Release of Lockerbie Terrorist: Obama's 'Needle-Threading'

The Australian reports today that the Obama Administration objected, not to the release of the Lockerbie bomber, Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, not on grounds that he should be held in a Scottish prison but only that he should not be held in a Libyan prison. According to U. S. embassy official, Richard LeBaron, “Nevertheless, if Scottish authorities come to the conclusion that Megrahi must be released from Scottish custody, the US position is that conditional release on compassionate grounds would be a far preferable alternative to prisoner transfer, which we strongly oppose.”

So, let’s see if we get this: the U. S. argued that Megrahi should be set free in Scotland conditionally (presumably meaning that he could not leave Scotland!), if he were to be set free. And this is called “vigorous opposition” to his release!

I would say, rather, that it is another case of Obama Administration needle-threading, where it seeks to gain ends for which it does not wish to accept accountability. Naturally, the Scots were wise enough to foresee that a release in Scotland, barring travel, would only serve to attract unwanted attention to the Scottish homeland. But, at least they did not send Megrahi into a prison in Libya, to which Obama objected. Maybe it is a rational response to U. S. policy that Megrahi should be free, while Scotland should be safe!