I did not, but where was the outrage back then? whats change? On the other hand this can be said about everything basically
This isnt the first disagreement between the Scots and Americans http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyT8Qh00RAg
It is part of Scottish law, anyone who is dying will be released on compassionate grounds. It has NOTHING to do with america, it happened in scotland and scotland has dealt with it so far. Whilst America likes to execute, torture and waterboard people - we are given a sense of decency, compassion, humanity, free healthcare etc. that america doesn't get. Before the usa starts picking on us, they should fix their own problems.
I think that the scottish law of releasing prisoners just before they die is a very good one. And I think that its too bad that the murderer served only 10 years in prison. I also don't know how much it makes sense to say that "the crime happened in scotland". it is kinda impossible to say where it happened...
It is in today's news: Gaddafi's son Seif al-Islam - who has no government position now but is a possible successor to his father - told Megrahi on the plane home from Scotland that "you were on the table in all commercial, oil and gas agreements that we supervised in that period," according to the transcript of their conversation aboard the flight shown to Britain's .............. ......... By contrast, Megrahi was given a hero's welcome at Tripoli Airport by hundreds of ecstatic Libyans - normally barred from holding mass demonstrations - and on Friday embraced Gaddafi in the leader's tent. Those scenes ignited fury in Washington, with White House spokesman Robert Gibbs calling Megrahi's reception "disgusting." FBI Director Robert Mueller wrote to MacAskill on Saturday that his decision to free Megrahi had been "a mockery of the rule of law." ......... ............... Still, the incident is unlikely to cause any deep rift between London and Washington. That's because British and American politicians have spent five years intensely wooing Gaddafi, in an attempt to win hugely lucrative oil and gas deals, as well as contracts to sell arms and build infrastructure. Oil companies are keen to improve the terms of their contracts with the Libyan government, which has imposed some of the toughest conditions in the region in their production sharing agreements. Just a week before Megrahi's release, Sen. John McCain led a group of senators on a trade visit to Gaddafi, and tweeted afterwards: "Late evening with Col. Qadhafi at his 'ranch' in Libya - interesting meeting with an interesting man." http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20090824/wl_time/08599191825900
It is humane to let people die at home with their families, no matter what they did. If he was the bomber, then yes it is too short a sentence. However, letting him free is only taking 3 months or so (that he has left to live) off his sentence. It happened in scotland, no discussion. Thats why he was prosecuted and imprisoned here. It happened at Lockerbie, near the scottish borders.
Calum, to say this has NOTHING to do with America is a ridiculous statement. It was an American airliner, and 3/4 of the passengers were American. "Whilst America likes to execute, torture and waterboard people..." That is an unfair, untrue statement, and I think you know it. If you honestly believe that, we can discuss it further. However, if you're just a blind American hater, unconcerned with facts, lets not bother. To clarify, I'm not criticizing the health care in Scotland, or doubting the fact that the Scots are intelligent, kind, and wonderful people. My position is simply that I disagree with this decision, that's all.
Again, I don't understand what you are saying. It happened in Scotland. If it happened in America with Scottish people on board then it would still be America's prosecution etc. The USA has no say in what happens here, as has been demonstrated, and it never will do. I don't hate Americans (what you are saying there is unfair and untrue). I am saying the difference is here in Scotland we let people out on compassion, we don't execute people and we are more humane. The CIA did/do waterboard people (torture) and capital punishment happens in America - how is anything I am saying untrue? So he should have been executed? Making us just as bad as him. Or he should have been locked up and died in a cell? Which is frankly inhumane. You can see the differences in attitude, I don't know if you know this but the majority of Scottish relatives of the victims wanted him to be released.
The funny thing is the yanks don't understand the Scots very well if they think they are going to be intimidated. Even we had to give them their own government because its just not worth the hassle trying to push them around. They even have their own money, sure it's called the pound, is legal tender in England and worth exactly the same as ours, but it has their pictures on it. They basically wrote their name on our money. The thing with the Scots is the more you try to tell them what to do the closer you get to a bloody nose, so just leave it. The Scots and the English don't always get along, like the Irish and the English and , well, Everybody and the English. Even the English don't like the English if they happen to live more than 50 miles away. But we are neighbours and we do share a land mass and regardless what we personally think of the situation we have to respect their decision to stand by their law and not make someone exempt from it just because the americans might start crying. It might have damaged scottish/american relations, but it done wonders for scottish/the rest of the world relations.
It did not happen in Lockerbie: it happened in the sky. The bomb set off in the sky, and the plane disintegrate in Scottish skies Indeed. But remember, that the bomb detonator used a clock circuit, not a pressure circuit: If the explosion was set to 5 minutes later, it would be over Ireland, if 15 minutes later, it would be in the ocean.... etc' I'm no law expert but my "common sense" tell me that in such case, since it was an american plane with a majority on Americans onboard, the trial should have taken place in the USA. Apparently my common sense is not in agreement with the law. If there is somebody around who knows a thing or two about international punishment laws and would like to enlighten me on this subject, I would be grateful.
I'm happy that you don't hate us, sincerely. You might be surprised at how many Americans say they are at least part Scottish. Scotland is very popular in America. It's really just this one issue that's a thorn in our side. I do want to reiterate that the use of the word compassion when referring to releasing the Lockerbie bomber, makes the definition seem like something perverse and twisted, at least for many of the victims. I read this today by someone that expresses herself more eloquently than I do... "For the families whose relatives were blown to pieces, there is no mercy and there is no release from pain. The only minuscule comfort they could have ever experienced was the knowledge that one of the murderers would never again see the light of day. But even this small nod to the families has been permanently extinguished by Scotland. Inevitably, it is the same chorus of "progressive" voices that chime in to support "compassion" for murderers and terrorists of all varieties..." ~Laura Cohen Your words were, "Whilst America likes to execute, torture and waterboard people." As far as execution, you're right, but it's done rarely, and lethal injection may be reserved for the most horrendous of violent crimes. With the torture/waterboarding, that was widely condemned and protested by Americans. Certain events that may have happened at Abu Ghraib and quite possibly Guantánamo bay are regarded as an American embarrassment. It's in the past. No, not executed, but it's not because I'm worried about having compassion for a mass murderer. There are obviously many that have expressed doubt about his case, I would have supported an appeal and full investigation while he's locked up in a cell. Yes I do, it makes me proud to be an American. Why do you think that is?
Well there's an interesting point actually. Scottish currency is not *technically* legal tender anywhere - even in Scotland. It's more of an "I owe you" issued by the bank. The clue is that it's private banks that issue Scottish banknotes - not the Government.
Don't go there Rebecca!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Scotland: 5 million people. USA: 307 million people. The ethnic groups within Scotland are as follows: White, 97.99%; South Asian, 1.09%; Black, 0.16%; Mixed, 0.25%; Chinese, 0.32% and Other, 0.19%. The US is an immigration country, with an unmatched ethnical and racial diversity, and an unstoppable inflow of immigrants. In the U.S., 79% are white, of which your have jews, hispanic, asians and whatever. There are also blacks... muslims... and god knows what. Scotland: GDP - 39,000$ per capita, US - 47,000$ per capita. In the US, the gaps between the rich and the poor are incomparable with those of Scotland! this is a key factor in crime statistics. Scotland: cows, sheeps and singing birds, and even a britain's got talent star! US: engaged in several conflicts, and playing the lead role on the war on global islamic terror. Things that are enough for fighting crime in scotland, will not work be effective enough for the case of the U.S.! let calum enjoy he beliefs of the Scottish moral supremacy... you don't have to apologize for living in a place where the circumstances are totally different and hence the system is different.
If someone killed an American in Scotland, then 100% of the victim(s) would be American, the trial would still take place in Scotland. As someone already said, if it went down anywhere else, it would have been there problem. Has anyone seen: http://www.boycottscotland.co.uk/, some of the content on there is crazy.
According to your logic, if it went down in international waters, it would have been nobody's problem. And this is my problem with this logic that is in fact also the law.
It happened in Scottish airspace - of course it would be Scotland who would do the trial etc. You can got and assult an American in Singapore for example, and claim that it is America's problem. And it was proved, much worse than people though, yesterday/today in a report released by the US government. So would I, but by the time it has finished he would be dead - and he only has a couple of months left to live anyway.
The independence of the Scottish judgment system is something very admirable, it does not bow to the bully USA, but both USA and Scotland should not rush, until the case is over, because it is not known so far who was really behind it, both are like two married fighting over what they are going to do with the lottery prize money, before they actually win it, anybody who believes it was only one man behind it, then I won't be rude if I recommended him to see a doctor.