Comments on: What governs governments? http://www.chriswalley.net/2009/09/11/what-governs-governments/ Lecturer, geologist and author: official website Sat, 03 Dec 2011 12:39:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Catherine Brislee http://www.chriswalley.net/2009/09/11/what-governs-governments/comment-page-1/#comment-649 Catherine Brislee Fri, 18 Sep 2009 07:47:07 +0000 http://www.chriswalley.net/2009/09/11/what-governs-governments/#comment-649 Thanks Chris. Actually I'd already decided I sounded unbearably pompous and deserved to be censored! Thanks Chris. Actually I'd already decided I sounded unbearably pompous and deserved to be censored!

]]> By: Chris http://www.chriswalley.net/2009/09/11/what-governs-governments/comment-page-1/#comment-648 Chris Thu, 17 Sep 2009 19:26:33 +0000 http://www.chriswalley.net/2009/09/11/what-governs-governments/#comment-648 Catherine! <br /><br />You probably think I censored your blog comment, I didn't. I just okayed it on my Iphone but somehow it didn't get posted; something that I have only just realised. Apologies. Fair comments though. <br /><br />Chris Catherine!

You probably think I censored your blog comment, I didn't. I just okayed it on my Iphone but somehow it didn't get posted; something that I have only just realised. Apologies. Fair comments though.

Chris

]]> By: Catherine Brislee http://www.chriswalley.net/2009/09/11/what-governs-governments/comment-page-1/#comment-647 Catherine Brislee Fri, 11 Sep 2009 22:24:50 +0000 http://www.chriswalley.net/2009/09/11/what-governs-governments/#comment-647 On the subject of Al-Megrahi, <br /><br />1. As I understand it, it is normal practice in Scottish law to release dying prisoners on compassionate grounds, so not to release him would be to make him a special case and would suggest that the Scottish government was too afraid of the consequences to do the right thing.<br /><br />2. Probably there is some trade deal involved, but the unpopularity of this act with the USA, the most powerful country in the world, is far more dangerous than losing a trade deal with Libya, so if the Scots were only considering pragmatic reasons he would never have been released. Therefore<br /><br />3. I am convinced that the main reason Al-Megrahi was released was that it was legally and ethically the right thing to do, and it actually gives me hope for our government just to think that some politicians acted against their own self interest in this matter.<br /><br />I sincerely hope I don't upset anyone by saying this and I know it was pretty disturbing seeing those weird scenes of welcome in Libya, but I honestly believe this was a clear case of justice with compassion triumphing over justice with vengeance. On the subject of Al-Megrahi,

1. As I understand it, it is normal practice in Scottish law to release dying prisoners on compassionate grounds, so not to release him would be to make him a special case and would suggest that the Scottish government was too afraid of the consequences to do the right thing.

2. Probably there is some trade deal involved, but the unpopularity of this act with the USA, the most powerful country in the world, is far more dangerous than losing a trade deal with Libya, so if the Scots were only considering pragmatic reasons he would never have been released. Therefore

3. I am convinced that the main reason Al-Megrahi was released was that it was legally and ethically the right thing to do, and it actually gives me hope for our government just to think that some politicians acted against their own self interest in this matter.

I sincerely hope I don't upset anyone by saying this and I know it was pretty disturbing seeing those weird scenes of welcome in Libya, but I honestly believe this was a clear case of justice with compassion triumphing over justice with vengeance.

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