Posted on 11/21/2001 6:51:04 AM PST by RCW2001
Let Pollard go
| November, 21 2001 |
(November 21) - It was 16 years ago today that Jonathan Pollard, an American Jew working as a US Navy intelligence analyst, went to jail for the crime of passing classified information to Israel. Though Pollard's crime was serious and briefly cast a shadow over US-Israel relations, justice demands that he now be set free.
Without minimizing the gravity of Pollard's actions, the fact is that allies occasionally spy on each other, whether for political, military, or industrial gain. But while in other instances, those caught engaging in such "friendly espionage" are briefly detained, Pollard was sentenced to life in prison without parole, a term unprecedented in severity.
Indeed, the sentence violated the plea bargain agreed to by the US Justice Department and Pollard's attorney. Pollard was never indicted for harming the United States and was never charged with treason. The one count against him - that of passing classified information to an ally, without intent to harm the US - has never resulted in a life sentence for any other person. And while the median sentence for this offense is generally two to four years, even agents who have committed far more grievous offenses on behalf of hostile countries did not receive the same treatment accorded to Pollard.
In recent years, the Pollard issue has brought together a unique constellation of figures calling for clemency. Legal luminaries, such as Alan Dershowitz and Irwin Cotler, have been outspoken in their support for releasing Pollard, and the issue has cut across ideological and political boundaries here. Last year, in an unusual joint letter, Binyamin Netanyahu and Ehud Barak wrote: "Concerning Mr. Pollard, the people of Israel and virtually all its political parties stand as one."
Though upon Pollard's arrest, Israel initially sought to distance itself from the affair, claiming that it was conducted as a "rogue operation," the past decade has seen a dramatic shift in that position. In November 1995, Israel granted Pollard citizenship, while in May 1998, the Netanyahu government issued a statement recognizing Pollard as an Israeli agent and accepting full responsibility for him. All prime ministers from Yitzhak Rabin onward have appealed to successive American administrations to grant clemency, but none of these efforts have borne fruit. The closest Pollard came to being released was a promise made by Bill Clinton to Netanyahu at the Wye summit in the fall of 1998 that in exchange for signing the deal, Netanyahu would be able to take Pollard back home in freedom. Unfortunately, at the last minute, Clinton reneged.
To mark the anniversary of Pollard's incarceration, the Knesset will hold a special session this morning at which speakers from across the political spectrum - including the Likud, Labor, Meretz, Shas, National Religious Party, Yisrael Ba'aliya, and the National Union - will all voice support for his release. In addition, former Sephardic chief rabbi Mordechai Eliahu will address a gathering in Jerusalem this evening on the subject.
There is no denying that Pollard violated the trust of his employer, the US government and took the law into his own hands by providing Israel with intelligence information he deemed crucial to its national security. Indeed, Pollard himself wrote of his "deep remorse" in a letter to Clinton last year. But there is also no denying that serving 16 years in prison, including seven years in solitary confinement, is more than enough to atone for his debt to society.
At a time when the US is engaged in a war on terror, the lines between friend and foe have never been clearer or more unambiguous. As a close ally of America, Israel has been asked by the Bush administration to make certain sacrifices on behalf of the greater good. It is only fitting, then, that America respond in kind and make a gesture of goodwill to the Israeli people, all of whom wish to see Jonathan Pollard free in Jerusalem. Pollard did the crime, and he has done his time. It is now time for America to let him go.
Now all that's left is "go take a long walk off a short pier", and I don't want to say that cause it's lame.
The writer lost all credibility with that line.
Pollard was not an ally, he was a member of the U.S. Navy.
He signed and swore an oath to protect the classified material
to which he was allowed access.
He took the decision to violate that oath and became a traitor to his country.
He should have been executed.
He should quit while he's ahead.
If these guys complete Pollard's sentence for him........
2. A betrayal of trust or confidence.
Does that answer your question? He betrayed our trust and confidence, and he violated his alliegience toward his country. I also beleive that he did aid his enemy, because he had to have known that Israel had no use for the info he gave them excpet to pass it on to the russians.
His employer? Pollard violated the trust placed in him by his nation, and he knew what the penalties were because he signed a piece of paper acknowledging those penalties when his nation granted him a security clearance.
If I violated the trust placed in me by my employer, I would be fired. If I violated the trust placed in me by my nation, I would expect to be punished severely.
Thing is, it wouldn't happen. America, my nation, comes in importance only after God. I guess it's a touch further down for Pollard, after Israel and his bank account. Let him rot, to punish him and to serve as an example to others.
Semper Fidelis
Above and beyond his treason, he was not just an ordinary citizen with the ordinary responsibility not to sell one's country out for cash. He was a member of the US Armed Forces and had taken on an even graver level of responsibility - and he took the first paid opportunity to violate that responsibility.
Message to Israel boosters: the number one issue that prevents Israel from making thousands of new friends on the right is the continual defense by Israel boosters of this traitor's indefensible behavior.
Ridiculous. You trade spies when one of your own is caught spying in another country, and vice-versa. Pollard was not an israeli, he was an american. He is not Israel's, and they have no claim to him.
From Webster's Ninth New Collegiate dictionary (U.S. Government editon) 1986
treason 1: the betrayal of a trust : TREACHERY
But I will correct you, he was not charged with or convited of Treason. Words like Treason have specific meanings.
I think he should be thankful that they don't retry him under the Military Tribunal law. If you're a spy, you should have to pay the price when you get caught. Death!
What ever happened to those good old days, when they used to punish treason with death?
Israelis have been doing nothing but "minimizing the gravity of Pollard's actions" ever since he was caught.
The TRAITOR Pollard must not be released, especially at this critical moment in US/Israel relations.
Pick one. The fact is that some information is kept classified by the US government that only the US has a compelling interest in keeping secret. If an ally or friend (as Israel certainly is) gets hold of that information, they may have neither the compelling interest nor the national security apparatus to keep it from others.
Thus, once information leaves the US national security apparatus, it is "in play" and God knows who has access to it.
The fact that he was not working for an enemy or motivated by money probably saved his life, but he put very many Americans in potential danger.
Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war
against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and
comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason
and shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned not less than five
years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and
shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.
Many of you don't seem to care, but we have laws with specific words for a reason. The word enemies is essential to make a charge of Treason. That is not to say, Pollard did not betray the US and is fully deserving of punishment. The issue is, his crime was not Treason, it was something esle.
However, traitor is a common english word, meaning "betrayal of trust". I beleive that he is a traitor.
I say that Bill Clinton is a rapist, even though he was not convicted of rape. I say that OJ Simpson is a murderer, even though he was not convicted of murder. I also say that Jonathan Pollard is a traitor.
Beware of the "BUTS"! "Sure, I know it's a crime and everything, BUT everybody does it!" "Waaaaaaa! Waaaaaa! It's just not fair! Waaaaaaa! Waaaaa!" Get real and grow up! It is part of the game, and all the players know the consequences of getting caught.
Pollard did the crime, and he has done his time. It is now time for America to let him go.
BIG FAT LIE! LIARS, ALL OF THEM! HE HASN'T DONE HIS TIME--HE WILL SERVE OUT HIS SENTENCE, WHICH IS LIFE, LIKE IT OR NOT! THE ONLY WAY HE'LL LEAVE PRISON IS HORIZONTALLY, IN A COFFIN! He is a T-R-A-I-T-O-R! For crying out loud, this guy must have some really influential and completely shameless, crooked, corrupt and anti-American friends to keep going on with this.
Look, every event is a reason to release the traitor Pollard. I wouldn't be surprised to see an editorial "The sun came up today - so the U.S. should release Jonathon Pollard."
Please explain if spying is the action of an enemy or a friend.
The material Pollard passed to Israel should NEVER NEVER NEVER have been passed to unauthorized parties: it included U.S. intelligence sources and methods, including names and locations of undercover agents!
But the final nail in the coffin for Pollard is that he sold the information to Israel (for about $50,000 in all) over a period of about 18 months. He was a freakin' profiteer!
When some scumbag sells out the U.S., he sells out me, my family, my friends, and everyone I know. I have no forgiveness to offer for such an ultimate, sweeping crime, and no patience for those weasels who seek to minimize how evil such treachery is.
Let the rat bastard rot, I say.
Imal
Pollard started serving his prison time in 1985 so your 1999 version of the U.S. Code is irrelevant..
Dontcha think that's the point? With the US now pushing for Palestinian statehood, the release of Pollard is being re-floated as a consolation prize.
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