Ashamed to be British
thesecretagent
CornwallPosts: 2,151MI6 Agent
Harsh words, I know. But the release of the Lockerbie bomber this week has infuriated me so much. What the hell was the Scottish "government" thinking? The Scottish wanted their government, and we all thought they'd been placated with a token establishment of little power and more pomp and ceremony than actual power. Two hundred and seventy dead souls, and a man with eight years served in prison released because he's dying... Doesn't seem fair does it? He practically crawled up those airplane steps, but boy did he recover quickly as he disembarked to cheers, cameras and flag-waving. Who else didn't think his country would let him arive quietly?
It was Lockerbie that made me join up. Ditching a college course to join the army and fight the terrorist threat. I got my chance three times in Northern Ireland, and thankfully all three times were very uneventful - for me anyway. I was in Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan fighting wars and helping halt terrorism and giving over fifteen years of my life to both saving and taking others. I have seen some terrible things (no more than many), and done things that I will have to live with. But as a serving soldier, it was easier to relate to a just cause and feel that it was a sacfrice worth making. Then a politician gets all over something like this and I wish I just fu**ing signed on the dole, or finished that rubbish college course instead...
It was Lockerbie that made me join up. Ditching a college course to join the army and fight the terrorist threat. I got my chance three times in Northern Ireland, and thankfully all three times were very uneventful - for me anyway. I was in Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan fighting wars and helping halt terrorism and giving over fifteen years of my life to both saving and taking others. I have seen some terrible things (no more than many), and done things that I will have to live with. But as a serving soldier, it was easier to relate to a just cause and feel that it was a sacfrice worth making. Then a politician gets all over something like this and I wish I just fu**ing signed on the dole, or finished that rubbish college course instead...
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Don't let any politician diminish what you did in service to your country {[] They've enough power already!
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
It's a disgraceful decision and I feel deeply for the relatives of those killed by Al Megrahi. If it makes any difference, Macaskill's political career will be over by the end of the week. Moves are being made in Holyrood to get him out and he'll be lucky if he can get a job in a supermarket after this. But there's a lot more to this than a daftie like Macaskill and one day maybe we'll find out what went on here.
What gets my goat about this is how the Foreign Office have behaved. They clearly pushed for this decision, but have done everything possible to distance themselves from it. There is no way one man would be allowed to make a decision like this. Yet Brown and his pet s**tweasle David Miliband deny any involvement, despite being part of a Labour government that agreed a prisoner exchange deal with Libya in 2007, when they knew fine there was only one Libyan prisoner in a British jail. Dirty politics. Now the Libyans are waving Saltires in Tripoli and describing the Scots as their friends. ?:)
Also you have no idea how sickening it is to have a creep like Ted Kennedy criticising your legal system. Three words Ted, Mary Jo Kopechne, you should have gone to jail for that, so zip it.
Politics is frowned upon at AJB so if the mods could close this thread, before I type something offensive about Hillary Clinton and the Obama (what a let-down) administration that would be great. I really don't want to be assassinated by the CIA while out jogging.
Given the contempt and loathing that the SNP administration in Edinburgh and the Labour government in London have for each other, I don't think they'd be too slow off the mark to shovel sh!t at each other and allocate blame - especially under the weight of such international condemnation. I'm no fan of MacAskill's bunch at all, but neither do I have any time for Lady Mandy and that creep Milliband (as for Gordy, when the going gets tough, Gordy disappears). While I think the decision suited the UK government, I think they deliberately stood back and let MacAskill make his own decision with no interference - straight away, they can't be accused of meddling in devolved Scottish affairs, and it also suits them to sit back and say "See? See what the SNP are like?" So yeah, I think it quietly suited them, but I don't think they pressured him to do it, and from MacAskill's quote in this article "I sought the views of the United Kingdom government. I offered them the right to make representations or provide information - they declined to do so" that seems to back it up. They sat back and let this one explode in his face.
But with you on everything else. I could add Irish Republican Army as another three words, or sum it up as one, Noraid. And all this talk of a boycott, when Union flag draped coffins drip through Wootten Bassett on their way home from Afghanistan. Really?
I'm not going to be drawn in the patronising, pathetic swipes at a democratically elected parliament that was established on the democratic will of the Scottish people. Even though I didn't vote for it and stand by that, I respect the vast majority of Scots did and I would defend it to the hilt for that very reason.
Be handy if all the fat ones got out by next week. I'm going down to the Edinburgh Festival and Prince's Street is closed off. There will be more room.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/8217857.stm
"while calls have even been made to have Scotch whisky renamed as Freedom Liquor. "
Wow...just wow.
As a yank, I've heard nothing of the sort ?:) Sounds like they're trolling for controversy
At any rate, Scotch on the rocks (particularly a good single-malt) will always be one of my favourite beverages {[]
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
At any rate, I do feel pretty FREE on whiskey {[]
Sorry Mo, I aimed a little below the belt there.
I suspect the folk behind Boycott Scotland are stay at home types anyway. People who want to visit Scotland will continue to do so. The rantings of people who would rather talk politics than drink whisky are best ignored.
Loeffs, I am a fan of cold beverages. But I'll never ruin a single malt with water or ice.
But yes, the "Freedom Liquor" thing is hilarious
also from the comments: "I'll be boycotting macdonalds - they sound Scottish."
a more serious comment has been made here:
"Do any Americans actually believe the majority of Scotland agrees and supports the decision to free this man?"
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
For the record, I am only 167 pounds.
It's bizarre, especially as all this fuss was caused by a guy being given his freedom.
Also 'freedom' is a word we Scots associate with ourselves. Scottish international football matches feature Mel Gibson's aussie-twanged 'freedom' speech from Braveheart just before the players come out. Sentimental nonsense, but we rarely lose at home. Now if you took Scotch and renamed it Tory juice, or gave it a stuck up English name, like Percy, or Rupert, that would really offend us.
I was going to point that out to you because I knew he didn't have much time left, but I figured I'd let fate take it's course..
Rest in peace Senator....you will be missed. :x
Now there was a man who would never boycott any alcoholic beverage! Cheers Ted.
Well...I'm 240. But then again, I'm 6'4"---generally big---so I'd probably be one of those people causing congestion at the construction site
I must say, I don't wish this Libyan fellow long life and good health---and neither do the families of his hundreds of victims, regardless of their respective nationalities. I look forward to his allegedly imminent departure for the waiting arms of the Seventy-Two Virgins with some anticipation.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
BTW, I loves me some scotch too.
I hope each and every one of those 72 virgins looks like these guys.
Although to be honest, I think their virtue might be in question. It would serve Megrahi right though.
That's too good for 'em. Now here is how you punish them:
*shudder*
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/8226585.stm
That said, this stinks for a number of reasons. Firstly, some don't think this guy was primarily involved in it so in that case his release may be a kind of reprieve. In which case he's been banged up unjustly. Then again, he didn't get an appeal - why? Because it could release a can of worms about who WAS responsible.
Secondly, while it's okay and right to show Christian mercy, perhaps not in this instance. A bit extreme for a test case you know? Why not show Myra Hindley (notorious child killer of 1960s for those in American or Oz land) by giving her an early release in that case? Or old Hitler cos he had Parkinson's late in life, show some compassion right? Wrong!
And thirdly, smirking Mandy in the background and old Blair cooking up a deal.
It's not for the Scottish bloke to show forgiveness, it's for the victims' families! Otherwise it's like Blair's 'blood sacrifice' on Iraq - not that noble as he's not making it - other people's families are.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Leave poor old Mr Borgnine alone! He's 93 or thereabouts, he deserved better than to be made to shag a mass murderer!
Roger Moore 1927-2017
I'm a little baffled as to why you would bring up Hitler. If it's too extreme to show compassion to Al Megrahi, surely it would be even more extreme to show compassion to Hitler? I'm not trying to start a discussion on 'which tragedy was worst,' however, if your intention was to bring up less extreme examples of people who could receive mercy (and BTW I can't speak for others in Oz land, however I know perfectly well who Hindley is :v
Indeed. He is a legend and should be respected as such.
Nothing against Mr. Borgnine of course. I just thought he would be example image of what those islamic facists really deserve.
He didn't do anything that was outstanding. He was just another liberal Senator and by no means a revolutionary. And yes, letting an innocent girl drown because your a drunk and a coward is a stain your reputation regardless of what you have done. 8-) How could you even ignore something like that ? He was the national joke for decades then all of a sudden when got sick, he became a legend in politics in a GOOD way. Amazing when someone is dying, especially in the US, all of a sudden said person's useless reputation is white washed then escalated to a pedestal of greatness.
He was never a joke to anyone that knew him. And if you are American, you are just one of the ignorant, ungrateful people whose rights he continually fought for.