Pollard And America

Submitted by Mark D (United States), Mar 23, 2014 at 17:34

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Pollard

It must be noted that three times former President George Bush, a Republican, declined to pardon Pollack.

An Israeli request for Pollard's release was made in New York on September 14, 2005, Bush declined. Some Israeli activists then compared President Bush to Hamas and Hezbollah leaders who have taken Israeli soldiers prisoner.

On January 10, 2008, the subject of Pollard's pardon was again brought up for discussion, this time by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, during President George W. Bush's first visit to Israel as President. Subsequently, this request was turned down by President Bush.

Then as President Bush was about to leave office in 2009, Pollard himself requested clemency for the first time. In an interview in Newsweek former CIA director James Woolsey endorsed Pollard's release on two conditions: that he show contrition and decline any profits from books or other projects linked to the case. Bush did not pardon him.

There also has been stiff opposition to his release coming from our armed forces and intelligence officials. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, as well as six other former U.S. Secretaries of Defense (Melvin R. Laird, Frank C. Carlucci, Richard B. Cheney, Caspar W. Weinberger, James R. Schlesinger and Elliot L. Richardson) spoke out in opposition to clemency for Jonathan Pollard. They were joined by several senior congressional leaders, which includes many Republicans. And in his autobiography, former president Clinton wrote that he was inclined to release Pollard, but the objections of U.S. intelligence officials were too strong.

Would you then say Bush, Republican congressional leaders, our intelligence and armed forces community do not have an understanding of American interests?

Pollard has suffered enough and his sentence was outrageous. I'm sorry, I don't agree with you. So whether under Republicans or a Democrats, in the interest of justice, I believe Pollack must be released at first opportunity.

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