Posted on 08/24/2009 9:04:31 AM PDT by La Lydia
Scotland's justice minister has defended his decision to release the man convicted of the 1988 Pan Am airline bombing at an emergency debate in parliament. Kenny MacAskill reiterated that the decision to free Abdel Basset al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds was made in accordance with Scottish law and was not influenced by politics, diplomacy or trade.
"In Scotland we are a people who pride ourselves on our humanity. The perpetration of an outrage ... cannot and should not be the basis for losing sight of who we are," he said.
He also added that Libya, which celebrated al-Megrahi's return, had previously assured Scotland it would give the former Libyan agent a "low key" reception.
"Assurances had been given by the Libyan government that any return would be dealt with in a low-key and sensitive fashion. I regret very much that those assurances were not adhered to," MacAskill said on Monday.
The Scottish government's emergency session was held as it faced unrelenting criticism from the US government, the families of some bombing victims and politicians within the UK...
MacAskill told Scottish ministers he would co-operate with any inquiry into al-Megrahi's release. He also deflected concern from ministers worried about the decision's impact on Scotland's international standing, after it provoked an online campaign to boycott Scotland and Scottish goods.
This guy is stupid and vapid enough to be a member of the Obamaloon cabinet.
If he’s managed to avoid taxes, he’s a shoe-in.
Typical lib-speak. William Wallace would’ve handled it a whole ‘nother way.
Follow the money! wash, rinse, repeat.....
“Kenny MacAskill reiterated that the decision...was made in accordance with Scottish law”
Ahhh...the ol’ Arlen Specter line of reasoning.
“...it provoked an online campaign to boycott Scotland and Scottish goods.”
Besides these little Scotish butter cookies I buy occasionally, what other goods does Scotland export?
Scotch. And I love the shortbread. But I can make that myself.
Wool
We really should be directing our anger at Obama who knew that this release was planned weeks before it happened. Why didn't Obama express outrage publicly as soon as he learned of the planned release? Who is going to ask him that question?
And why didn’t the Senate Intelligence Committee?
Exactly. We really should be directing our anger at Obama and Congress who failed to express their outrage prior to the planned release.
“Scotch.”
Scotch, of course, how could I forget....
Serious question or sarcastic aside?.
Kenny MacAskill blows bagpipes.
“Serious question or sarcastic aside?”
Oh, if only you knew me sir.
I’m not looking to boycott anything Scottish, although there may be threadmates here who think otherwise, but talk of a boycott made me wonder how much ‘Scotland’ is in my daily life really. I thought of these little shortbread cookies that I like, and the world’s finest Scotch (duh). Someone said wool.
To this I will add North Sea oil, great writers, poets, principles of the enlightenment, and people (the New World thanks you) - but what else lately?
All this thinking has me knackered.
Thanks for your kind reply.
“... We look to Scotland for all our ideas of civilisation...” -Voltaire
Except, perhaps, when releasing convicted terrorists.
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