Let that be a lesson

News that Abdelbaset Ali Al-Megrahi – the Libyan Lockerbie bomber, who on compassionate grounds was sent home (to Libya) to die, could live for 10years or more, is not a surprise nor is it out of the ordinary.

Patients are misdiagnosed all the time, and many are given terminal status to go on and live a long and healthy life. So whether he lives or dies shouldn’t be our concern. The question we should concern ourselves with is was it fair and just to release him and was our compassion on this occasion misplaced or misguided!

Around the time of Al-Megrahi’s release there was speculation as to the true reasons for his release. The rumour mill was doing the rounds about what were the benefits of his early discharge and who will benefit. The US condemned his early release as did many in the UK especially in Scotland and his victims’ families on both sides of the Atlantic were shocked and disappointed by the decision.

We are by nature a compassionate nation and that compassion like many good qualities is sometimes a magnet to opportunist as much as it is to genuine people. Our duty is to direct our compassion where it is needed and deserved. But crying over spilled milk is just reactionary and very juvenile to say the least.