Nuanced and understated as ever, the front page of today’s The Sun celebrates the demise of a despised despot, class enemy and war criminal whose decades-long rule has created untold misery for millions, and whose stubborn refusal to step aside has led to civil war amid the ruins of his former empire and destruction on a mass scale. Or something.

(See: Wapping dispute; Hillsborough disaster)

The frontpages of the Sunday papers could have been taken from a Chris Morris sketch -- IT’S WAR, TOP GUNS 1 -- MAD DOG 0, and HUGE STRIKE ON GADDAFI (where they also reveal the shock news that a black person has been on Midsomer Murders). After years of feeling a bit dodgy and awkward over the idea of bombing Arab countries, the politicians and the press are getting back into the swing of things, with air strikes against Libya beginning on the 8th anniversary of the invasion of Iraq no less.

The first shots were fired by the French air-force taking out Libyan armour on the road to Benghazi. This is a bit confusing given what the West was demanding in Libya was a “No Fly Zone” -- unless Gaddafi has an army of Transformers, tanks usually cannot fly. In reality we do not have a “No Fly Zone” -- we have a concerted bombing campaign against Libya, with plenty of flying being done by NATO aircraft.

These airstrikes are justified on the basis that they are all that remains between Gaddafi and the destruction of the Libyan uprising. After weeks of euphoria throughout the Arab world, with almost all of Libya bar Tripoli falling to the uprising it looked like Gaddafi would be the next despot to be overthrown. In the past week however, it appears that Gaddafi has consolidated his forces - paramilitaries, mercenaries and special forces led by his son Khamis -- and is launching a devastating offensive against the rebels. The failure to take Tripoli allowed Gaddafi to regroup and now he has retaken the oil towns along the coast, and his army stands at the gates of Benghazi -- the centre of the uprising.

After the UN Security Council supported a No Fly Zone over Libya, Gaddafi called a ceasefire in his offensive. For a while it appeared as if the threat of force alone had saved the uprising. But Gaddafi’s ceasefire was not genuine, he continued to attack Benghazi and the predictable response from the Western powers began.

Some have justified the airstrikes as the only way to save the uprising -- and it’s clear from footage in Benghazi that there is support from the rebels for the airstrikes. However while Gaddafi was making considerable gains, the rebels still showed the ability to fight off Gaddafi’s forces in the city of Misurata (the last rebel stronghold in the west of Libya) and at Adjabiya (the last town before Libya’s second city, Benghazi). The rebellion is not a spent force yet, and taking Benghazi would have been a much harder task than the coastal oil towns -- it’s where the rebellion would (and perhaps may still) make a bloody last stand, an urban battle in which Gaddafi’s tanks would have been of less use.

The reality is that stopping Gaddafi’s forces from overrunning the rebels could never be done just by stopping his airforce -- his forces on the ground are the ones taking the towns and cities, and ultimately it’s the armour and infantry that Gaddafi has consolidated that the rebellion needs to defeat. The “No Fly Zone” has always been a pretext for a much wider bombing of Gaddafi’s army and Libyan towns and cities. The civilian casualties we have seen so far have already provoked the Arab League to call for an end to the bombing, with it’s General Secretary saying “What is happening in Libya differs from the aim of imposing a no-fly zone. What we want is the protection of civilians and not the bombardment of more civilians.”

The bombing of Libya has been pushed through the UN because the Western powers are desperate to coopt and control the Arab revolutions in their own interests. The USA/UK would have been quite happy to see Gaddafi crush the rebellion discreetly and decisively in it’s early days, and maintain stability in the region but Gaddafi’s brutality made him an unreliable ally. That’s what led to formerly close European allies of Gaddafi to burn their bridges with him, and even go as far as to recognise the rebels as Libya’s legitimate Government. Now that it looks like Gaddafi may remain in control of most of Libya -- including the oil fields -- the West is now intervening to remove him through their own military force.

While Gaddafi may be an eccentric figure, attacked as an lunatic in the press, Libya is not an irrelevant basket case. It is the richest country in Africa, with the highest standard of living on the continent, and it’s oil wealth makes it an important regional player. Libyan oil money has been used to fund a variety of African rebellions, and an alleged assassination attempt against the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. Gaddafi was also a major supporter of the IRA in the 80s, providing the group with an entire trawler of arms -- The Eksund -- which could have given the Provisionals victory over the British in Northern Ireland if it had not been intercepted by the French Navy. It’s the fear that Gaddafi will align himself with anti-western guerillas throughout Africa -- like the brutal RUF in Sierra Leone -- that is partially motivating the US/UK to remove him with air strikes. Having a “rogue state” awash with oil money on the Mediterranean cost is not something any of the Western powers are keen on if it can be avoided.

As well as playing an important role in Africa, Libya is also a major supplier of oil to Europe. It provides Spain and Italy with 22% of it’s crude oil -- explaining why Gaddafi and Berlusconi got so pally with each other. The civil war in Libya endangers the economies of these European states as the price of oil skyrockets. Also Gaddafi’s brutality has led to Western powers to break links with him -- if he stays in power and consolidates his hold over the oil fields in Libya, the West will be denied access to Libya’s natural resources due to sanctions they themselves have imposed. This would be disastrous for many Western oil companies -- BP alone have a £900 million dollar deal with Libya. It’s these massive profits which make it clear why there is a bombing campaign in Libya, but not an intervention in the pro-Western state of Bahrain which has been occupied by Saudi troops.

The bombing in Libya marks the return of the discredited “humanitarian intervention” -- the idea that NATO aircraft can police the world and bring democracy at the point of a Tomahawk. Many readers of this site may be too young to remember Tony Blair’s war against Serbia in 1999 -- often touted as a success compared to the failure of Iraq and the ongoing quagmire in Afghanistan. The 73 day NATO bombing of the Serbs was justified as bringing to an end the racist ethnic cleansing of the Kosovars by the Milosevic regime. The reality was that

‘They ran out of military targets in the first couple of weeks,’ said James Bissell, the Canadian Ambassador to Yugoslavia. ‘It was common knowledge that NATO then went to Stage Three: civilian targets. Otherwise, they would not have been bombing bridges on Sunday afternoons and market places.’ Admiral Elmar Schmahling, head of German Military Intelligence, said, ‘The plan was to first put pressure on the civilian population and second to destroy the Yugoslav economy so deeply it would not recover.’

NATO spent most of it’s bombing campaign attacking Serb society -- while the actual ground forces of Milosevic ran rampant in Kosova. NATO managed to destroy only 14 tanks in the bombing campaign -- but did successfully attack state-run Serbian TV and the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade. If and when the West runs out of military targets to bomb in Libya, you can expect them to target soft civilian infrastructure to push Libyan society to breaking point, just as it did in Serbia.

During the bombing of Serbia there was one significant, brave section of opposition to the air strikes alongside the SSP -- that of the Scottish National Party. Alex Salmond was condemned as the “Toast of Belgrade” by Robin Cook, who later transformed into an “anti-war” leader during the run up to the invasion of Iraq. This time round though it appears that the SSP is alone in opposing the bombing -- SNP MP’s have went as far as to use the attacks on Libya as a justification to maintain British RAF bases in Scotland.

Every real Socialist supports the overthrow of Gaddafi and the establishment of a democracy in Libya -- but we shouldn’t be tempted into believing that the same Western powers who sold Gaddafi arms in the past, and back every other Arab despot have the interests of the democracy movement at heart. The West will use it’s military force not only to remove Gaddafi but to back whichever faction of the Libyan opposition will be the most friendly to their interests. Imperialism has never been progressive, and the only people we should trust to bring democracy and freedom to Libya are the Libyan people themselves.

You may have noticed that the leader of Libya, Colonel Gaddafi, has been on a state visit to Italy over the past few days, where he has been generally making a nuisance of himself by trying to convert Italian women to Islam, and attempting to charge the EU  five billion euros in exchange for preventing Africans from illegally immigrating to Europe.

In Gaddafi’s farewell speech, he told an audience in Rome:

Italy needs to convince her European allies to accept this Libyan proposal – five billion euro to Libya to stop illegal immigration.

Europe runs the risk of turning black from illegal immigration, it could turn into Africa. We need support from the European Union to stop this army trying to get across from Libya, which is their entry point.

At the moment there is a dangerous level of immigration from Africa into Europe and we don’t know what will happen. What will be the reaction of the white Christian Europeans to this mass of hungry, uneducated Africans?

We don’t know if Europe will remain an advanced and cohesive continent or if it will be destroyed by this barbarian invasion. We have to imagine that this could happen but before it does we need to work together.

Wowza. Offensive, right? But, unsurprisingly, Italian MPs are more angry about the fact that Gaddafi wants money in exchange for stopping immigrants, rather than his insanely racist rant – and the insanely racist social policies in Italy that make talking like this in an official capacity totally acceptable.

Colonel Gaddafi and Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi are two sides of the same disgusting racist coin.

As socialists, we believe that the world belongs all people, and we should all be free to travel, live and work wherever we choose. No one is illegal.

Why is the Lockerbie bomber still alive? This week Senator Robert Menendez, Chair of the Congressional Inquiry into why someone (or indeed everyone) isn’t dead yet announced plans to send a team of yankee investigators to Scotland.   This we can understand as it clear that protocol has been breached on this matter.  When someone in Scotland commits a crime like say theft or in the case of the accused, Bertybasset al-Megrahi being spotted buying a jumper (or another one the same colour) which was found on a plane, they are tried by a group of vote hungry senators in the run up to mid-term elections.  The only hope of clemency for those found guilty comes in the form of a Christmas pardon from our Lord and Saviour, Obama H. Christ.

Kenny McAskill chose to bypass the time honoured tradition of doing exactly what America wanted and instead exercised a strange form of indigenous justice.  Under this crazed system us savage Scots occasionally demonstrate that we have different values to those who seek to destroy us…or America…or is that the same thing?

Anyways understandably pissed off Menendez is sending a crack team to Scotland to investigate what’s wrong with this crazy country and what we can learn from our American brethren.  SSY meets the men who hope to save us.

Leading the group will be Frank “Freaky Sheik” McDeak (Dem.) Frank will investigate the disgraceful link between oil and political power in Scotland.  “This all came as a shock for me, I had to cut short my Saudi holiday…I was watching 50 virgins spray oil out their whatnots while I threw dollars at them…and now I hear these Scotch have been cutting deals in exchange for oil…America would never cut deals with those who tried to blow us up in exchange for oil and money.  The Sheik just wouldn’t have it.”

Controversial Texas Governor Rick Perry (Rep.) is to investigate the woefully inhumane Scottish Justice system.  “Sure I’ve killed a few people….well a few hundred…and I’ve fired all those in the justice system who questioned my decision to execute a man who according to all my closest advisors and scientists was asleep at the time he is supposed to have murdered his kids…but these Scotch!  I tell you…letting someone go who allegedly bought a jumper, a strand of which was allegedly found on a plane that Iran Libya blew up…monsters I say…the lotta them!”

The final senator will be Hawky Pearson (Rep) well known international peace activist.  He is concerned by what he sees as a continuation of a trend.  “We should have seen the warning signs in Darien.  For centuries Scots have been dragging their junior partners in the US around on a series of imperial adventures.  They dragged us into their conflict with Libya then just like we sent our young men to die for Scottish oil companies in Iraq and Afghanistan.  I say no more American blood should be spilled for Scottish interests!”

We also understand that the Senators are to be accompanied by other progressive Americans concerned that Scotland is slipping into an authoritarian nightmare.

Pat “McGroin” Robertson, gay rights activist, is looking into allegations that crazy, Christian homophobes are funded the very same SNP government who freed the terrorist plotter.  “We believe some rightwing bus bandit may have influenced the Scottish regime with his insane ranting about the gays.  I’ve never been to Scotland but as I’ve always said there are definitely lots of homos there.  We can’t allow these people to influence the government.”

The group will be rounded off by asylum campaigner and renowned anti-racist Pat Buchanan.  He is expected to directly challenge the racism of the Scottish regime by visiting the controversial “Border Wall” constructed all the way along the border to prevent the flow of poor southerners crossing the border to Scotland to access free personal care for the elderly and lower tuition fees.  “I intend to deliver a message to the racists in Scotland.  I will invoke the spirit of Reagan and say ‘Mr Hadrien!  Tear down this wall!’”

In the US Mr al-Megrahi, convicted on, quite literally, a shred of evidence would have been taken out and shot thus saving the need for all these pesky investigations and all this pish chat about “the truth”  “justice” and “closure.” The SSY is ecstatic that these Americans want to visit our depraved nation and show us the light.

We shall greet them on the tarmac waving our Saltires and asking…Why isn’t Scotland more like America?

SNP Justice Minister Kenny MacKaskill’s decision to free convicted Lockerbie bomber Al Megrahi on the grounds of compassionate release has unleashed a tornado of criticism upon both himself and the devolved administration.

He has been attacked by virtually all other opposition parties, tabloid newspapers, and even the current director of the FBI Robert Mueller who said his decision empowered terrorists.

The decision itself opens a can of worms for Socialists – is it possible for a mass murderer to be rehabilitated? Should a justice system keep a dying man in prison, even when he is almost certainly in no position to re offend?

There are powerful arguments for having compassionate release, to provide convicted criminals with the option to spend the last months of their lives with their family and friends.

It’s an act of humanity which they might not have treated their victims with, but it’s something a civilised state can do for people who are in no position to commit crime again.

In Megrahi’s case however there is a far more powerful justification for his release – he is innocent.

Megrahi has spent 8 years locked away from his family, friends, in a foreign country for a crime he did not commit and has been made a scapegoat for.

As part of his compassionate release he has been forced to drop his appeal, meaning he will die as a convicted mass murderer.

While Megrahi may unfortunately never live to see his name cleared, it is important that those who are still living speak out against his politically motivated conviction; not only for the sake of his and his family’s name, but for the victims of Lockerbie as well.

The bombing itself occurred on the 21st of December 1988, when Pan Am 103 was blown up over the skies of Lockerbie. All 259 passengers and crew were killed, along with 11 people on the ground.

The investigation into the bombing was undertaken by the Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary – the smallest force in the UK – alongside international agencies like the FBI.

Megrahi’s conviction was based on evidence obtained from the wreckage of Pan Am 103 – specifically a brown Samsonite suitcase, and a minute timer fragment.

The Samsonite suitcase was identified as the case which contained the bomb, through the use of modern forensic techniques.

The contents of the suitcase were also put together, by identifying items of clothing which must have been in the same case as the bomb due to scorching etc.

These clothes were identified as coming from a shop on Malta owned by the trials key witness, Tony Gauci.

Megrahi was alleged to have used these clothes to pack the suitcase containing the bomb.

This bomb was then supposed to have been loaded on to a flight from Malta to Frankfurt, then from Frankfurt to Heathrow where it was loaded on to Pan Am 103

Gauci made a positive identification of Megrahi as the man who bought the items of clothing from his shop.

Megrahi himself was named as an agent of the Libyan Government by another witness, Abdul Majid Giaka a defector from Libya.

The minute fragment of a timer found at the crash site was identified as being manufactured by Mebo AG, a telecommunications company whose employees identified the fragment and admitted to selling the timers to Libya.

At first glance the case appears to be relatively solid. But on closer examination of the trial, and with some new developments relating to the evidence and witnesses the credibility of the trial falls apart.

The evidence used to convict Megrahi was at best circumstancial and at worst a calculated attempt to frame him.

The star witness of the trial, Tony Gauci was found to have seen pictures of Megrahi a few days before “identifying” him. Contrary to procedure, this information was not turned over to the defence.

Gauci initially described Megrahi as being in his fifties and six feet tall – he is in fact five feet tall and was 36 when the bombing occured.

Gauci was labelled as “not the full shilling” by the Lord Advocate due to his contradictory testimony, and was reported to have received a $2 million dollar reward from the US.

The so-called defector Giaka who accused Megrahi of Libyan intelligence was revealed to be a fantasist, who was milking his CIA handlers for all he could get. His other “revelations” included evidence Gaddafi was involved in Masonic plots with the President of Malta.

The judges themselves were totally unable to account for the movements of the “magic suitcase”.

The case alleged to contain the bomb is supposed to have travelled from Malta to Heathrow unaccompanied.

There was no explanation given as to how this was possible, as the Judges accepted in their verdict below,

“As we have also said, the absence of an explanation as to how the suitcase was taken into the system at Luqa is a major difficulty for the Crown case but after taking full account of that difficulty, we remain of the view that the primary suitcase began its journey at Luqa”

Megrahi’s defence argued that the bomb was probably loaded on Pan Am 103 at Heathrow. A retired security guard gave Megrahi’s defence team a sworn affidavit that there was a break in early on the day of the Lockerbie bombing.

This break in would have allowed access to the baggage at Heathrow. The security guard commented that he was surprised this information was not made known at the trial.

The minute fragment of timer discovered in Lockerbie that was used to identify Libya as the state sponsor of the bombing has also been exposed as misleading.

An official of Mebo has signed a sworn affidavit to Megrahi’s defence, claiming that he was not only asked to lie in the trial regarding identifying the timer fragment but that he also stole a timer on the behalf of “someone investigating the Lockerbie case”.

Megrahi’s defence team also had a sworn statement from a Scottish Police chief, alleging this fragment was planted. The timers themselves were also sold to many other countries, including East Germany who may have provided them to the real Lockerbie bombers.

Newly released memos from the US Defense Intelligence Agency also claim that it was Iran, not Libya that was believed by US intelligence agencies to have carried out the bombing. The memo states,

“The bombing of the Pan Am flight was conceived, authorised and financed by Ali-Akbar Mohtashemi-Pur, Iran’s former interior minister.
“The execution of the operation was contracted to Ahmad [Jibril], Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine General Command [PFLP-GC] leader, for a sum of $1million [£600,000.
"$100,000 of this money was given to Jibril up front in Damascus by the Iranian ambassador to Sy [Syria], Muhammed Hussan [Akhari] for initial expenses. The remainder of the money was to be paid after successful completion of the mission.”

All of this evidence is what lead to the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission granting Megrahi a second appeal – one that would likely have proved his innocence.

So if it wasn’t Libya or Megrahi, who did bomb Pan Am 103? For once US intelligence was (originally) right. The most likely suspect is Iran, using the a Palestinian militant group the PFLP-GC to do it’s dirty work.

Iran had a clear motive to bomb an American airliner. 5 months before Lockerbie an Iranian Airbus was shot down by the USS Vincennes, an American warship.

The Vincennes mistook the Airbus for an Iranian fighter jet, and killed 250 people on pilgrimage to Mecca.

Both the Airbus and the Vincennes were in Iranian territorial waters at the time of the attack.

Unlike Megrahi, the Captain of the Vincennes, William Rogers was not indicted for murder or even manslaughter. He was given the Legion of Merit for his command of the Vincennes.

Iran clearly had a motivation for revenge.

The Lockerbie bomb itself also points at the PFLP-GC and Iran. 2 months before the bombing a PFLP-GC cell was arrested in Frankfurt.

They were found to be making bombs disguised as Toshiba radios – exactly the same kind of improvised explosive device used to bring down Pan Am 103.

The evidence linking Iran to the bombing was dropped, and suspicion cast on Libya because the US needed both Iran and Syria to remain neutral during the Gulf War.

The price for that neutrality has meant an innocent man has been jailed for 7 years, his name destroyed and justice for the Lockerbie victims may never be done.

Part of Megrahi’s compassionate release involves dropping his legal appeal. CIA agent Robert Baer wrote that the appeal would be so damaging to Scottish Justice that Kenny MacKaskill had two choices, “to release Megrahi or smother him in his sleep”.

McKaskill chose the more humane option. But it’s still not justice. The truth about Lockerbie cannot be allowed to die with Megrahi, it must be exposed regardless of the shame it causes legal establishments both sides of the Atlantic.