Posted on 08/22/2009 7:02:57 AM PDT by kellynla
The Scottish Nationalists have never been too fussy about the international company they keep. Indeed, the last time they were celebrated anywhere more exotic than Banff was when Alex Salmond became "the toast of Belgrade" – the late Robin Cook's phrase – for denouncing Nato action against the deeply unpleasant Serbian regime.
However, the Nationalists crave to be noticed on the international stage by whatever means. And this week, they succeeded. Rarely can so many decent Scottish stomachs have turned than at the sight of the Saltire being flourished in Tripoli as a centre-piece of the repulsive celebrations to welcome home the mass murderer Megrahi, courtesy of the SNP.
For the Nationalists' own fundamentalists, however, any short-term embarrassment – though they might have under-estimated this one – is a price worth paying for the bigger prize of having acted separately and alone in a major international set-piece. They will calculate that when the finer points about the Libyan affair have been forgotten, the image of Scotland as a player in its own right will remain imprinted around the world.
To a disappointing extent, they may even be right. The vast global audience for the rantings of Kenny MacAskill, the Scottish Justice Minister, could have been forgiven for assuming him to be the spokesman for a sovereign state, albeit a tinpot one with curious moral values. Certainly no politician in a German Land or US state would have been left to go it alone with such a far-reaching decision while Berlin or Washington stayed silent.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
AND, don't believe for a second that "if" Obama had not agreed to this, it would not have happened!
The UK doesn't fart without an "ok" from D.C.!
Although, after Obama thoroughly insulted the Brits, there might not be much good will left for the US over there. I wonder if some of that might have been a not so subtle middle finger in our direction.
The author is wrong in asserting a state governor or parole cannot issue a pardon or parole without authorization from Washington. If the governor or California or it’s parole board decided to free Sirhan Sirhan, there is very little that Washington could do about it.
bttt
Maybe but there were FORTY, count ‘em FORTY UK fatalities including 11 Lockerbie residents and fatalities from 19 other countries.
The Scots screwed up ROYALLY on this one!
That’s where I’d look. There had to be a payoff or kickback somewhere...
Not so much that I feel as the long standing belief, backed by the experts, that the conviction was simply unsafe, as per the recent rulings and writings by the Law lords and Scottish Judiciary.
It is safe to say that an Islamic nation planted the bomb. Saying it was Libya or him is much weaker. ran was always likelier..
I agree that this was approved by Obama. He may have been annoyed that the Libyans blew their cool by giving such a hero’s welcome to the bomber, but I’m sure the Scots didn’t just release this guy without checking with the Head Stealth Muslim first.
I’m sure any disapproval was delivered with a big wink.
The CIA initially identified Iran as the mastermind and primary funder, but Libya as the place through which the attack was coordinated and conducted. IIRC, there were at least three Islamic states thought to have been involved, and even this individual was not the only person involved.
That said, he was clearly guilty, and so was Libya, even if it was not their idea to begin with. We forget now how crazy Khaddaffi was in his prime.
Headline on front page: Gaddafi stokes Lockerbie anger by thanking Brown
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/aug/22/gaddafi-meets-megrahi-lockerbie-bombing
As I watched on tv as the bomber entered that Libyan plane to fly home this thought occurred to me: It would be lovely if the plane were shot down by the US Air Force.
0bama insulted the royal family and the followers of the royals. He didn’t insult the commoners, who still adore him.
Maybe even the cowed and clueless British public will of had enough of those responsible. It was a insult to anyone who believes in justice.
11 days served in jail per murder.
yep...
Libya admitted complicity in the attack years ago, and paid one a half billion dollars in restitution to the victims' families.
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