Justice Rubinstein: U.S. should free convicted spy Pollard

http://www.haaretz.com/ ^ | Jack

[zyaakov]

Justice Rubinstein: U.S. should free convicted spy Pollard

By Yuval Yoaz, Haaretz Correspondent

High Court Justice Eliyakim Rubinstein on Thursday made a rare politically tainted comment when saying that the United States should release Jonathan Pollard, who has been jailed for almost 20 years following his conviction for spying for Israel.

"It is time the U.S. Administration free Jonathan Pollard," Rubinstein said. "20 years is more than enough time to serve in prison and I believe that the U.S. should pardon him."

Rubinstein was speaking during the opening panel of the annual conference of the International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists in Eilat. During a debate on the global struggle against anti-Semitism, Rubinstein was asked if he considered Pollard?s imprisonment as an act of anti-Semitism.

In response, the justice urged the U.S. to free Pollard, saying that "he committed an error, Israel committed a grave error, but it's time for his release. I hope Israel continues appealing to the United States on the matter, but I don't think the High Court has anything to do in the matter. The bottom line is that he must be released."

Rubinstein's comment might prove to be problematic as the High Court is slated to hand rulings on two petitions by Pollard and his family over his imprisonment, including a request to recognize him as a Prisoner of Zion

[muir_redwoods]

Pollard, like all spies, should have been shot. Period

[muir_redwoods]

"Such lovely respondents we have here today. All real men. Probably all wearing their wife's undergarments for the thrill of it."

It's refreshing to hear your well-reasoned response.

[Talking_Mouse]

Could someone explain why the venom against this particular fellow? He's served 20 years. And he didn't give secrets to an enemy state.

Let me explain myself, I think in this instance I can speak for many of my fellow FReepers, although they are fully able to speak for themselves.

Mr. Pollard took classified information from my country and gave said classified information to a foreign power. He raised his right hand and voluntarily swore to defend the Constitution against all enemies both foreign and domestic, the same way I did. He voluntarily broke that oath, not because someone held a gun at his head, not because his family was being held hostage, not because he was outsmarted/tricked by another spy and not because Israel was his true home country. He is an American citizen who willingly spied for a foreign power.

As both nickcarraway and Dave S have already stated the information he gave to Israel was in turn given to the USSR, which at that time was very much an enemy state. He should have know that. I know that if I give any information to members of the intelligence community of France, Sweden, Austria (non of which are enemy states) that information will end up in Iran (which may well become an enemy state). I know this because it is part of my job to know it, just as it was part of Mr. Pollard's job to know where the secrets he had sworn to safeguard would most likely end up.

I don't know how I would react under a sever beating let alone anything worse, nor do I know how I would react if my niece was held hostage. However, I do know how I would react if asked to give up the secrets (as low level as what I know is) of the computer system I am responsible for to any foreigner power -- even Great Britain or Australia -- I would say NO, emphatically NO.

I feel such venom against any American citizen who voluntarily spies on my country. That person is a traitor and traitors deserver no sympathy.

[bvw]

There is little rationality to the murderous venom Pollard draws from some -- even those who pose a superficially rational, yet upon deeper reflection empty response like only two or three above. The rest are mouth frothers.

[Mr. Lucky]

Well said. Very well said.

[muir_redwoods]

Spies are spies are spies. They should all be shot. They have no plausable excuse for their acts and it doesn't matter who they spy for. Pollard was nominally spying for Israel but his info went to the Soviets to trade for Soviet Jews.

He should be shot, IMHO

[tanknetter]

Pollard spied for Israel. Israel IS our ally.

Yup, Israel is our ally. That's why the brand-spanking new jet fighter of the People's Republic of China looks remarkably similar to the Lavi. That's why the US government had to use all sorts of seriously extraordinary measures as leverage to keep Israel from selling its Phalcon AEW&C technology to the Peoples Republic of China.

Israeli is only our "ally" as far as protection of its own interests go. That's absolutely fair, btw. But the US has a right to protect its own interests as well (and having a strong ally like Israel in the region is definitely in our interest). If Israel and the US can stand together on issues of mutual agreement, great. On issues where we can't agree ... well, too bad.

It sure sounds to me like Israel used the stolen US classified information as part of a secret back-room trade with the Soviets. Such a trade may have been in Israel's interests, but it sure as hell undermined ours. That may be something to be set aside in the interest of mutual cooperation, but it isn't something that should necessarily be forgotten ... or forgiven.

As for Pollard (as with ANY traitor), there's an easy solution. Go ahead and release him, then shoot him in the back as he walks out of prison and claim that he tried to escape.

[JoeGar]

Pollard ought to be dead. From the Toronto Sun: "A number of key CIA agents in the East Bloc were allegedly executed as a result of Pollard's spying. The KGB likely gained access to top-secret U.S. codes - either directly from Israel, or through spies in Israel's government. In short, Pollard's treachery caused one of the worst security disasters in modern U.S. history."

[Lancey Howard]

I agree with Caspar Weinberger - - Pollard should be hung.

[tanknetter]

I agree with Caspar Weinberger - - Pollard should be hung.

But only as a courtesy, since he was only spying for an ally afterall.

Aldrich Ames, the Walkers and Clayton Lonetree otoh ... well, afaik we've never had a televised draw and quartering.

[atomic conspiracy]

What? Is there a sudden shortage of terrorists for the Israeli legal system to deal with?
Rubinstein should confine his comments to his own jurisdiction.

Spies are vermin. If the integrity of the classification system can be violated for political reasons, then it is worthless. If it is worthless, our country is in mortal danger, because we have to have some secrets, from friend and foe alike. We trusted Pollard, he swore an oath, he knew the stakes, yet he still betrayed us.

He should have been put against a wall and shot. With such an example on the books, the next PC conformist who decided to spy for Cuba or Red China or Ghana might have had second thoughts.

[Lancey Howard]

even Caspar Weinberger has publicly said about the same thing as this Israeli judge

Sorry, Sport, but you're not getting away with that. You got a source? The last time I heard Weinberger speak of the matter, he said Pollard should be hung.

[bvw]

"Go ahead and release him, then shoot him in the back as he walks out of prison and claim that he tried to escape."

Ever hear of the W80? That's our MIRV h-bomb. Bill Clinton is walking around everywhere. He's the reason the Chinese reportedly have that. (And the Pershing missile factory -- they packed up the whole thing and shipped it the China.) Are you then asking someone to shoot Clinton in the back?

That's a stretch of an analogy, not a great one, but it has some reach to it. Some honesty. Why are folks so wired off wrt/ Pollard? Of folks who have spied for allies, his served more time than any. He has served hard time. Years in max, in solitary.

[Lancey Howard]

Pinging you to post #48.
Forgive and forget, huh?

[tanknetter]

Pollard didn't just "spy for an ally" if the ultimate recipient of his information was the Soviet Union.

If Clinton were ever to be indicted, tried and convicted of espionage and/or treason for the W88 tech transfer, my feelings on what state-authorized, state-executed punishment he should receive relative to Pollard would be pretty consistant. Same thing applies to Leaky Leahy.

[papertyger]

True, but on other hand information he stole went to aid the Soviet Union, which is an enemy.

I hadn't heard that allegation before this thread. Where does it come from?

[TopQuark]

"recognize him as a Prisoner of Zion"

Do you really have to smear all those people that spend years in Siberia by putting them in the same category with Pollard.

What does Zion have to do with this?

When a spy happens to be from a Catholic family, do you think of him in those terms? Probably not.

[rcocean]

Fine, lets offer Israel a deal.

Cut aid by $1,000,000,000 this year and you get Pollard.

Any takers?

[nickcarraway]

It was part of the case. Part of the deal was that Israel was giving the information to the USSR, in exchange for something. (maybe in return for allowing certain Russians to leave for Israel. Others on the thread may have links to this. I could find some after work.

[TopQuark]

Sorry, but a spy is a spy. Throw away the key.

I think like you: a hate anyone that does wrong to this country. Being Jewish, I am particularly appalled at Pollard and Israel in this case.

But, I have to ask the question: if "a spy is a spy," then why do other spies receive smaller sentences for demonstrably greater offenses? Ideally, I prefer that Pollard should remain in jail. But then so should other spies. If that is not feasible, then Pollard should be given a comparable, lighter sentence. It's not about Pollard (let him rot): it about workings of justice in my country.