Pollard Again
There is some buzz in intelligence circles about recent Justice Department inquiries both at CIA and also at the Pentagon about the damage done by Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard, suggesting to some that (a) Obama will release him and may even announce it when he addresses AIPAC on the weekend or (b) Obama knows Netanyahu will again ask that Pollard be released during their talk next week and is briefing himself up on why he has to stay in jail. Inevitably, most think it will be choice (a) and that Obama is thinking of shoring up his re-election prospects for 2012 by courting a key constituency.
The Lobby has been active lately in the lead-up to the AIPAC conference. A letter calling on Obama to free Pollard has been circulating since January and has attracted a number of endorsements including George Shultz. Last week 36 congressmen signed on to a letter originated by Rep. Steve Israel (no irony intended) calling on the Turkish government to stop the next aid flotilla planned for Gaza, which will likely depart next month. The letter implies that there will be dire consequences, and rightly so, if the ships are allowed to sail. Today the White House press secretary all but commended Israel for killing twenty protesters along the Syrian and Lebanese borders during demonstrations on Sunday, praising the “restraint” and noting that it was a proper remedy for “unauthorized border crossing.” Part of the border in question is Israeli-occupied Syrian territory in any event but one wonders if the Obama Administration is planning a similar remedy for Mexicans trying to enter the United States.
The many victims of Pollard’s treachery, and the families of those victims, would be cruelly denied justice if he were ever freed.
As Grant Smith recently reported, we aren’t finished with Pollard. Members of the Israeli espionage ring he worked for are still being identified, and more prosecutions are in prospect. Netanyahu’s appeals are only half serious. They are primarily intended to give him hope that he will be released, because as long as Pollard has hope he won’t talk.
A lot of good Americans have worked this case over the years, and they would all gladly see him gripping the arms of an electric chair if it weren’t for what he knows but hasn’t told us.
Pollard will not talk. There is no dual loyalty. His loyalty is to Israel, alway has been, always will be.
“Inevitably, most think it will be choice (a) and that Obama is thinking of shoring up his re-election prospects for 2012 by courting a key constituency.”
I guess I am a little puzzled by the math. Granted that the Jews are a “key constituency” of the Democratic Party, but they only constitute 2% of the American population. Traditionally, Jews have voted 80% + or – for the Democratic presidential nominee but mostly concentrated in a few states like New York, California and Florida. There is no way Obama will lose in NY or Calfornia unless he goes to NYC and rapes an Hispanic maid. The other source of Jewish political power is the power of the purse, but Obama is on track to raise upwards of $1 billion with or without Jewish support. The question then boils down to whether a significant portion of American Jews care enough about Jonathan Pollard that a decision to grant him amnesty will garner enough additional Jewish votes to offset the potential loss of votes. All things considered, I fail to see what great political gain Obama would achieve by pardoning the traitor Jonathan Pollard.
How hard would it be for Obama to pick up the phone and tell Netanyahu, “If you intend to ask about Pollard, don’t bother coming!”? But that would require a little backbone.
FORMER CIA DIRECTOR JAMES WOOLSEY:
“[It was clear] 5 years ago that the punishment quite clearly was excessive. It is time for [Jonathan Pollard] to be released…and there should not be any quid pro quo.”
FORMER WHITE HOUSE LEGAL COUNSEL BERNARD NUSSBAUM:
“I extensively reviewed the Pollard file… [T]he time has come for Jonathan Pollard’s sentence to be commuted…[A] failure at this time to commute his sentence…would be a miscarriage of justice.”
FORMER U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE GEORGE SCHULTZ:
“Jonathan Pollard has now paid a huge price for his espionage on behalf of Israel and should be released from prison.”
FORMER U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL MICHAEL MUKASEY:
“In more than 18 years on the bench, I imposed [life] sentences on four defendants. [Murderers and terrorists]. Pollard’s offense does not nearly approach any of those….Pollard has suffered confinement well beyond the severity of what he did.”
What about Obama asking, rhetorically:
Hey, what about poor old Mordechai Vannunu? Drugged and kinapped and carted off to Israel. I’m sure a lot of American are interested to know about his case and the world-class quality of Israeli justice.
Hey, what about the USS Liberty? as commnader-in-chief, i’m not 100% satisfied that justice was done tothe american side here, and i’m pondering abrogating the US-Israeli agreement of 1980. I’m surethe American public could get very interested in this if given half a chance.