Random Thought: "Why release a suicide bomber with terminal cancer"?

maxrandb

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Thu Aug-20-09 01:39 PM
Original message

Random Thought: "Why release a suicide bomber with terminal cancer"?

Concerning the guy who bombed the plan over Lockerbie. Seems to me he might be kind of "motivated" to do more mischief, considering he is terminal anyway.

Anyway, just my random stream of conscience

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JuniperLea

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Thu Aug-20-09 01:42 PM
Response to Original message

1. They say he was released out of compassion...

I'm wondering how much compassion he showed the people who crashed and dies in that plane.

This is sort of like the guy who appealed his death sentence because he was too sick to die.

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Lance_Boyle

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Thu Aug-20-09 01:42 PM
Response to Original message

2. First, he was not a "suicide bomber" as he was not on the plane.

Second, there are lingering doubts regarding his guilt in the first place.
Third, there's only so much mischief one can do from one's hospital/hospice bed when one is busy dying.

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DJ13

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Thu Aug-20-09 01:44 PM
Response to Original message

3. I dont care

We get pissed when other countries tell ours how we should act, Scotland has a right to run their own legal system as they see fit.

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derby378

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Thu Aug-20-09 01:47 PM
Response to Reply #3

4. So this guy has the right to determine where he will die...

...but he denied that same right to the passengers of PanAm 103?

I'm not buying it. He should have died in a Scottish prison - cared for as much as possible, yes, but nowhere near Libya.

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Zix

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Thu Aug-20-09 02:01 PM
Response to Reply #4

9. I think you're a bit confused here between the word "right" and "opportunity".

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derby378

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Thu Aug-20-09 02:15 PM
Response to Reply #9

17. Point well taken

But I do feel the scales of justice have tipped unfairly in favor of the bomber.

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DJ13

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Thu Aug-20-09 02:09 PM
Response to Reply #4

13. No, Scotland has a right to determine what they do with their own prisoners

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yodoobo

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Thu Aug-20-09 01:56 PM
Response to Reply #3

6. Well I don't think anyone is proposing that we invade scotland

Edited on Thu Aug-20-09 01:56 PM by yodoobo

and lock the guy up.

Surely we are free to discuss how we feel about a terrorist receiving early release from prison no matter where it occurs.

If I'm not mistaken, he did kill fellow Americans, as well any many of other nationalities.

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Zix

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Thu Aug-20-09 02:09 PM
Response to Reply #6

12. There's a good deal of doubt over whether he was ever a "terrorist".

It's not a simple case at all.

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yodoobo

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Thu Aug-20-09 02:18 PM
Response to Reply #12

19. Yes but that is not what is at stake

The question at hand assumes guilt and is being released because he is ill.

If he's being released because he's innocent, thats another kettle fish.

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FarCenter

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Thu Aug-20-09 02:56 PM
Response to Reply #19

22. He was appealing his conviction -- they probably didn't want the evidence reviewed again

So, since he's dying anyway, open the door and let him go home.

Problem solved.

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DrDan

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Thu Aug-20-09 02:17 PM
Response to Reply #3

18. I agree - and I don't see how we can fault them with a straight face when

we refuse to even investigate Americans who probably broke the law on their way to killing a half-million Iraqis.

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ingac70

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Thu Aug-20-09 01:53 PM
Response to Original message

5. Uh, if he was a suicide bomber...

we wouldn't even be discussing him now.

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Warpy

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Thu Aug-20-09 01:58 PM
Response to Original message

7. He's dying

I don't suppose you've ever been around anyone who is near death. They're not capable of much. They're nowhere near as chipper as they are in movies.

He was released by a compassionate judge. That judge released him because of who we are as compassionate human beings, not because of who the bomber was.

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SIMPLYB1980

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Thu Aug-20-09 02:01 PM
Response to Original message

8. He should have rotted in prison. Sadly that's not how it's going

to work out. Regardless he will be dead soon so I don't think this is something to be overly upset about except that the family's of those killed are being insulted by this move.

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Zix

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Thu Aug-20-09 02:04 PM
Response to Reply #8

10. You might be interested in their actual response:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/6060191/Lockerbie-relatives-of-victims-divided-on-subject-of-convicted-bombers-guilt.html

It isn't all that clear cut.

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SIMPLYB1980

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Thu Aug-20-09 02:12 PM
Response to Reply #10

14. All I see are conspiracy theories to excuse his actions.

I see it more like Secretary Clinton.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said: "We think it is inappropriate and very much against the wishes of the family members of the victims, who suffered such grievous losses."

She went on: "I take this very personally because I knew a lot of the family members of those that were lost."

And she went on: "I just think it is absolutely wrong to release someone who has been in prison, based on the evidence about his involvement in such a horrendous crime."

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Zix

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Thu Aug-20-09 02:14 PM
Response to Reply #14

16. Well that's certainly the position congruent with clinging to vengeance.

It would be a pity if you'd reached that conclusion simply to continue a personal narrative.

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nadinbrzezinski

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Thu Aug-20-09 02:14 PM
Response to Reply #10

15. actually I see this not just as not clear cut

but the difference between the US and some European countries.

We are still very much in the eye for an eye mentality, where people applaud the execution of mentally ill people (whther they did it or not matters little) because they deserve it.

In Europe the principles of compassion are more developed

So in this sense, if this is a compassionate release, so be it. It is their justice system. Outrage in the US... does not shock me at all. After all, we'd better see people rot in jail or die, period...

Niehbuller comes to mind, but hey, what would I know?

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maxsolomon

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Thu Aug-20-09 02:07 PM
Response to Original message

11. The quality of mercy is not strain'd,

Edited on Thu Aug-20-09 02:09 PM by maxsolomon

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown;
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway;
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God's
When mercy seasons justice.

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Obamanaut

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Thu Aug-20-09 02:19 PM
Response to Original message

20. Aren't suicide bombers dead? nt

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Vickers

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Thu Aug-20-09 02:21 PM
Response to Original message

21. Follow the money...Libya has a shitload of oil.

With that said, I'm in favor of someone on their deathbed being released from prison.

Hey, I'm a fucking liberal.

:shrug:

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pipi_k

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Thu Aug-20-09 03:04 PM
Response to Original message

23. I have mixed feelings about his release

I can understand the feelings of the victims' families and how angry they are that this guy should be released on compassion.

But the other side of it is, maybe it's not so much compassion for him, as it is compassion for his family, who really aren't guilty of anything.

yeah, he's a murdering bastard, but even murdering bastards have people who love them.

If his family get to spend time with him before he dies, then I guess compassion has been served...

very hard to take one side or another on this...

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