Heck, I'd ask at least as much for all his terrorist scum brothers.
Posted on 09/29/2004 1:24:27 AM PDT by kattracks
While the U.S. prepared to deport one of the captured American-born Taliban fighters, the other one asked President Bush yesterday to commute his prison sentence.John Walker Lindh's lawyer complained that his client was punished more harshly than Yaser Esam Hamdi, who is being deported to Saudi Arabia after being held for three years as an enemy combatant.
"It's basically unfair to have John Lindh serve the remainder of his 20-year term," said Lindh's lawer, James Brosnahan. "It seems to us a matter of justice and, may I use the word, compassion."
But compassion for Lindh was in short supply at the White House, and a Justice Department spokesman noted there are key differences between his case and that of Hamdi.
"John Walker Lindh pleaded guilty in a court of law to supporting the Taliban," said spokesman Mark Corallo. "Mr. Hamdi never was in the criminal justice system."
Clemency expert Frank Zimring of the University of California, Berkeley said Brosnahan is wasting his breath.
"The morning line on the commutation of a sentence of this kind in a middle of a presidential election is one of those situations where London bookies would offer you millions of pounds for just a shilling or two," he said.
Lindh, who is from the San Francisco suburbs, and Hamdi, who was born in Baton Rouge, La., but reared in Saudi Arabia, were captured in Afghanistan in November 2001 and accused of fighting U.S. forces.
While Lindh pleaded guilty in 2002 to aiding the Taliban and admitted having met Osama Bin Laden, Hamdi renounced "terrorism and violent jihad" and said he had nothing to do with Bin Laden or Al Qaeda.
Under a deal worked out with the feds, Hamdi was not charged with any crime but had to renounce his U.S. citizenship and go back to Saudi Arabia.
A convert to Islam, Walker was denounced as a traitor and dubbed the "American Taliban" when he was captured. Brosnahan said he tried to negotiate the best deal he could for Lindh at a time when the U.S. was still reeling from the Sept. 11 attacks.
But now, Brosnahan said, "comparable conduct should be treated in comparable ways, in terms of sentencing."
Lindh's mother, Marilyn Walker, said she hoped "America can find it in her heart to forgive John."
"Despite what people may think, John Lindh took no action whatsoever against his native country," she said.
Time magazine reported that Lindh may try to knock some years off his sentence by testifying in upcoming Guantanamo Bay military trials against suspected Al Qaeda terrorists.
Originally published on September 29, 2004
Should spend every single day of his sentence in prison. He's lucky he wasn't executed for treason. A young former marine, Johnny Spahn, was murdered by a bunch of Taliban prisoners and I am still not convinced this slime wasn't involved.
Lindh's mother, Marilyn Walker, said she hoped "America can find it in her heart to forgive John."
"Despite what people may think, John Lindh took no action whatsoever against his native country," she said.
CIA Johnny Michael Spann 32, of Winfield, Alabama. Spann was killed during a deadly four-day prison riot near Mazar-e Sharif, Afghanistan. Died on November 25, 2001.
I agree, It's unfair for him to spend the rest of his 20 years in a cell. Take him out and shoot him.
I'll forgive Mr. Walker, after he has served his full sentence.
Don't hold your breath, lady.
Heck, I'd ask at least as much for all his terrorist scum brothers.
If Lindh were given Yaser Esam Hamdi's punishment, stripped of his U.S. citizenship, deported to Saudi Arabia, I wonder how long it would be before he showed up at the U.S. embassy asking for his cell back.
Johnny Micheal Spann
Captain, United States Marine Corps
Central Intelligence Agency Officer
I remember
Agreed. Saw his head off.
But now, Brosnahan said, "comparable conduct should be treated in comparable ways, in terms of sentencing."
Fair enough. Lindh renounces his citizenship, get's deported to Saudi Arabia, and if he ever set's foot back in the U.S. it's open season.
Damn right.
John Lindh, John Kerry. Both guilty of giving aid and comfort to the enemy.
Take a flying leap. You're lucky you weren't executed.
What would Kerry do?
Oh, yeah -- an execution carried out by cruel and unusual means.
Since we're forgiving Americans but also taking into account Lindh's love for Islamic law, perhaps, we should just chop off his hands and feet and release him to his mother.
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