Lockerbie Bomber and the White House

UPDATE: The State Department released the letter sent by Richard LeBaron to Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond on August 12, 2009.
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From The Australian:

THE US government secretly advised Scottish ministers it would be "far preferable" to free the Lockerbie bomber than jail him in Libya.

Correspondence obtained by The Sunday Times reveals the Obama administration considered compassionate release more palatable than locking up Abdel Baset al-Megrahi in a Libyan prison.

The intervention, which has angered US relatives of those who died in the attack, was made by Richard LeBaron, deputy head of the US embassy in London, a week before Megrahi was freed in August last year on grounds that he had terminal cancer.

The document, acquired by a well-placed US source, threatens to undermine US President Barack Obama's claim last week that all Americans were "surprised, disappointed and angry" to learn of Megrahi's release.

Scottish ministers viewed the level of US resistance to compassionate release as "half-hearted" and a sign it would be accepted.

The US has tried to keep the letter secret, refusing to give permission to the Scottish authorities to publish it on the grounds it would prevent future "frank and open communications" with other governments.

In the letter, sent on August 12 last year to Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond and justice officials, Mr LeBaron wrote that the US wanted Megrahi to remain imprisoned in view of the nature of the crime.

The note added: "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."

When Abdel Baset al-Megrahi was released last summer, it made me sick.

I didn't get why Megrahi should be allowed to return home to die.

Is deteriorating health reason to release a terrorist, a cold-blooded killer?

Get terminally ill and get your freedom?

Megrahi really lucked out.

I didn't like the reaction of the Obama administration to the travesty.

Publicly, the White House expressed regret and disappointment.

Its statements did not indicate zero tolerance for terrorists.

I thought last August that the release of the Lockerbie bomber was a defining moment for the Obama administration.

WEAK ON TERROR.

Now, we learn that the White House was OK with Megrahi being released. And of course, we also know now that the terrorist was NOT dying. It was a ruse.

This is a monumental screw-up for the Obama administration.

Compassion?

Where's the compassion for the loved ones of the victims of the bombing?

For the family and friends of the 270 people who lost their lives over Lockerbie, the bombing was a life sentence of sorrow and grief.

Imagine the pain they're experiencing now, given Megrahi's "recovery."

Megrahi was given mercy and it was a horrible mistake. The Obama administration made a horrible mistake. I'm so tired of Obama's lies.

Being WEAK ON TERROR is always a horrible mistake.