the exclusive repository of righteousness in the world from which non-christians are excluded.
Vomiting is precisely the reaction that sanctimonious Scottish Justice minister's speech induced. Equally revolting was watching this mass murderer received in Libya as though he were a hero. What does it say about the Libyans and the rest of the arab world that they would consider a hero someone who carried out a horrible mass murder? The truth about the resumption of negotiation of oil contracts between the UK and Libya is now being revealed - utterly disgraceful. I for one will never set foot in Scotland again nor spend a penny on anything made there.
"On Friday, Lord Trefgarne, chairman of the Libyan British Business Council, said Mr. Megrahi's release had opened the way for Britain's leading oil companies to pursue multibillion-dollar oil contracts with Libya, which had demanded Mr. Megrahi's return in talks with British officials and business executives." New York Times, Aug. 21
Ever since Culloden Scots have become accustomed to living on their knees. After all, what's another Scotsman hanging from a tree? No reason to change attitudes now. There was probably some cheap oil in it for them. Gutless whimps.
You a Christian BillCooper? Don't worry, I don't expect an answer.
BillCooper: What a total ignoramus you are. You don't even know a thing about history, evoking Culloden and all. You also don't appear to have a grip of the British political structure. Decision to release; Scottish. The potential benefactors of Libya's oil: British companies and Britons in general (of which Scotland is a part).
#1 How do you spell O I L?
#2 Americans are, and shall always be, a vengeful people. Why else would we allow and encourage everyone to carry guns and shoot anything that moves? It's still the wild west in this country, we're completely uncivilized. I'm not surprised at the outrage here at all, but disappointed by it.
I totally agree with your comment. Americans also imprisons more of their citizens than any other nations in the world. Why is that? And that just the adult population, the young children population is even worst.
They also believe being homeless is a character flaw, how sick is that?
Some also believe that health care is not a right, say what?
Makes you wonder if the United States are the true uncivilized society?
22% of the worlds imprisoned, 5% of the worlds population
This user is no longer registered.
mblips - I wish you and mblips were wrong, but alas between the insane War of Drugs, Three Strikes, and the Prison-Industrial Complex you are not.
Sorry about the cut & paste i just could not be bothered to retype.
Most of the victims families in the UK seem to think he is a fall guy.The thing i find weird is America thinks it is a Christian Country yet is angry that a country has behaved like Christians.
Even the people of the village it landed on do not seem to be very angry.
Perhaps they saw the things been said about EVIL SOCIALISTS & how they kill old people to save on tax & thought they would say Up Yours ! ?
If we are going to start about Terrorists from around this time.Did America round up those Americans who gave money To The IRA around this time? I could swear there was Bombs gong off around this time in England paid for by American money raised by NORAID ?
This user is no longer registered.
The United States should, as a minimum, recall its UK ambassador, ( see how we don't have an official Scottish ambassador ), and we should STOP all trade agreements, exchange agreements, all contact with Scotland for a set period of time. Saying you Object to the release of this %$#%$# is one thing, backing it up with action is quite another. If it was within my power I would stop all Scottish imports for a set period of time ( yes even Scottish Whisky ) . . .or how about if we release all the GITMO detainees and drop them off in Glasgow. The ONLY way I would have accepted his release and his being flown back to Libya , is if they would have throw the SOB out over the Mediterranean, without a parachute ! ! ! Disgraceful ! ! Scotland. . . . shame on you ! ! !
So you want to break of relations with all of the UK ? Because of Scotland ?
I wonder how many UK Soldiers died in Iraq & also Afghanistan ?
I am sure the Scot Regiments have kept their reputations of bravery & Scots have died supporting America in these places?
When nobody else did, the UK backed you up, yeah evil socialists spill their blood for Americas wars.
It was Scotland's decision, not England's
So go ahead break off relations, we can recall our troops
Pure Fantasy, Watch your movies Britain was not even in World War II America did it all.......my father told me lol
Old-Hippy - You're funny. The United States isn't going to do any of what you're suggesting. Yet there is nothing stopping you from organizing a boycott of Scottish imports. Good luck with that.
I never said I was naive enough to believe any of that would happen, I said I thought it should happen, and I also said if it was in my power, witch it obviously isn't. As of the Brits dying in the war on terror, I'm sorry that they followed their leaders lies, just as we followed our leaders lies. Me personally being EX -Military ( 23 years and retired with Honorable discharge before you ask ). . . I have much more respect or the Aussis. And Canadians , then I do the British. Like my father told me, name me one WWII battle the Brits won on their own?? And please don't give me that Montgomery northern Africa crap . . . he came out ahead in North Africa ONLY because the allies cut off the supplies to the Germans. In fact I'm not sure who are the worse fighters, the French or the English. And if I left out insulting anyone, just add your name, nationality here ._______
On I will personally try to see to it that all the Scottish whisky I come across is poured down the drain, ( after passing it through my kidneys ! )
World War II was a total team effort. With complications.
Come on it's easy. We Americans don't want Justice, we want revenge.
Your point?
There is no justice for a mass killing of innocents. In this case justice is an idiotic concept.
We'll just have to settle for revenge. Sure, it isn't pretty. But the image of bodies falling out of the sky isn't either.
I must say, I'm surprised to see all this American anger over the issue of the mass murder of innocents. Your own William Calley, who led a US Army death squad as it raped, tortured, murdered and mutilated its way through My Lai, received only three years of house arrest. Since then he has lived safely and untouched in American society. Where is the outrage? Or is mass murder not such a big deal when the victims aren't American?
Here the "good" done to al-Megrahi is that he wasn't put to death because it's not done in Scotland. And that's a very good and merciful humanism. But al-Megrahi's release was stupid. His crime was political, against any civilized norm, and absolutely unmerciful. I'm not outraged by his release, but it makes me queasy. Two hundred and seventy people were blown out of the sky. How many survived the terror of the initial blast? Their shoes and ripped from their feet. Their lungs collapsed as the air was sucked from their bodies. How many began their fall to death in agony and abject fear before they passed out from lack of oxygen? They did not die as well as al-Megrahi would in prison, much less in the arms of family and political worshipers with an IV drip of morphine soothing his decent. I'm glad Scottish Secretary Kenny Macaskill is forgiving man, and I'm sure he feels wonderful for his merciful grace, but it was a selfish decision. And if this is about oil? Well, no surprise...
How do you think the Iranian families of the 290 Iranian civilians who were "vapourised in the air" thought of the welcoming of the USS Vincennes in 1988?:
Captain Will Rogers, who got a "hero's welcome" upon his return to San Diego five months after the shoot-down (Robert Reinhold, "Crew of Cruiser That Downed Iranian Airliner Gets a Warm Homecoming," NYT, Oct. 25, 1988), and was subsequently awarded a Legion of Merit for "exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service."
I imagine they were outraged. Rightly.
Lemme see, didn't that operation and subsequent award of medals take place under the Bush (41) Administration?
You also leave out the fact that the US faced International Justice in the World Court and paid $61.8 million in compensation for this admittedly heinous act.
I doubt it made the families of the victims feel better, given the nature of their government, I'd be surprised if they received a dime.
Also do not forget the only plane allowed to fly the day after 9 /11 was carrying members of the Bin Laden family to safety off American soil.
In even the most crap American Cop Show these people would not be allowed to leave the country until Questioned ?
Imagine how much easier it would have been to find him?
It's naive and childish american indignance and self-righteousness that engenders the attitude gap! Americans are willing to "understand" Palestinian terrorists when they attack Israelis so long as they are not targeted!
Remember now what you deemed as terroists is considered another persons freedom fighter. My point is terroists is a subjective term.
Exactly my point! Americans with its surplus of lawyers and would be lawyers (witness the success of "law and order" on TV) wordsmith everything to their convenience...
America is the bully that whines and cries when things don't go his way. Our attempts to force the UK to comply with our wishes are comical.
There is very little compassion and forgiveness left in America. This man is dying of terminal cancer.
Of course this type of reaction is not surprising since the US is a nation who lets detained illegal immigrants die in agony due to untreated testicular cancer and then refuses to acknowledge their names or existence.
Right!
Interesting article in the WSJ. Evidently some people believe that Megrahi is innocent, of this crime anyway, and that other parties were responsible for this crime.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125075527738745665.html
Personally I believe that Megrahi was the volunteer that Colonel Gaddafi got when he was looking for candidates to sacrifice themselves for the sake of improving Libya's relations with the western world. I have no proof, no evidence, just a feeling that Gaddafi would have done anything to get the heat off his back.
The link that North49 put in above suggests the truth of this. Colonel Gaddafi didn't want to be next on the Bush war agenda. Afghanistan, Iraq, TBD.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6795312.ece
I have no idea if the bombing was done by Libya, the CIA and British Intelligence, the Iranians, or some other group.
I also know that in Scotland that prisoners are sometimes released on compassionate grounds, though this knowledge comes from reading Ian Rankin's police procedural series about a fictional Scottish police detective, John Rebus. I recommend the series.
So I am not surprised to read in the WSJ "In the U.K., prisoners can be granted compassionate release if they are suffering from a terminal illness, are likely to die soon, and their release doesn't put the public at risk."
And if this had something to do with smoothing the way for major BP oil deal with Libya I would not be surprised.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1207772/Blair-blood-money-Locker bie-deal-Talks-Gaddafi-hours-BP-agreement.html
My teammate was on that plane.
Jim Pitt was an All-American fencer from Columbia University. He was 24 when he died on that plane.
He was supposed to be on a different flight, but made a change that put him on Pan AM 103. He left a message for his Mom about his change in flights. That was the last she ever heard from him.
We talk about compassion, but how about compassion for the victims? These people, who never got a chance to say goodbye, never got a chance to tell their family members how much they loved them, now have to watch the killer walk free into the embrace of his family and friends. How galling must it be for them?
And what did this killer do to earn compassion? Did he admit to the crime? Did he turn over the other criminals? Did he do anything other than contract a fatal illness? What amends did he make that justify trampling upon the grief of the families of those who died?
I have a great deal of compassion for the victims.
al-Megrahi is not a victim.
Please! grow up! none of these individuals were specifically targeted... Just like this guy being let go has nothing to do with "compassion'... but with British interests in Lybia. PERIOD
Real, warm blooded human beings died. They were targeted and killed without thought or compassion.
Artois, you are the one who needs to grow up.
Having your own opinion is fine and all, but explain the adult decision-making process behind telling someone who lost a friend on that flight to, "grow up"? What a fine example of maturity you set for us all.
artois: Please! grow up! none of these individuals were specifically targeted..
-------------------
Wow, you are a heartless scum, there is no need to step on this person's grief. Whether they were specifically targeted or not is not the point, this person's friend still died as a consequence. Too much mean-spirited posts. PRETEND to be a human-being with FEELINGS.
pp and mvtp, you're missing what artois said - humanitarianism was not being served but UK pandering to the still-corrupt Libyan regime. He/she is arguing for a cynical evaluation of why this man was released. It may be close to the truth.
Lockerbie was an outrage. If I was sure he did it would I want him to die inside? I hope not- I do not trust British Justice.
The Guildford 4, Birmingham 6, The killing of Jill Dando all high profile cases- all miscarriages of justice. I think most people I know in Britain think the man was set up. Perhaps that's why we are more comfortable with his release.
This user is no longer registered.
Oh the country who panders to Saudi Arabia for oil is looking down at the UK for pandering to Libya?
No jerkwater. People who didn't pander to anybody are grief stricken by having the pain of their original loss dragged up by an incomprehensible outrage being perpetrated by a country that ought to know better.
If it brings you comfort to justify one outrage with another, knock yourself out. But it won't change the fact that what the U.K. did was despicable. As is the notion that every despicable thing that the U.S. does fully justifies any despicable thing that anyone else might do.
This terrorist's release is hardly "incomprehensible"... To the contrary, it is perfectly "comprehensible"! see Oldpunk's insightful comment...The tragedy is that the public is being sold the ridiculous notion that the terrorist is granted compassionate release, causing those affected by the attack to be blinded by emotion.
Your assertion that the public "is being sold the ridiculous notion ....." simply reflects your condescending attitude toward people who are as capable as you to read the news and draw their own conclusions based on their own life experiences.
It is clear that your contempt for all things American is the lens through which you evaluate every current event. It is also clear from your previous comments that you adhere to the notion that every despicable thing that America and Americans have done fully justifies any despicable thing that anyone else might do. That is just fine. Many people view this through other lenses. Many through the lens of the senseless loss of a loved one by any means -- but especially by the intentional and hateful will of a perfect stranger.
Comment directed at Misterdon - below : I am indeed condescending towards people who draw idiotic (and senseless) conclusions from news stories. While your assertion that they are "as capable as [me]" is typical of the hypocritical (and largely incorrect) philosophical position that most americans take on equality.
Oh and I am equally contemptuous of all hypocrites - it just so happens that americans (those that exercise authority on their behalf) master that art!
Ordinarily I think Katty Kay is brilliant. But I'm not aware of an outrage gap when the IRA was bombing England, and the Maze and Magilligan prisons were not exactly the Dorchester and Claridge's.
I am sure, even to this date, there are folks in the UK who still can't understand why the Colonists revolted. What galls me about the compassionate release this murderer received is the fact he showed absolutely no compassion for the people on that plane yet the UK bent over backwards to embrace him with compassion. That murderer killed innocent people, yet the UK let him walk after serving only 8 years of a life sentence. If the UK & Libya wanted to reunite him with his family, either government could have picked up the tab to airlift them to Scotland for a final visit with him. His medical prognosis is he will be dead in a couple of months. It goes without saying what I hope he goes through in his final months on this earth.
jojo it was Scotland who made the decision not The UK.
The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy and unitary state consisting of four countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. It is governed by a parliamentary system with its seat of government in London, the capital, but with three devolved national administrations in Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh, the capitals of Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland respectively.
Scottish authorities are the ones responsible, not the whole UK
From the HUFF POST . . . .
Lockerbie bomber's release linked to trade deal, claims Gaddafi's son
Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's son, Saif, claimed the release of the Lockerbie bomber, Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi, was linked to trade deals between Britain and Libya.
By James Kirkup and Aislinn Simpson
Published: 11:29PM BST 21 Aug 2009
there you have it !
My two connections to this story are (1) I spent much of my childhood in Scotland (though I am an American); and (2) I have been battling colon cancer for five years. [Unlike al-Megrahi's, my prognosis is good, TBTG!]
I did not know anyone who died on board flight 103, and I am not sure whether or not I ever met any of the Lockerbie folks who died. When we (mom, dad, my brother and I) lived in Scotland, we would go on holiday in North Wales and, on the drive back to Edinburgh, stop at the pub in Lockerbie for lunch; therefore, it's possible I met one or more of the eeven Scots who died on the ground.
Anyway, I have great respect for the Scots. They are a highly civilized people, and if they structure their legal system so as to provide compassionate early release even for mass murderers, that is a decision they have a right to make, no matter how heartily I disagree with it. There is no evidence I have seen that there was Libyan oil behind this deal, although that is always a possibility. In my opinion, the important thing to remember about the PA 103 atrocity is that al-Megrahi's sin is that he chose to obey an illegal and immoral order he received from his bosses in the Libyan secret service. The great thing about Western civilization is its emphasis on the individual's right and duty to refuse to obey a command that is sinful, illegal or otherwise wrong. Therefore, those of us who live in places like Scotland and the USA should rejoice that, unlike al-Megrahi, we were born into societies that educated us in the use of our own consciences, rather than into Libya's Arab-Muslim culture, which, like many non-Western cultures, prioritizes loyalty to the tribe/nation/leader.
Scottish Justice Minister MacAskill should not be mocked for invoking the Christian "justice tempered by mercy" imperative. Many of us, myself included, would have behaved entirely differently had we been in Kenny MacAskill's position. But the facts are that al-Megrahi will be dead in a few months, and what is left for those Americans, like myself, who did not know anyone on that flight . . . what is left for us to do is to fight for a world where Western values spread and where the "values" of revenge, murder, suicide-bomber-idolatry etc. are pushed into headlong retreat. It is hard work (ask a soldier in Afghanistan or a Christian missionary anywhere) but it's worthwhile, and I am glad that my tumors have shrunk to the point where it looks as if I'll be around to witness at least another decade of it!
That the release is clearly linked to an oil trade deal is sickening. If a release didn't stand on its own merits, I find it disheartening, and I don't care if al-Megrahi is sick. His condition should have nothing to do with a release. The trial was always questionnable, but a conviction was made. It sets a t errible precident.
Thank you.
As a first time user, your comment has been submitted for review. It can take anywhere from a few hours to a day or two for your comment to be reviewed, depending on the time of week and the volume of comments we receive.
Please log in to leave comments.