I was surprised and disappointed by Obama's opposition to Megrahi's release. I had hoped Obama might lead the US away from seeing retribution as the only effective response to crime. What good does it do to keep the old and infirm in prison?

I think the UK posters in this thread are fairly accurate in their perception of the US majority opinion on this issue. It has long been said that it is political suicide for a US politician to oppose the death penalty, and I think that's true. If a politician openly opposes the death penalty, he/she can't get elected.

The US is a country where "justice" and "punishment" are synonyms, where "security" is achieved only with weapons, where a five-year prison sentence is considered a "slap on the wrist," and where a prison with a gymnasium is condemned as a "country club prison."

In my 25 years as a federal investigator, I worked with courts and police agencies, and I visited a good number of jails and prisons. I think that gave me a realistic view of the US criminal justice system. And let me tell you - it's not justice, and it doesn't work.

-Joe-

John MacKenzie, we may disagree on some things, but I agree absolutely with everything you've said in this thread.