Comments on: Jonathan Power: Libya’s Lesson for Iran http://worldpolicy.org/wordpress/2009/01/27/jonathan-power-libyas-lesson-for-iran/ Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:32:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: jonathan power http://worldpolicy.org/wordpress/2009/01/27/jonathan-power-libyas-lesson-for-iran/#comment-517 jonathan power Sun, 01 Feb 2009 08:29:07 +0000 http://worldpolicy.org/wordpress/?p=855#comment-517 According to Thomas McNamara, former special assistant to president GHW Bush, who developed and implemented the UN sanctions against Libya, writing in the IHT on May 5th 2004, 2000 was the year when Libya surrendered the two Libyans accused of being involved in the Lockerbie bombing. Apologies for both of us for getting the facts a year late!. However, even if Abdelbaset Megrahi is found not guilty on appeal, my case will still stand- the sanctions and other pressures persuaded Libya to give up all its WMD. According to Thomas McNamara, former special assistant to president GHW Bush, who developed and implemented the UN sanctions against Libya, writing in the IHT on May 5th 2004, 2000 was the year when Libya surrendered the two Libyans accused of being involved in the Lockerbie bombing.

Apologies for both of us for getting the facts a year late!.

However, even if Abdelbaset Megrahi is found not guilty on appeal, my case will still stand- the sanctions and other pressures persuaded Libya to give up all its WMD.

]]> By: Patrick Haseldine http://worldpolicy.org/wordpress/2009/01/27/jonathan-power-libyas-lesson-for-iran/#comment-504 Patrick Haseldine Tue, 27 Jan 2009 22:41:38 +0000 http://worldpolicy.org/wordpress/?p=855#comment-504 Jonathan Power's interesting analysis, comparing the Libyan experience to that of Iran, is flawed in a number of ways. Most importantly, the time line and his conclusion are wrong. For example, Power says: "In 2000, [Libya] surrendered the two thugs suspected in the Lockerbie bombing." In fact, the two Libyans were handed over to the British authorities for trial in the Netherlands on April 5, 1999. Their trial did not begin at the former USAF base at Camp Zeist until May 3, 2000. One (Abdelbaset Megrahi) was found guilty on January 31, 2001; the other (Fhimah) was found not guilty. Accepting responsibility for the "actions of its officials" Libya paid compensation in 2003 to the relatives of the 270 Lockerbie victims. Megrahi is scheduled to appeal against his conviction at the Edinburgh Criminal Court in April 2009. If his appeal is successful, no Libyan officials can be held responsible for the sabotage of Pan Am Flight 103. And the $2.7 billion compensation might therefore have to be repaid to Libya by Britain and the US. What then, according to Jonathan Power, will be "Libya's Lesson for Iran"? Jonathan Power’s interesting analysis, comparing the Libyan experience to that of Iran, is flawed in a number of ways.

Most importantly, the time line and his conclusion are wrong. For example, Power says: “In 2000, [Libya] surrendered the two thugs suspected in the Lockerbie bombing.” In fact, the two Libyans were handed over to the British authorities for trial in the Netherlands on April 5, 1999. Their trial did not begin at the former USAF base at Camp Zeist until May 3, 2000. One (Abdelbaset Megrahi) was found guilty on January 31, 2001; the other (Fhimah) was found not guilty.

Accepting responsibility for the “actions of its officials” Libya paid compensation in 2003 to the relatives of the 270 Lockerbie victims.

Megrahi is scheduled to appeal against his conviction at the Edinburgh Criminal Court in April 2009. If his appeal is successful, no Libyan officials can be held responsible for the sabotage of Pan Am Flight 103. And the $2.7 billion compensation might therefore have to be repaid to Libya by Britain and the US.

What then, according to Jonathan Power, will be “Libya’s Lesson for Iran”?

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