Evidence, or lack thereof be d*mned.
Posted on 04/15/2006 4:31:49 PM PDT by Sabramerican
Report: US to release Pollard in Barghouti swap deal JPost.com Staff, THE JERUSALEM POST Apr. 16, 2006
Officials in Jerusalem claimed on Saturday that the US would free imprisoned Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard in exchange for Israel releasing jailed Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti.
According to Army Radio, Israel is set to offer the proposed prisoner swap deal in the next few months, following the unfolding anarchy in the Palestinian Authority. Seemingly, Israel intends to use Barghouti's release to strengthen the Fatah movement against the background of the much criticized rule of the new Hamas-led Palestinian government.
In 2004 Israel suggested a similar move but the initiative was rejected by the US government. Jerusalem officials predict that on this occasion the White House will accept the proposal.
Pollard, a former Mossad agent, was convicted of selling US military secrets to Israel, while he worked at the Defense Department's Pentagon headquarters. He was arrested in 1985 and pleaded guilty to the espionage charges. He was sentenced to life imprisonment, and has been incarcerated in a US jail for the past 21 years.
The Israeli government denied for years that Pollard was its spy but finally acknowledged it in 1998.
Various prime ministers have since made efforts to secure a pardon for Pollard, none of which have been successful.
If this occurs:
Can Israel get any more disgusting?
Can Bush get any more disgusting?
Pollard should be hung.
Agreed. If the Republicans wish to make their upcoming minority in both houses a HUGE one.
What is Bush doing?
Simple ... he is not concerned about re-election.
This was floated last week and the article said the release would happen "tomorrow". We can all see how that didn't happen and I wouldn't be too concerned that this article is true either.
This is insane. Pollard was a spy and should not be freed, and Barghouti is an insane terrorist murderer and most certainly should not be freed under any circumstances. I can't believe this is even being discussed. I think our leaders are crazy.
This can't be real.
If it sounds too good or too bad to be true it' probably isn't.
I agree with you...I have to wait and watch on this...it doesn't pass the smell test.
In WWI, Germany was responsible for sending Vladimir Ilyich Lenin back into Russia. They intended, of course, to destabilize the Tsar's regime.
They got something more than they bargained for...
Sounds like BS. That, or the State Department is operating like normal.
One more question. Is there a grain of truth in any of this?
"Officials in Jerusalem claimed on Saturday that the US would free imprisoned Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard in exchange for Israel releasing jailed Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti."
That's a helluva an equivalence to make....
How odd. The people who should know better than others not to trust the MSM seem to do so every darn time, no matter how wild the accusation.
This is one of the reason I favor the death penalty for traitors and spies.
To make my position clear.
I believe Pollard should be released. He has served more then appropriate time for his offense the real offense not the fiction that has grown around him fed by malicious sources).
The US has refused to release him under any entreat.
But Bush so loves the "Palestinians" that even Pollard is worth releasing a terrorist murderer.
And the Olmert Government is so depraved that it will make such a trade.
First Esther Pollard and now this.
"IF" true, it seems Israel is pressing for it.
I couldn't agree more.
What, quite frankly, does the UNITED STATES get out of this reported idiotic exchange? Appalling.
Something about this is just not right.
Kinda stinks of mis-information if you ask me.
It was Esther Pollard last week, right?
Bush seems to represent everybody except those who supported him. He may end up being as poor a Presdident as his father.
This report just can't be true.
BUMP!
That's right, onyx.
bbl
Either this is a crazy report or some people in Washington have gone crazy.
I don't recognize a lot of these names and assume they would condemn Bush if he found the cure for cancer. It would make for overcrowded conditions, you know.
Evidence, or lack thereof be d*mned.
This sounds like more drive by shooting by the mediots to make knee jerkers mad at GW.
And not include Secretary Rumsfeld? How about Vice President Cheney...he get's a free pass too?
To me, you didn't make your position clear at all. What do you think, is an apporopriate sentence for treason?
That's what I don't understand, either.
We give Israel a convicted spy, they give the Palestinians a convicted terrorist - and ????
LOL. Hasn't Pollard been released a almost a dozen times already?
I like that!
Consider it borrowed!
From the Jerusalem Post? Not exactly the NYSlimes we're talking about here.
so are you buying the John Loftus opinion on Pollard:
that he uncovered saudi "owned" anti-semites at naval intelligence, who were witholding this info from being sent to israel (so he did it himself). and that Aldrich Ames blamed alot of the things he had done, on Pollard?
The rules of Bush Bashing are simple print any whacko wet dream that puts GW or his cabinet in a bad light. Publish it and then get it on the internet. Then the Bush Haters jump in for another round of Bush Bashing. Besides blaming him for this bs, they will tie it in with their favorite theme for hating GW.
It probably is State behind this. I thought things were going to improve under Rice, but so far (unless there have been internal improvements that are taking awhile to reveal themselves) it doesn't seem that she is any better than Powell.
Israel has been pressing for a long time.
And the US has said No.
And now will say Yes in exchange for the release of a convicted Islamic terrorist?
Does it make a sense? It turns my stomach from all sides.
Ya, but something just doesn't fit the puzzle.
I could be way off, but somethings wrong here.
Bump.
I have mixed feelings about eventually freeing Pollard. But what the hell do we want with Barghouti? What, to turn him over to the ACLU and American trial lawyers? I DON'T THINK SO!!!!!!!
Leave him to rot in an Israeli jail, thank you very much.
i have read a number of versions of what pollard actually did, from passing info to israel that israel gave to the USSR that unrolled the US intelligence network in e. europe, to simply passing on something about old chem. weapon stockpiles, etc.
The only additional item that I find interesting is that the US has steadfastly refused to let him go, heck even CLINTON didn't let him go when pressed to for his ME peace deal, and anyone here knows clinton cares more about his own posterity than any national interests. Apparently there was an uproar in intelligence and others when he considered it, enough that he didn't do it.
whatever pollard gave israel, it wasn't something insignifigant to the US. Beyond that, I do not believe we will ever know for sure what it was, exception being the many freepers who apparently have the security clearance and access to reliably state that informatoin.
I'll let you know when we discuss someone convicted of Treason.
Pollard was not.
Treason is defined by the US Constitution. Pollard didn't commit Treason.
Um, so what do we get?
Any Israeli who agrees to release Bhargouti for Pollard is a traitorous pig. Bharghouti is a monster. Pollard is insignificant.
What was he convicted of?
mishandling a single classified document, IIRC. As I understood, this was the only charge brought in order to avoid having to reveal in court the actual espionage involved. He plead guilty and I think got max. term.
You might be right, but how do we know what his real offenses were compared to say what Hersh says? No offense, but I don't believe him or his wife.
I think Pollard should be released.
But, why is Israel releasing the terrorist Barghouti?
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