Bringing Jonathan Home (Pollard)

Justice for Jonathan Pollard ^

[RCW2001]

Professor Paul Eidelberg - IMRA - October 28, 2002

How are we to understand the grossly prolonged and cruel incarceration of Jonathan Pollard, and what may be done to liberate this suffering Jew and bring him home, to unite him with his devoted wife and the country he has served?

To begin with, let us consider some of the principals responsible for Jonathan's unduly long imprisonment-decreed for life even though he conveyed classified information to a friendly state, cooperated with his prosecutors, and by all that is fair and just should have received a relatively short term in prison for violating American law.

First, a word about three American officials. One is former Defense Secretary Casper Weinberger. Perhaps to prove his detachment from his partly Jewish ancestry, Weinberger publicly exaggerated the gravity of Jonathan's crime and secretly and unlawfully prejudiced his trial. Another is Ruth Bader Ginsberg, now a justice of the Supreme Court. As a member of the Apellate Court, Judge Ginsberg, whose reputation as a liberal is impeccable, proved how thoroughly liberated she is from Judaism by voting against Jonathan's lawyer's appeal for a retrial. And then there is Bill Clinton. This flamboyant president let Jonathan languish in jail yet pardoned an escaped felon, Mark Rich, who had contributed to a Clinton campaign fund.

More shameful, the heads of American Jewish organizations have failed to rally to Jonathan's cause in their well-publicized meetings at the White House. Apparently, urging the occupant of the Oval Office to pardon Jonathan Pollard might make them too appear too conspicuous as Jews. And so Jews in America have been rather silent about this modern Dreyfus.

And there have been various prime ministers of Israel who have forsaken their duty to liberate Jewish captives and bring them home. Jonathan, betrayed by Israel's embassy in Washington, which turned him over to the FBI, has become a citizen of Israel. Nevertheless, Israel's current Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, has avoided the Pollard issue in meetings with President George W. Bush. Sacrificing Jews for "reasons of state" - however irrational these reasons may be - has become habitual with this prime minister, who rejects zero tolerance for Arab terrorism. Jews just don't want to appear too "pushy" lest they disturb the "goyim."

So, if Jews will not do what is necessary to liberate Jonathan Pollard, perhaps the "goyim" may be prompted to do so. It was Christians, not Jews, who shamed France for the unjust trialand imprisonment of Alfred Dreyfus. Here I am reminded of a former colleague of mine,Professor Angelo Codevilla, a devout Catholic and former staff member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, who bravely denounced the American government's skullduggery in Jonathan's trial and the unprecedented length and cruelty of his incarceration.

And yet, because the Jewish State of Israel exists, it remains for Jews to bring Jonathan home, and they dare not shirk this responsibility. Timid and myopic Jews do not see that Jonathan's lonely imprisonment and the world's indifference to his fate is symbolic of Israel, the maligned, abandoned, and ever "suffering servant of the Lord." Little to these Jews realize that their timidity arouses the contempt of Gentiles, not only for them but for Israel as well. They do not see that Jonathan Pollard's bondage is linked to Israel's bondage. Indeed, until Israel brings Jonathan home, Israel will remain the scapegoat of nations, and Jews in this country, like Jonathan, will remain expendable.

Biographical Note: Paul Eidelberg (Ph.D. University of Chicago) is the author of ten books on American politics, the Arab-Israel conflict, and Jewish philosophy. Prof. Eidelberg is on the Editorial Board of Israel's premier journal, Nativ, and on the Advisory Council of the Ariel Center of Policy Research.

[Ranger]

Pollard is in jail because he is a traitor to the United States of America. Let him rot in prison as an example to others. Its called deterrence. If his head could be mounted on a pole for all to see under the U.S. judicial system, I would have endorsed it.

[Asclepius]

... So, if Jews will not do what is necessary to liberate Jonathan Pollard, perhaps the "goyim" may be prompted to do so ...

This particular gentile wants Pollard to remain in prison forever and ever and ever. Not for our benefit, but for his benefit, that he may have many years to consider the enormity of his treacheries against his country and to meditate upon the souls of those who died because of his misplaced loyalities.

[livius]

Sorry, he spied on the U.S. Israel is our ally (and I am very pro-Israel) but nobody - NOBODY - gets to spy on us. He did a lot of damage and he's lucky he didn't get death, frankly.

[Joe Boucher]

Israel has used spies against the United States in the past and are currently doing so. Israel has in the past attacked american ships knowingly. In the future Israel will do what is in Israels best interests.
Mr. Pollard knew the consequences of his deeds before he committed treason against "his" country.
Mr. Pollard should have been shot. Baring that he should spend the rest of his natural life in an American prison.

[mountaineer]

Bill Clinton. This flamboyant president let Jonathan languish in jail yet pardoned an escaped felon, Mark Rich, who had contributed to a Clinton campaign fund.

So Clinton shouldn't have pardoned Marc Rich. Two wrongs don't make a right. Pollard should not be released.

[Diverdogz]

No sympathy for Pollard here. Let him rot.

[Commander8]

A taitor is a traitor is a traitor.

[monkeyshine]

I think sometimes you have to temper justice with mercy. He's been punished greatly, far greater than most other spies. It would be merciful to release him befor he dies in prison. I say release him with the proviso that he can never step foot on US soil again.

[Niagara]

Pollard got off light, I would've hanged the treasonous bastard.

[EricEssig]

Let him rot.

[Mercat]

Pollard is my great grandmother's maiden name. Tidewater Virginia family, long line of professionals. Except she married a Texas dirt farmer. Oh well.

[Tacis]

Pollard is a traitor. The only reasons the Israelis want him back are (1) he has additional secret US material that is of value to the Israelis or can be sold by them to others and, (2) as a signal to other Israeli spies in the US that, if they get caught, they won't serve a long sentaence.

Israel is not our ally or our friend. They look only to themselves for their survival. We give them 25 to 50 billion a year in cash (that is the core of the current governmental crisis, "we want a biiger piece of the US pie and if we don't get it, we walk") and they tolerate us.

Never, never believe that Israel would jeopardize it's continued existance for an instant to do something for the US. There is nothing wrong with self-interest. But, don't imagine anything but from the Israelis. Pollard must die in a Yankee prison!! And no "let him serve his time in his own land" BS. If the Israelis had him, they would find some justifcation to release him within weeks. Just, as they justified refusing to send the muderer back to the US, the kid who cut his buddy's head off.

[Dave S]

If Pollard only gave the stolen information to a friendly state, then what member of the Israeli leadership can we stick in jail to replace him since Israel traded the stolen information to the soviets. So much for friends. The Israelis are only for the Israelis.

Pollard is a shit eating traitor of the worst kind. This asshole was unpatriotic. If his dutiful wife needs a little, send her my way, Im not too picky.

[veronica]

"I think sometimes you have to temper justice with mercy. He's been punished greatly, far greater than most other spies."

Rudy Giuliani has said as much.

[Boot Hill]

Paul Eidelberg rants:   "So, if Jews will not do what is necessary to liberate Jonathan Pollard, perhaps the 'goyim' may be prompted to do so."

They have become so desperate to free this traitorous dog that they now feel no compunction against using racist epithets like "goyim" to describe Christian Americans. I would caution Eidelberg, et al, to be very careful what they demand. If they continue to insist that Pollard be released they might just get what they ask for. Only release might come just one body part at a time.

--Boot Hill

[veronica]

"If his dutiful wife needs a little, send her my way, I'm not too picky."

She might be, though. ;)

[Dave S]

Does Paul Eidelberg, author of this piece of trash, wish to serve the rest of this worthless traitors life sentence? If not, shut the f... up.

[Dave S]

He's been punished greatly, far greater than most other spies.

Ask the Rosenbergs if thats true. LOL.

It would be merciful to release him befor he dies in prison. I say release him with the proviso that he can never step foot on US soil again.

Okay under proviso that you are willing to take his place.

[toddst]

She might be, though. ;)

I can't believe you dignified this boor's comment with a response.

[Ohioan]

Biographical Note: Paul Eidelberg (Ph.D. University of Chicago) is the author of ten books on American politics

Just goes to show how little academic credentials have to say about the power of logical analysis. The author's analysis comprises a weird mixture of ex cathedra denial of both Pollard's treachery and his nationality, and absolute hyperbole with respect to some mystical or allegorical symbolism for which he seems to be arguing.

And yet, because the Jewish State of Israel exists, it remains for Jews to bring Jonathan home, and they dare not shirk this responsibility. Timid and myopic Jews do not see that Jonathan's lonely imprisonment and the world's indifference to his fate is symbolic of Israel, the maligned, abandoned, and ever "suffering servant of the Lord." Little to these Jews realize that their timidity arouses the contempt of Gentiles, not only for them but for Israel as well. They do not see that Jonathan Pollard's bondage is linked to Israel's bondage. Indeed, until Israel brings Jonathan home, Israel will remain the scapegoat of nations, and Jews in this country, like Jonathan, will remain expendable.

If that paragraph illustrates the analytical abilities of a Chicago Ph.D., please do not anybody offer me one. The paragraph reads like something out of the mouth of someone who has been doing some seriously dangerous drugs. The symbolism is from a very, very "bad trip."

William Flax Return Of The Gods Web Site

[gaijin]

Little to these Jews realize that their timidity [to demand Pollard's release] arouses the contempt of Gentiles, not only for [Jews] but for Israel as well.

Oh, now that is rich...

Lemme get this right; Jews who resist some natural obligation to demand Pollard's embolden me and make me "MORE" hostile to Jews...?

Don't mistake the operative assumption here; non-Jewish people harbor a natural, irrational hatred of Jews. This hostility goes into a latent phase from time to time, but it's just bigger than them.

[ckilmer]

veronica:

the intelligence establishment really hates pollard nor has pollard ever missed an opportunity to increase their enmity for him. It is a cup I think he loves to drink from.

[laconic]

I'd have but slightly more sympathy for Pollard if he'd been idealistic in his support of Israel and betrayal of US. Instead, he and his wife took tens of thousands of dollars in bribes to betray the very oath he took and turned his back on the country that had fed him, kept him safe, educated him, gave him access in a position of trust, and to which he swore allegiance; in turn, the Pollards spent the bribe money on jewelry and expensive overseas trips, exposing our sources overseas to prison and possible execution when discovered. He's very lucky to have a life sentence; his crimes merit hanging.

[sneakypete]

. Perhaps to prove his detachment from his partly Jewish ancestry, Weinberger publicly exaggerated the gravity of Jonathan's crime and secretly and unlawfully prejudiced his trial.

Excuse me? Pollard is in jail for being Jewish? DAMN! Shows you how much I know! I could have sworn he was in prison for treason!

Or is the point being made that BECAUSE he is Jewish it wasn't treason? Does this mean it WOULD have been treason if Pollard were Catholic? Buddist? Heathen?

I think the best solution to this whole problem is to just take him outside and shoot him. While we're at it,let's take John Walker and all the other traitors out at the same time and make a show out of it? I'll provide the bullets.

[sneakypete]

Israel has used spies against the United States in the past and are currently doing so.

This isn't really a problem. The US is also spying on Israel. And Canada,Portugal,England,etc,etc,etc. This is what countries do.

Israel has in the past attacked american ships knowingly.

This is most definitely NOT allright. None the less,it happened a long time ago,and we let them get away with it. Water under the bridge,but not water to be forgotten. If they ever try to pull this crap again,we MUST spank them severely.

In the future Israel will do what is in Israels best interests.

We really can't hold that against them. We can only wish we did the same thing and wonder why we don't.

[sneakypete]

Rudy Giuliani has said as much.

There you go. Absolute proof the traitorous bastard needs to be shot.

[livius]

I think the best solution to this whole problem is to just take him outside and shoot him.

Actually, I think we should have taken the whole bunch out and shot them - Pollard, Hansen, and all the many others who were let off light under best spy buddy, Bill C.

[dark_lord]

Well, there is an old viking punishment that might serve. Let's say we release him from prison and send him to Israel. However, first we: (a) surgically remove his arms and legs, (b) remove his eyes, (c) remove his penus and testicles, and (d) remove his tongue.

All with the best of medical care, of course. That way he takes his prison with him whereever he goes. And we don't have to pay for food and shelter (e.g., his current prison overhead.)

Yes....sometimes the reason I go by "dark" comes to light.

[LibKill]

For the Umpteenth time. NO!

I like Israel OK.

And I really like Pollard right where he is, under lock and key. I hope the traitor dies in prison.

[SauronOfMordor]

Pollard should be shot

[DmBarch]

I'm an American Jew. I say he should die in an American Prison. He never asked for forgiveness, just that he was screwed on some "Deal" with those who caught him. Truly an ugly person. Anyone who wants him freed lowers themselves in my eyes.

[StolarStorm]

Sorry, we may support Israel against the PLO but we will NOT release this traitor. The two issues are not connected. Pollard will never be set free. Never.

[Starboard]

The oath makes it perfectly clear what the consequences would be for divulging trusted information, regardless of the current state of relations between the US and another country. Sources and methods used to gather intelligence can be revealed from the release of sensitive information. I seriously doubt that the author would approve of Israeli intelligence specialists compromising the sources and methods that Israel uses to gather its intelligence.

[laconic]

I agree; there is no leeway whatever in the oath for such betrayal of sources and methods. The Israelis know this as well; they recently had an Israeli colonel selling strategic info. to the Hezbollah(!) for bribes. He will not be treated kindly.

[wimpycat]

I'm an American Jew. I say he should WILL die in an American Prison. He never asked for forgiveness, just that he was screwed on some "Deal" with those who caught him. Truly an ugly person. Anyone who wants him freed lowers themselves in my eyes.

Well said.

[howiem98]

I'm a Right-Wing Jewish Republican. At the end of my comments I have a few paragraphs from the website www.jonathanpollard.org, which explain why he should be released. Maybe it'd be great if the U.S. executed all spies, or gave them all life imprisonment, but the U.S. doesn't do that. Instead, the U.S. gov't is SUPPOSED to consider each case on its own merits. In fact, it did do this when it cut a plea bargain deal with Pollard due to his cooperation, to give him less than a life sentence. It was only when the anti-Israel Caspar Weinberger intervened by writing to the judge under seal, that the deal was set aside. The author of the original freeper post is upset not at Christians, but at JEWS for tolerating Pollard getting a far more severe sentence than spies for allies (or even non-allies, like Russia during the Cold War (for the most part)) received. He is hoping that Christians will be righteous and treat a Jew the right way even though most Jews themselves do not care. As for the responses to his post, re Israel doing what is in its interests: consider that what is in Israel's interest is in the U.S.'s interest. Who was dancing in the streets and passing out chocolate on 9/11/01-- was it Israelis (who declared a national day of mourning), or was it, dare I say, the Arabs and Moslems in Damascus, Ramallah (until Arafat decreed that the public celebrations there had to end because showing the U.S. what the so-called "Palestinians" really thought of them was a bad p.r. move), Gaza, Cairo, Baghdad, Jordan, and Jersey City, N.J.? Who shares our interest in fighting Islamic terrorism? Israel, or Saudi Arabia, which pours billions into wahabi fanaticism? Israel or Pakistan? Israel or Egypt? Who shares our values of tolerating a multi-ethnic, multi-religious, multi-racial society? Israel, where there are over a million Arabs (excluding the "territories") and thousands of Christians, or Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, the Palestinian Authority, Egypt, etc., where the number of Jews in those places is 0,0,0, and 0, and where converting to Chritianity is a capital offense? The U.S. and Israel are on the same team and share the same values. When the U.S. treats a spy for Israel worse than a spy for other countries, it's wrong and all of us, Jews and Christians, should step up the plate and complain. Here's the pollard website quote
"Jonathan Pollard admitted many years ago that he was wrong and that he was misguided in his actions. He cooperated with Federal authorities to prevent further damage and pleaded guilty quickly so as not to embarrass the U.S. government’s reputation. For his cooperation with the Federal authorities, they agreed not to pursue a life sentence. The government reneged on their part of the deal and sentenced him to life imprisonment nevertheless.
During most of those years, Jonathan languished in solitary confinement and three years ago was sent to Butner Correctional Facility in North Carolina.
Though Jonathan believed that the information he gave to Israel was due to them pursuant to diplomatic agreements, there is little question that he was wrong to take the law into his own hands. But we must be united at this time. We must work together, in a united effort to free him. Eleven years is far too drastic of a punishment. Further incarceration would serve no benefit.
Consider that spies who worked for enemy nations including the Soviet Union were freed between 2 and 8 years after their imprisonment began. Most were only sentenced to short prison terms and none was stabbed in the back by having a plea agreement altered at the last minute.
Of particular importance is that Caspar Weinberger, who is notoriously unfriendly to Israel, was the main force behind the government’s cancellation of the plea deal. It was Weinberger who petitioned the sentencing Judge to give Jonathan the harshest sentence possible, calling him a traitor. We are well that Jonathan was never charged with treason. Weinberger wanted life imprisonment for Jonathan so that by this action the Court would classify Israel as an “enemy” nation. Passing unauthorized information to an ally is much less severe and is not classified as treason."

[John Lenin]

Trying to drum up a little controversy just before the election ?

[Non-Sequitur]

Why doesn't Israel first set the example by freeing Mordechai Vanunu? Show how the whole mercy thing is done?

[Joe Boucher]

What I said was by no means a slam on Isreael. I just stated the facts. Pollard is a spy and got caught. He did turn over to Israel the crown jewels in info though and did so for years.
Yes we the U.S.A. spy and as you say on allies. And I sould expect each country to follow their interests.
One should be aware though that Israeli interests don't always coincide with an ally.
Pollard is in jail for spting. It doesn't matter who for. May he rot in jail until hell freezes.

[montag813]

ENOUGH OF THIS CRAP! HE IS A TRAITOR! HE SHOULD ROT IN JAIL.

[DoctorMichael]

If his head could be mounted on a pole for all to see under the U.S. judicial system, I would have endorsed it.

Ditto those sentiments.

[Dog Gone]

I'm not for releasing any spy. I'd support killing them, especially if they're supposedly one of our guys.

Pollard doesn't deserve freedom. I want his life ruined permanently. Frankly, I want him dead.

[JohnathanRGalt]

Even Aldrich Ames wasn't treated as bad as Pollard. Why is there such a difference in punishments?

The Ames Case

The following articles deal with the case of Aldrich Ames, a high-ranking CIA employee - the chief of counter intelligence in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union - who spied for the Soviet Union.

Unlike Pollard, Ames was indicted for treason. He was a traitor who gave critical defense secrets to a U.S. enemy. Ames' actions resulted in the deaths of at least 11 U.S. agents.

By contrast, Pollard gave information to an ally, Israel. This information was being secretly embargoed from Israel despite a signed information-sharing agreement between Israel and the US.

Jonathan Pollard was never accused of, or indicted for treason. Neither was he ever indicted for harming the US. Pollard's only indictment was one count of passing classified information to an ally. The median sentence this charge carries is 2 to 4 years. Despite this, without benefit of trial and as the result of a government-violated plea agreement, Jonathan Pollard received the same sentence as Ames - life imprisonment.

In many ways Ames' treatment has been far more benign than Pollard's. For example, Pollard's conditions of incarceration have consistently been far more harsh. Moreover, unlike Ames who was only briefly held in solitary confinement during his intial debriefing, Jonathan Pollard spent 7 of his 14 years in solitary confinement. He was also unjustly held for a year in a mental asylum for the criminally insane. There, he was routinely deprived of his clothing and his eyeglasses in attempts to humilate and "break" him. Doctors attest that he was NOT a patient.

http://www.jonathanpollard.org/ames.htm

The Schwartz Case

The following articles deal with the 1995 case of (American Navy) Lcdr. Michael Schwartz, a non-Jew who spied for Saudi Arabia.

Schwartz was indicted and confessed, and yet never spent a day in prison.

http://www.jonathanpollard.org/schwartz.htm

The Lee Case

The following articles deal with the 1998 case of Peter Lee, a Taiwanese-born American nuclear physicist who gave critical defense secrets to China and was sentenced to only one year in a halfway house. This stands in stark contrast to the life sentence Jonathan Pollard received for the same indictment as Lee - passing classified information to a friendly nation.

http://www.jonathanpollard.org/lee.htm

[FreedomPoster]

Just read the thread. There's a consensus developing. . . .

[sneakypete]

Frankly, I want him dead.

I have no problem at all with that. Other than wanting his wife sitting in his lap when the switch for the electric chair is thrown.

[Southern Federalist]

I used to be of the "Let him rot, however much I support Israel" school of thought.

Then I did some reading of statements by conservatives like Ted Olson and Angelo Codevilla . Olson was Pollard's attorney, but he is not stupid and not dishonest. Codevilla is a tough-minded conservative foreign policy realist. He has written a whole book, Between the Alps and a Hard Place criticizing the campaign by Jewish organizations in the '90's for reparations from Switzerland, so he is not exactly a tool of the Learned Elders of Zion.

Upshot: there are too many wierd things about the Pollard case for me. I don't know if I would call it antisemitism, but it certainly sounds like politicians and bureaucracy in full CYA mode.

The disparity between Pollard's sentence and those of others who did more harm is troubling. Why, for example, is Pollard doing life while Ana Belen Montes is doing 25 years?

Those who insist that there is something shameful about Israeli governments asking for Pollard's release apparently watched too much "Mission: Impossible" in their youth and believe that a government should "disavow any knowledge" of its intelligence people when they get caught. Israel for all we know has people inside Iraq and Iran. How encouraged they would be if Israel wouldn't even ask the friendly U. S. to free Pollard.