Libyans defied Obama's warning not to give the freed Lockerbie bomber, Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, a hero's welcome.
Watch the convicted terrorist's arrival in Libya.
Yes, that looks like a hero's welcome to me.
TRIPOLI, Libya -- The only man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing returned home Thursday to a cheering crowd after his release from a Scottish prison — an outrage to many relatives of the 270 people who perished when Pan Am Flight 103 exploded.
President Barack Obama said the Scottish decision to free terminally ill Abdel Baset al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds was a mistake and said he should be under house arrest. Obama warned Libya not to give him a hero's welcome.
Despite the warning, thousands of young men were on hand at a Tripoli airport where al-Megrahi's plane touched down. Some threw flower petals as he stepped from the plane. He wore a a dark suit and a burgundy tie and appeared visibly tired.
He was accompanied by Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's son, Saif al-Islam Gadhafi, who was dressed in a traditional white robe and golden embroidered vest. The son pledged last year to bring al-Megrahi home and raised his hand victoriously to the crowd as he exited the plane. They then sped off in a convoy of white sedans.
International photographers and camera crews — along with most Libyan broadcast media — were barred from filming the arrival at the airport, which decades ago had been part of a U.S. air base.
Al-Megrahi's release disgusted many victims' relatives.
"You get that lump in your throat and you feel like you're going to throw up," said Norma Maslowski, of Haddonfield, New Jersey, whose 30-year-old daughter, Diane, died in the attack.
"This isn't about compassionate release. This is part of give-Gadhafi-what-he-wants-so-we-can-have-the-oil," said Susan Cohen, of Cape May Court House, New Jersey. Her 20-year-old daughter, Theodora, was killed.
At home, al-Megrahi, 57, is seen as an innocent scapegoat the West used to turn this African nation into a pariah. At the airport, some wore T-shirts with his picture and waved Libyan and miniature blue-and-white Scottish flags. Libyan songs blared in the background.
"It's a great day for us," 24-year-old Abdel-Aal Mansour said. "He belongs here, at home."
Moammar Gadhafi lobbied hard for the return of al-Megrahi, an issue which took on an added sense of urgency when al-Megrahi was diagnosed with prostate cancer last year. He was recently given only months to live.
I'M SHOCKED.
Obama said that al-Megrahi shouldn't be given a hero's welcome, but he got one anyway. The Libyans didn't listen to Obama.
Even after global citizen Obama went around the world and dissed the U.S. and apologized that "there have been times where America has shown arrogance and been dismissive, even derisive," Libyans dismissed Obama's warning.
I'M SHOCKED.
2 comments:
Obama's administration could have challenged this through legal means based upon treaties that we have with Scotland. They did nothing. Their words mean nothing; they lie all of the time so who knows what they really mean and what is propaganda. Wait a minute, it's all propaganda, isn't it?
Besides, Obama doesn't have a problem with releasing terrorists and this is just a preview of coming attractions for when Gitmo is closed down.
The bottom line is Obama can't be trusted.
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