As I read the Reuters article http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE57J62W20090821
about how Americans were "upset" and "condemned" the heroes welcome that Abdelbaset Al-Megrahi received once he got home to Libya, I could not help but wonder how many Americans even knew who he was let alone why he was a news worthy item. I could not help but wonder whether they were upset when operation El Dorado Canyon killed 40 Libyans including Muamar Qaddafi's 15-month old daughter. I could not help but wonder if they had condemned the shooting down of Iran Air flight 655 that killed 290passengers among them 66 children that happened the same year, 1988, as the Lockerbie bombing. I could also not help but wonder if the media at that time had highlighted those events in the condemning tone it takes now when it describes the Megrahi release.
about how Americans were "upset" and "condemned" the heroes welcome that Abdelbaset Al-Megrahi received once he got home to Libya, I could not help but wonder how many Americans even knew who he was let alone why he was a news worthy item. I could not help but wonder whether they were upset when operation El Dorado Canyon killed 40 Libyans including Muamar Qaddafi's 15-month old daughter. I could not help but wonder if they had condemned the shooting down of Iran Air flight 655 that killed 290passengers among them 66 children that happened the same year, 1988, as the Lockerbie bombing. I could also not help but wonder if the media at that time had highlighted those events in the condemning tone it takes now when it describes the Megrahi release.
Interestingly,all the American and UK news sources I have read from report that he was welcomed by hundreds of youth at the airport. But how many is hundreds? Is it on the higher or lower scale of hundreds? Is it 200 hundred or 900?When someone speaks of a heroes welcome, I conjure images of streets teaming with thousands upon thousands of adoring fans. Then again, how many is thousands, right? I guess it is a relative term, what is a heroes welcome for me, may not be a heroes welcome for CNN,the Economist,Reuters,AP and the list goes on. In a city as big as Tripoli with a population of about 1.6million, hundreds hardly seems like much of a heroes welcome.
The Libyan news however, claimed Al-Megrahi was welcomed by thousands, many of whom were shocked at the state of his health! The Tripoli posts claims to have interviewed a number of people who were all happy about Al-Megrahi's return and condemned the Scots for not administering justice. Which brings us to the question, who's figures are really true? Are the Libyans as passionate about this man as their media really want the world to think? And if they are, do they view him as a terrorist?
The Tripoli post in December 2008, months before Al-Megrahi's release ran a flamboyant headline :
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In the eyes of the Libyan news it remains a fact that Al-Megrahi is an innocent man bearing a stigma he does not deserve. One compelling article by Joseph M. Cachia talks about how Al-Megrahi has been set free from bondage but not from the responsibility of proving his innocence.http://www.tripolipost.com/articledetail.asp?c=5&i=3531&archive=1. In his article Cachia asks a question that would rouse different responses for both sides. "Does anyone seriously believe that Scottish Government would release a man convicted of murdering innocents, unless there was good reason for considering that conviction to be more than a manipulated conspiracy? "
Of course for the Libyans it is because the Scottish government had convicted an innocent man all along, hence the supposed heroes welcome and support for Al-Megrahi. His innocence however, is a tricky factor. Al-Megrahi always maintained his innocence and asked for an appeal back in 2001. Why was his appeal denied?Why did Libya pay off the Lockerbie victims if Iran was truly responsible as Libyan news media now claims?Yet, we all know that Libya has a valuable resource that both the UK and US would love to lay hands on. An article in the economist also mentions that several world leaders have been courting Qaddafi
http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14335988&fsrc=nwl.
Libya is ripe for foreign investment. That is no lie. All in all, we cannot deny the fact that all countries have their self interests in mind. Whether Al Megrahi was an innocent or guilty man ceases to the issue when states are set on reaping maximum benefits from this fascinating and controversial interaction. In the case of international politics, we seldom hear the truth. We are only fed with what is best for us as Libyans, as Americans, or as Scots to hear. "Best" is a decision our governments make for us, we do not get to choose, not this time.
Libya is ripe for foreign investment. That is no lie. All in all, we cannot deny the fact that all countries have their self interests in mind. Whether Al Megrahi was an innocent or guilty man ceases to the issue when states are set on reaping maximum benefits from this fascinating and controversial interaction. In the case of international politics, we seldom hear the truth. We are only fed with what is best for us as Libyans, as Americans, or as Scots to hear. "Best" is a decision our governments make for us, we do not get to choose, not this time.
