Pan Am Terrorist- What Should Have Been

As you must know by now, Scotland released the only person ever convicted in the Pan Am bombing over Lockerbie Scotland. The uproar over this slight to justice has not subsided, and will not soon.

The release was pending for awhile, his disease and the consequent expectation of his impending death was well known, as was his request for compassion.

I will never understand why our government did not step forward with a demand for extradition. And, I doubt the truth about why that didn't happen will be revealed. Just as I have little faith that we will come to know why Scotland set him free.

We have treaties with Scotland that could have forced their hand, if he was to go free, we had the obligation to make sure that it was only temporary. He should have spent his remaining days in jail, in Scotland or here, but in jail.

Maynard has asked, "What would Reagan do?" and explained that in a similar circumstance President Reagan used military power to recapture the Achille Lauro terrorists after Italy set them free. Our current President could have made the same move. He should have made the same move, having failed to intercede in a timely fashion to prevent the release in the first place. But none of the good choices happened.

My preference would have been to have seen Scotland offer him to us and we accept custody, second choice would have been for us to demand him and have our demand met. But, if I were President, I would not have used the same tactic as Reagan, no, if Scotland had failed to keep him or turn him over to us; I would have waited for his plane to enter Libyan air space and then shot it out of the sky. That would have put a just end to a creep, and it would have prevented the indecent celebration he received upon his return. And, it would have sent an unmistakable, and not soon forgotten message; kill innocent Americans and you can not run, you can not hide.