In international affairs, not many figures draw more polarized opinions than Jonathan Pollard. Is the reason, anti-Semitism or patriotism?
As a civilian intelligence analyst, though an agreement existed supposedly insuring that the U.S. would share crucial survival information with Israel, he found that certain vehement anti-Semites were withholding information, so he began secretly making sure the Israeli government got the information. He became a spy for a friendly nation – Israel.
He was discovered and though he was told a deal had been worked out, when he signed the suggested documents, he was convicted and immediately found himself in prison as a spy — he’s been there for 25 years now, 7 of which have been in solitary confinement. It’s claimed that people on both sides have subverted the attempts to have him freed.
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An opponent to his release, as if Obama were inclined to side with Israel Peretz, on his own blog (The National Review) pled to Obama, stating that if he pardons Pollard that Obama will be contributing to Israeli “racial discrimination against Arabs.”
- What if though, justice has not been served in the Pollard matter?
- What if the charges against him are not true?
- Why do so many support his being freed?
- Does spying for a friendly nation, one with which we have treaties (which were not being followed) warrant 25 years in prison?
- more information – those who support his release
Might Caspar Weinberger’s own assistant Secretary of Defense, Lawrence Korb, who is now part of a serious effort to have Pollard pardoned—know something that Peretz refuses to understand?
Working together with law professor Kenneth Lasson, former senior staff member of the Senate Intelligence Committee Angelo Codevilla, and former U.S. prosecutor and Army intelligence officer John Loftus, Korb has now convinced 39 members of Congress to ask President Obama to pardon and/or release Pollard.
Former head of the CIA, James Woolsey; former chairman of the Senate’s Select Intelligence Committee Dennis De Concini; and former U.S. attorney general Michael Mukasey have also urged clemency for Pollard.