Greetings readers,
And how are we on this rather lovely Summer's day? For once I have no complaints about the weather - will hopefully be having a rather splendid BBQ later today!
So onto more serious matters. Well, if you have been following the news recently, then you will already know what the topic of debate is about in this post from the photo and title: the release of Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi the Lockerbie bomber, from prison this week. Now I'm not quite sure I actually have a concrete position on this, but felt compelled to write something seeing as the whole event has blown up on both sides of the Atlantic, and how I certainly have my suspicions that a little bit of oil diplomacy is going on here.
So, as usual, the Americans have got their noses into something that had nothing to do with them, flexing their diplomatic muscle; the head of the FBI described the release of Megrahi as a "mockery of justice". Indeed, Scotland's former first minister, Jack McConnell also said it was a "grave error of judgement". According to today's BBC article, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of Colonel Gaddafi reportedly told a TV station that Megrahi's case was "always on the negotiating table" during trade talks. However, Business Secretary Lord Mandelson rebuked these comments, describing them as "offensive". The sceptic in me however, is not so sure.
Megrahi was apparently freed by the Scottish Government on compassionate grounds due to the fact that he has terminal cancer. Boo hoo. The fact of the matter is that he was convicted of the murder of 270 people in the Lockerbie bombing in 1988; if you believe in the rule of law, and due process, then he is a guilty man. Fact. In my opinion, freeing Megrahi on compassionate grounds makes the Scottish Government, and Scotland as a whole look weak. OK yes, one could argue that the decision makes Scotland look like a compassionate country but ultimately, Megrahi was convicted of killing 270 innocent people. He should have died in prison. Now forgive me for sounding like a Daily Mail reader, but for once I agree with the Americans.
To make matters worse, Megrahi was given a hero's welcome on landing in Tripoli on the eve of the first day of Ramadan. To top it off, Colonel Gadaffi was there to personally receive him. Indeed, many Libyans present were even waving Scottish flags - to be honest I found this particularly disgusting. Apparently a memo was leaked detailing how Gordon Brown requested that Megrahi be received in a discrete and sensitive manner. Surely that's like putting a hungry, fat kid in a sweet shop and asking him not to eat any sweets. Red rag, bull anyone?
I read somewhere that Libya will soon be in the top 10 oil producers in the world. Given this, I have to wonder whether there really were some "under the table" discussions going on behind the release of Megrahi. Or whether this notion is just too sceptical and conspiratorial. If not, then presumably the Scottish were also in talks with the rest of the UK. I mean, Scotland is only a small country and I can't imagine Libya getting that much leverage out of her. No, more likely the rest of the UK were also complicit, with Whitehall surely being a key player in the whole process. Ha, gives a whole new slant on "due process"!
According to another BBC article I have just read, the Swiss President Hans-Rudolf Merz was in Tripoli on the day Megrahi returned to Libya, and was seen publicly apologising to the Libyan people in a news conference. Why? I hear you ask. Well, in 2008, Colonel Gaddafi's son Hannibal and his wife were arrested and detained by the Swiss police for allegedly beating two of their servants. Surprise surprise, the move infuriated the Libyan governement and it was not too long before Swiss companies and nationals were driven out of the country and the oil taps were half shut. Whoops. It seems that the Libyans have very evidently flexed their oil muscles. Yep, I can see the biceps rippling now.
I do have to agree that many of these complaining British and American politicians are blatantly guilty of "disingenuous posturing". Sadly once again, the rule of law and due process have given way to oil diplomacy so we can all feed our excessively consumptive lifestlyes here in the West (myself included). Unfortunately, this decision has also reflected rather badly on a devolved Scotland on the international stage.
Hey, at least we (the English) had nothing to do with it.
Currently listening to a rather good mix by Trentemøller entitled "Harbour Boat Trips in Copenhagen" - it starts off really folky and downtempo, and then starts to build into some nice 4x4. However, it still remains fairly slow and downtempo, with some interesting EBM, indie and electronica tracks in there. Very soundtrack-y and atmospheric. Definitely one for a lazy Sunday, cotching with your mates. Or perfect for reflective, solitary listening, as I am doing now. Anyway, check it out here.
One last thing - come on England, you can bring back the Ashes. 10 wickets, 2 days. We have the weather on our side....
Thanks for reading.
Peace (in the Middle East),
F.
And how are we on this rather lovely Summer's day? For once I have no complaints about the weather - will hopefully be having a rather splendid BBQ later today!
So onto more serious matters. Well, if you have been following the news recently, then you will already know what the topic of debate is about in this post from the photo and title: the release of Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi the Lockerbie bomber, from prison this week. Now I'm not quite sure I actually have a concrete position on this, but felt compelled to write something seeing as the whole event has blown up on both sides of the Atlantic, and how I certainly have my suspicions that a little bit of oil diplomacy is going on here.
So, as usual, the Americans have got their noses into something that had nothing to do with them, flexing their diplomatic muscle; the head of the FBI described the release of Megrahi as a "mockery of justice". Indeed, Scotland's former first minister, Jack McConnell also said it was a "grave error of judgement". According to today's BBC article, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of Colonel Gaddafi reportedly told a TV station that Megrahi's case was "always on the negotiating table" during trade talks. However, Business Secretary Lord Mandelson rebuked these comments, describing them as "offensive". The sceptic in me however, is not so sure.
Megrahi was apparently freed by the Scottish Government on compassionate grounds due to the fact that he has terminal cancer. Boo hoo. The fact of the matter is that he was convicted of the murder of 270 people in the Lockerbie bombing in 1988; if you believe in the rule of law, and due process, then he is a guilty man. Fact. In my opinion, freeing Megrahi on compassionate grounds makes the Scottish Government, and Scotland as a whole look weak. OK yes, one could argue that the decision makes Scotland look like a compassionate country but ultimately, Megrahi was convicted of killing 270 innocent people. He should have died in prison. Now forgive me for sounding like a Daily Mail reader, but for once I agree with the Americans.
To make matters worse, Megrahi was given a hero's welcome on landing in Tripoli on the eve of the first day of Ramadan. To top it off, Colonel Gadaffi was there to personally receive him. Indeed, many Libyans present were even waving Scottish flags - to be honest I found this particularly disgusting. Apparently a memo was leaked detailing how Gordon Brown requested that Megrahi be received in a discrete and sensitive manner. Surely that's like putting a hungry, fat kid in a sweet shop and asking him not to eat any sweets. Red rag, bull anyone?
I read somewhere that Libya will soon be in the top 10 oil producers in the world. Given this, I have to wonder whether there really were some "under the table" discussions going on behind the release of Megrahi. Or whether this notion is just too sceptical and conspiratorial. If not, then presumably the Scottish were also in talks with the rest of the UK. I mean, Scotland is only a small country and I can't imagine Libya getting that much leverage out of her. No, more likely the rest of the UK were also complicit, with Whitehall surely being a key player in the whole process. Ha, gives a whole new slant on "due process"!
According to another BBC article I have just read, the Swiss President Hans-Rudolf Merz was in Tripoli on the day Megrahi returned to Libya, and was seen publicly apologising to the Libyan people in a news conference. Why? I hear you ask. Well, in 2008, Colonel Gaddafi's son Hannibal and his wife were arrested and detained by the Swiss police for allegedly beating two of their servants. Surprise surprise, the move infuriated the Libyan governement and it was not too long before Swiss companies and nationals were driven out of the country and the oil taps were half shut. Whoops. It seems that the Libyans have very evidently flexed their oil muscles. Yep, I can see the biceps rippling now.
I do have to agree that many of these complaining British and American politicians are blatantly guilty of "disingenuous posturing". Sadly once again, the rule of law and due process have given way to oil diplomacy so we can all feed our excessively consumptive lifestlyes here in the West (myself included). Unfortunately, this decision has also reflected rather badly on a devolved Scotland on the international stage.
Hey, at least we (the English) had nothing to do with it.
Currently listening to a rather good mix by Trentemøller entitled "Harbour Boat Trips in Copenhagen" - it starts off really folky and downtempo, and then starts to build into some nice 4x4. However, it still remains fairly slow and downtempo, with some interesting EBM, indie and electronica tracks in there. Very soundtrack-y and atmospheric. Definitely one for a lazy Sunday, cotching with your mates. Or perfect for reflective, solitary listening, as I am doing now. Anyway, check it out here.
One last thing - come on England, you can bring back the Ashes. 10 wickets, 2 days. We have the weather on our side....
Thanks for reading.
Peace (in the Middle East),
F.
2 comments:
Political assassins and terrorists strike at the life blood of open, constitutional and democratic societies. Absent the death penalty, (which I agree should be abolished), these assholes should rot to death in prison whenever they can be caught and convicted. That's what Megrahi was doing when he was let out, "Scot-Free".
I couldn't agree with you more Vigilante - Scotland made a big mistake freeing Megrahi. Unfortunately it sets a poor example to all those terrorists out there who are plotting further attacks on our democratic societies. Sadly, there will no doubt be further blood-shed; let's hope that future perpetrators don't get off so leniently...
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