Home > Alex Massie

Friday 10 February 2012

Lockerbie Fallout: A (Fake) American Backlash

Sunday, 6th September 2009

So, via Iain Dale, the News of the World has a story claiming that:

Britain was facing the likelihood of an increased terror threat last night — after America’s CIA chiefs threatened to stop sharing vital intelligence with us following the Lockerbie bomber’s release.

The Americans have already warned British intelligence services that sending cancer-stricken Abdelbaset al-Megrahi home to Libya has destroyed our “special relationship”.

But the fallout following the bomber’s release has now worsened with the CIA threat to stop sharing information on terrorists gathered by their agents.

They have also warned they may not pass on vital information picked up by their sophisticated eavesdropping satellites.

To which Iain comments that "It seems that releasing al Megrahi threatens to put more Britons in danger than getting out of Afghanistan would do" and "It looks like the SNP may have a lot to answer for."

I suggest that this story is nonsense and that Mr Dale's reasoning is cheap and equally spurious.

I don't believe the story anyway. The sourcing - if it can be called that - is anorexic. Secondly, it makes no sense. Thirdly, in the (hugely) unlikely event it is true, it reflects terribly upon the Americans, not Britain or the SNP. That is, we are supposed to believe that the American intelligence community will willingly, indeed deliberately, endanger the security of its closest ally simply because it is piqued by a decision made - following due process, remember - by the Scottish Justice Secretary?

As I say, I don't believe this is likely but even if it is the case then, again, this says far more about the American intelligence community than it does about the SNP. That is, in no sensible world can the SNP be responsible for a crazy, stupid reaction on the part of the CIA.

Why do I think this a bogus report? Well, according to the Screws a British intelligence "source" revealed that:

the FBI had joined forces with the CIA to show the US anger. The recent public letter from FBI director Robert Mueller lambasting the bomber’s release was written “because the CIA are so p****d off with us but dare not speak it, so the FBI are doing it instead. That is unprecedented.”

Anyone who thinks this passes the smell test needs their nose tested.

I've a lot of time for both the News of the World and Iain Dale but the latter's reaction to this report does him little credit. To repeat: in the unlikely event this report is true, the scandal lies in the conduct of the US, not the SNP and, I confess, I find it somewhat mystifying that Mr Dale can't see that too.

There are perfectly respectable reasons for disagreeing with the decision Kenny MacAskill took. This sort of crazy-world hackery - from both the NotW and Mr Dale - isn't one of them.

Filed under: Lockerbie (25 more articles) , Scotland (457 more articles) , Special Relationship (42 more articles) , Terrorism (289 more articles)

Previous Back to Alex Massie Next

Blogs: Martin Bright | Susan Hill | Melanie Phillips | Coffee House | Faith Based

Actions: Print this article | Email to a friend | Permalink | Comments (7)

Post this entry to: del.icio.us | Digg | Newsvine | NowPublic | Reddit

Post comment

porkbelly

September 6th, 2009 1:57am Report this comment

Given the recent avalanche of leaks of CIA secrets by the Obama administration and its allies in Congress it would surely be more plausible for British intelligence to be withholding cooperation from the CIA and not the other way around.
In any case all the hand-wringing about the potential damage the Al Megrahi affair might do to the "special relationship" is misplaced: the "special relationship" was little more than a figment of certain British politicians' delusional, vainglorious imaginations, abetted by certain American pretentious anglophile scribblers and the exigencies of the moment (see "Iraq"). Certainly if there ever was serious substance to the "America's closest ally" label it is empty of it now: Obama has little or no interest in Britain, Brown, Blair, Cameron, the lot. As far as he and his cadres are concerned Britain represents an embarassing example of how to mismanage socialism and give it a bad name...look at the way the Republicans are using the NHS as a blunt instrument against Obamacare. Then add the incompetence of the British military in Afghanistan (and Obama is petrified that Afghanistan will be his Vietnam)...Obama might be forgiven for wondering whether an ally such as this is worth the bother.

Scott

September 6th, 2009 7:46am Report this comment

Foreign policy is not Iain's strong point.

THX1138

September 6th, 2009 12:52pm Report this comment

Didn't we drop the BAE SFO case supposedly because the Saudi's were going to withhold intelligence ?

I didn't believe that either.

Ben

September 6th, 2009 5:39pm Report this comment

Dear Alex, a period of silence on the Megrahi fiasco would be welcome from you, given your wildly entertaining (up till now) misreading/misrepresentation of it. On the other hand, I suppose, you might care to give us your unique analysis of the latest Brown/Straw revelations, and tie them in with Mandelson's "offensive" claim. The whole debacle is so far from being a moment of compassion by Kenny "Tartan Army" MacAskill that it's not really funny any more.

Beefeater

September 6th, 2009 7:32pm Report this comment

Your nose always a wee bit blocked, Alex. By thy snottiness shall we know thee.

denverthen

September 6th, 2009 8:36pm Report this comment

I could not agree with "Ben" more. Massie's coverage of this, if it can be called that, has been terrible: guesses (always wrong), morally flimsy, uninquisitive and lamentably light on reasoning. And all written in some baffling tone of smug self-satisfaction and rudeness you wouldn't really expect from someone purporting to be a professional journalist.

He is a professional journalist, isn't he? I think after this latest pathetic instalment of SNP-supporting Yank-bashing we are well within our rights to ask.

Indy

September 7th, 2009 2:46pm Report this comment

Alex Massie's coverage of this has been characterised by an actual knowledge of Scottish politics and Scots law - unlike all the loopy conspiracy theorists.

It is depressing how few journalists can say the same.

Post comment