Israel to press Obama to free Israeli spy Pollard

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"Israel's prime minister says he will press President Barack Obama to release an Israeli spy imprisoned in the United States.

Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement Tuesday he would ask the U.S. president soon "in a formal and public manner" to release former Navy analyst Jonathan Pollard.

The United States imprisoned Pollard for life 25 years ago after he pleaded guilty to passing secrets to Israel. Some in Israel say his sentence was too harsh and have lobbied their government to seek his release.

Netanyahu noted that he granted Pollard Israeli citizenship during a previous term as prime minister and has raised the issue privately with other U.S. presidents. This is the first time he has spoken publicly on the issue."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/21/AR2010122102335.html

[oberliner]

1. Progressive/Liberal Democrat Anthony Weiner has been at this since the Bush administration

Congress of the United States
House of Representatives
Washington DC 20515-3209
Congressman Anthony D. Weiner

August 7, 2004

President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:

I write to request that you grant clemency to Jonathan Pollard.

Today is Mr. Pollard's 50th birthday. This is the 19th year he has celebrated his birthday in prison. No other person convicted of espionage on behalf of an United States ally has ever been imprisoned for so long.

Mr. Pollard has admitted he broke U.S. laws. He has expressed sorrow for what he did. Mr. Pollard cooperated fully with the investigation into his activities and he waived his right to a jury trial. He has served more than enough time for the crime of passing information to an ally.

The life sentence which Jonathan Pollard is now serving is not a reflection of the severity of the crimes he committed, but rather the result of ineffective counsel. In a recent review of Mr. Pollard's case, former United States District Judge George N. Leighton wrote, "the evidence shows that the government engaged in serious misconduct that went unchecked by an ineffective defense counsel, Richard Hibey, and ... these constitutional violations severely prejudiced Mr. Pollard, and resulted in his sentence of life in prison."

I have been advised that Mr. Pollard has not submitted a formal petition to the Pardon Attorney of the United States Department of Justice. This is due to the Justice Department's continuing refusal to permit Mr. Pollard's attorneys access to portions of five sentencing documents in the court's docket, totalling approximately 35 to 40 pages of material. The attorneys have the appropriate security clearances to see these court documents, and they plainly have a "need to know" what is in their client's court file. Until they have been afforded access to these materials, they believe it is premature to submit any application for executive clemency or similar relief.

I hope that your administration will ensure that Mr. Pollard's security-cleared legal counsel is given an opportunity to review these documents so that they can present an effective and viable clemency application.

Mr. Pollard did commit a serious crime and he deserved to be punished for his action. However, after reviewing the facts of the case and receiving multiple classified briefings on this matter, I believe that he has served a sentence that far exceeds the appropriate term for the crime he has committed. Mr. President, the time has come to free Jonathan Pollard. As he celebrates his 50th birthday in jail, I respectfully urge you to grant him clemency and send him home to Israel.

Thank you for your consideration of this matter.

Sincerely,


(signed)
ANTHONY D. WEINER
Member of Congress

[dennis4868]

2. why should pollard be...

treated any differently than any other spy against the USA?

[aranthus]

5. Good question. Here's a few more.

Have other spies for our allies been given life sentences? If not, then why has Pollard? What was the information that they obtained? How did it hurt us? Has Pollard been treated more or less harshly, or about the same?

How many other spies for our enemies have received life sentences? What was the information that they obtained? How did it hurt us? Has Pollard been treated more or less harshly, or about the same?

It's my understanding that most of what Pollard obtained was information that the US had gathered on Israel's enemies. If that's true, how does Israel having more intel on the PLO or Syria hurt the US? Did Pollard's spying lead to the death of any Americans?

I don't have any answers. Does anyone else?

[martymar64]

6. Spies are normally executed - Pollard got off easy

Spying on your friends is worse than spying on your enemies, people expect their enemies to spy on them, not their supposed "friends". Pollard betrayed the US and the American people to benefit Israel because he and Mossad thought they knew better than the entire US Government as to what intel they should get. How much of that intel ended up in Soviet hands because of his treachery?

He should have been executed. That is the preferred fate of all spies around the world. Especially ones that betray their own country and countrymen.

[pscot]

3. Why not pardon him?

The chance of recidivism is non-existent and 25 years is a long time.

[martymar64]

7. Why not pardon Charlie Manson while we're at it?

Espionage is a serious crime. This traitor to the US is lucky to be still breathing.

Friends don't spy on other friends and steal their secrets. But I guess if Israel is doing it, that's all white then? If it was an Israeli giving secrets to the US, you would have killed him long ago.

Pollard deserves to rot in prison for the rest of his miserable life for his crimes against the US.

[Scurrilous]

4. Netanyahu to Esther Pollard: Very close to freeing Jonathan

"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met on Monday with Esther Pollard, the wife of Jonathan Pollard, and informed her that her husband's release is "close."

"During my first term I worked to free Jonathan, and almost succeeded. We are very close," said Netanyahu. He added: "When I was a private citizen I visited him. During this term I raised the issue at least six times with President Obama and his Secretary of State Hillary Clinton."

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4002039,00.htm