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This Is Not Mercy. It Is Pandering.

The Associated Press reported yesterday that thousands of youths welcomed the return to Libya of the only man convicted for participation in the 1988 bombing of Pan American Flight 103.

270 people, mostly Americans, perished in the jetliner explosion over Lockerbie, Scotland.

According to Ha'aretz, Hillary Clinton correctly criticized both the British government and Scottish authorities for the release of Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, who was met at the Tripoli airport by, aside from the young celebrants, Saif al-Islam Gadhafi, nutcase Moammar's son and likely successor. A civilized man, say the experts. At least he doesn't bring his big Bedouin tent wherever he travels. (Like the Hôtel Marigny in Paris. Moammar was rightly denied the right to erect his own wigwam in Central Park for the coming session of the General Assembly. So he is taking his portable residence to Englewood, New Jersey--home to many Jews, especially Orthodox Jews. I hope they will be on their best behavior ... but not welcome him. After all, he is also a terrorist.)

Barack Obama could not leave the critical comments to his secretary of state. According to the A.P., "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."

Still, this is mercy for a mass murderer. Aren't there people incarcerated in federal prison who are terminally ill? Perhaps the president should release all of them to their homes and family, no?