Terrorism

John McCain tells ABC’s This Week that – shockingly! – torture is ” a very important issue to me” and consequently that he can’t guarantee that he will vote to confirm Michael Mukasey as Attorney General if the nominee continues to fudge on the question of whether or not he believes waterboarding constitutes torture. McCain, noting yet again that it was a favourite method of Pol Pot’s happy warriors, would, one senses like to vote No but there’s the problem that… well, let’s go and see what the GOP blogs are saying. Here’s Rich Lowry, editor of National Review, confirming that supporting the use of waterboarding would indeed seem to

Chris Orr wonders why Fred Thompson’s work – albeit just a handful of hours – on behalf of the Libyans accused of the Lockerbie bombing is not receiving more attention. Fred Thompson, Terrorist Lawyer! Well, OK. Thompson says his opinion was sought on the venue question, leading Chris to say: Thompson’s mention of “venue” issues, too, is a little misleading. We’re not talking about whether someone is tried in Manhattan or Queens here. As far as I can tell, we’re talking about whether two indicted terrorists would be extradited from Libya to face justice. (It took years, but in 1999 they were finally handed over for trial in the Netherlands.)

Memo to terrorists: you’ve missed your opportunity. It’s too late now. Just pack up and go home. John Smeaton  – the Pride of the Clyde and scourge of terrorists everywhere – returns to work today. Mr Smeaton, sharp-brained readers will recall, is the baggage handler who famously “set aboot” the lunatics who tried to bomb Glasgow Airport last month, delivering a swift and punishing kicking to the would-be terrorists. Mr Smeaton became the embodiment of Glasgow’s image of itself: pawky but hard as nails, proud to live up to the old motto of Kings of Scotland, Nemo Me Impune Lacessit – roughly translated as Wha Daur Meddle Wi Me? or