Comments on: Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi’s controversial release http://www.stuartford.me.uk/2009/08/abdelbaset-ali-al-megrahis-controversial-release/ I speak my mind involuntarily. It's both a blessing and a curse. Wed, 28 Dec 2011 08:22:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: MrsW http://www.stuartford.me.uk/2009/08/abdelbaset-ali-al-megrahis-controversial-release/comment-page-1/#comment-47 MrsW Mon, 24 Aug 2009 15:31:20 +0000 http://www.stuartford.me.uk/?p=560#comment-47 I think its difficult to read into the reception he received in Tripoli. We are quick to perceive it as a celebration, a welcoming home of a hero, lauded for what he accomplished. Maybe its a celebration, welcoming home an innocent man? I'm guessing the Libyans consider him innocent. The conviction was not, is not solid. There are grounds for appeal. What I want to know, what everyone should want to know, is who benefits from that appeal being dropped. Not Al-Megrahi who has always maintained his innocence. And sure as sherlock not the SNP. I appreciate reading considered views like this. But I love your tweets ;) I think its difficult to read into the reception he received in Tripoli. We are quick to perceive it as a celebration, a welcoming home of a hero, lauded for what he accomplished. Maybe its a celebration, welcoming home an innocent man? I’m guessing the Libyans consider him innocent. The conviction was not, is not solid. There are grounds for appeal. What I want to know, what everyone should want to know, is who benefits from that appeal being dropped. Not Al-Megrahi who has always maintained his innocence. And sure as sherlock not the SNP.

I appreciate reading considered views like this. But I love your tweets ;)

]]> By: Ian http://www.stuartford.me.uk/2009/08/abdelbaset-ali-al-megrahis-controversial-release/comment-page-1/#comment-45 Ian Sat, 22 Aug 2009 07:17:25 +0000 http://www.stuartford.me.uk/?p=560#comment-45 But does the rapturous reception really change anything? Does it tell us anything we didn't already know? Can we _really_ be surprised at what happened? We all know what many of the muslims in the east think of us in the west, that's no secret. To some - in fact, to many out there - the man is a hero. They're going to give him a hero's welcome, because he's a hero coming home. The fact that the supposed Devil of the west was kind enough to let him out is probably lost on them. To many others he is an innocent man made a scapegoat of (the latter is definitely true, we can't be 100% sure on the former). We must also remember that the media out there are very unlikely to be unbiased... we don't know how the whole deal has been portrayed to them. Consider it for a moment, from Colonel Gaddafi's point of view. There _will_ be a demonstration of pride, heroism and the feeling of justice being done and the West conceding their mistake when he returns, there's nothing he can do about that. If Gaddafi wants to stay in power, though, he's going to have to allow some of this to go on. It's either that or get 'elected out' - probably with a bullet. The best he can do is to allow some of this to go on and keep an official silence, which it seems is what's going on. I think they were right to set him free. He's served effectively a life sentence. He'll have very little quality of life for the remaining few months, I say show him compassion. Let him sort out his affairs before he dies, and let his family come to terms with his death now - he may be a monster to the west, but he's still a human being to them. Would they do the same for us? Probably not, but that's not important. If we all lived by the standards of others, what kind of world would we live in? But does the rapturous reception really change anything? Does it tell us anything we didn’t already know? Can we _really_ be surprised at what happened?

We all know what many of the muslims in the east think of us in the west, that’s no secret. To some – in fact, to many out there – the man is a hero. They’re going to give him a hero’s welcome, because he’s a hero coming home. The fact that the supposed Devil of the west was kind enough to let him out is probably lost on them. To many others he is an innocent man made a scapegoat of (the latter is definitely true, we can’t be 100% sure on the former). We must also remember that the media out there are very unlikely to be unbiased… we don’t know how the whole deal has been portrayed to them.

Consider it for a moment, from Colonel Gaddafi’s point of view. There _will_ be a demonstration of pride, heroism and the feeling of justice being done and the West conceding their mistake when he returns, there’s nothing he can do about that. If Gaddafi wants to stay in power, though, he’s going to have to allow some of this to go on. It’s either that or get ‘elected out’ – probably with a bullet. The best he can do is to allow some of this to go on and keep an official silence, which it seems is what’s going on.

I think they were right to set him free. He’s served effectively a life sentence. He’ll have very little quality of life for the remaining few months, I say show him compassion. Let him sort out his affairs before he dies, and let his family come to terms with his death now – he may be a monster to the west, but he’s still a human being to them. Would they do the same for us? Probably not, but that’s not important. If we all lived by the standards of others, what kind of world would we live in?

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