If Jonathan Pollard Spied for Iraq

Israel National News ^ | 11 July 2003 | Rick Dorfman

[yonif]

I am not disputing the fact that Pollard was a traitor and a spy. However, what I am disputing is what he got for his actions, taking into account he was spying for a friendly nation, in comparison to what others got (not only for spying for friendly nations, but also enemies).

Albert Sombolay, an American soldier, was convicted in 1991 of spying for Jordan during the first Gulf War. He also admitted to giving sensitive materials to Iraqi intelligence officials, and was paid for his actions. The information he revealed included deployment locations of US troops and samples of US chemical weapons defense systems. This information could have led to the deaths of thousands of Americans. Sombolay pled guilty to "espionage and aiding the enemy," yet he was sentenced to only 39 years in prison, and that sentence was commuted to 19 years in 1992.

[Support Free Republic]

Strong Conservative Forums Help Prevent Candidates Like This From Winning Elections
	Finish Strong. Donate Here By Secure Server Or mail checks to FreeRepublic , LLC PO BOX 9771 FRESNO, CA 93794 or you can use PayPal at Jimrob@psnw.com
STOP BY AND BUMP THE FUNDRAISER THREAD- It is in the breaking news sidebar!

[wideawake]

Comparing Pollard to Duweisi is apples and oranges.

Pollard passed on classified material of the US goverment against his sworn oath as a federal employee.

Duweisi was not a government employee, had no access to classified information, and spied on private individuals. According to the prosecutors his actions don't even constitute espionage.

I think Duweisi should be shot, but the two cases are not identical.

[Rodney King]

Jonathan Pollard transferred classified information, vital to the national security of Israel, to the government of the Jewish State in 1983. This information was about the weapons of mass destruction programs of rogue states in the Middle East, including Iraq, Syria and Libya, who are likely to target Israel with chemical and/or nuclear weapons should they possess the capabilities to do so.

And we know that this is what he gave the how? Because he said so?

[elbucko]

taking into account he was spying for a friendly nation,

Friendly Spy? Isn't that somewhat of an oxymoron?

[Alberta's Child]

If Pollard wasn't given a pardon even by someone as feckless and unprincipled as Bill Clinton, then there's probably a lot more to this than we know about.

[jjm2111]

I agree.

[yonif]

What about the comparison of Albert Sombolay to Pollard?

[TheAngryClam]

Pollard is getting what he deserved. Friendly nation or no, your nation is first.

The fact that it was a friendly nation should be the reason he gets a prison term rather than an execution date.

Oh, and the U.S.S. Liberty was an accident. I don't want any of you "It's the evil JOOOOZ" types adding me to your ping lists because I said this about Pollard, ok?

[wideawake]

That's inconsistent. They both worked for the government. I'm going to assume that the data Pollard had access to was more detailed and dangerous, but that shouldn't matter.

[Ben Bolt]

We are all out there doing this to each other . If you get snagged you deal with it . Each spy has a value & something to give .

Of all the things I've read from you Yonif I presumed you knew the rules of the game .

[yonif]

Of all the things I've read from you Yonif I presumed you knew the rules of the game .

I never said Pollard was not a spy, or a traitor to our republic. What I did say that I dispute the sentence he got in relation to the rest of those in same circumstances (most of which are not in this article). If the US wants to give a life sentence to a spy, without parole, that is fine with me (even for Pollard). But I ask that it be consistent.

I am well aware of the rules, and the rules show Pollard was a traitor to the US and he breached his code of employment with the Federal government. He is currently surving his punishment. But I am disputing his punishment in relation to others.

[Thebaddog]

Hi spying data did end up in ohter hands than Israel's. He's no saint and is a criminal in America.

[Ben Bolt]

Dont worry about the others . Each spy has something to offer . They sometimes have something to trade when caught also .

This is not about being PC my friend . Oh I've read a truck load of why Mr. Pollard is this & that guy got 1/2 the time till I became bored .

Go back to when the OSS was founded . Or think back to some of those check point charlie exchanges in the 70's . It's a hard nosed game Yonif .

[wideawake]

I'm the first to say that Pollard should hang for his crimes. If it were up to me he would not be drawing breath right now.

Just because someone else may have gotten off lighter than he did doesn't mean he shouldn't get exactly what's coming to him.

[TheAngryClam]

Exactly.

[Ben Bolt]

I dont know what you are implying but each case has to do sometimes with the times we are living in . Do you remember Yurichenko from Canada ?

Now that was an interesting case !

[wideawake]

The question seems to be: why does Pollard get a comparatively harsher punishment than other spies?

My answer is:

(1) Every case is different and for national security reasons we may never have all the details. He may have done things deserving such harsh punishment.

(2) He has shown zero remorse - which is often a factor in commutations and sentence reductions.

(3) He may have had nothing to bargain with. The others who got off more lightly may have had information that the US decided was worth bargaining for and Pollard may not have been able to provide such negotiating material.

Pollard is a big boy, he played a very dangerous game, and he lost. He will never get any sympathy from the American public and it frankly hurts the Israeli cause in this country when Israel and Israelis are seen advocating for him.

I understand that the State of Israel cannot abandon him because it would hurt Israel's ability to recruit intelligence operatives if the Israel was perceived to not care about their fate. But others would be better advised to spend their time and treasure on more worthwhile pursuits, like derailing this suicidal "road map".