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

[Dave S]

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.

And it's the attitude of people like you that explains why Pollard will never step out of prison a free man.

[Dave S]

Of folks who have spied for allies, his served more time than any. He has served hard time. Years in max, in solitary.

Sounds like he needs a little R&R. How about we send him to Club Gitmo for a little rest. See how he likes the Al Qaeda guys since he's too good for Americans.

[Dave S]

Pollard's served his hard time. Clinton gets millions in pension and office support a year from us taxpayers. Plush. That's too much of s discordance for me.

Tell you what, you get Clinton to serve the remainder of Pollard's life sentence and I would release him.

[P-Marlowe]

The Constitution limits treason to levying war against the U.S., or giving aid and comfort to its enemies. Spying for an enemy during wartime would certainly be treason, but Israel was not our "enemy" and we were not then at war.

I believe that Mr. Pollard was convicted of espionage and not treason.

[HiTech RedNeck]

That was a stab in the back alright. If he'd waited another decade and hung tough with the USA, he would have seen the USSR collapse.

[tanknetter]

Right. I don't think there is anyone that has been given a sentence that long, including those that spied for Russia and in the case of the the most recent breech (I forgot his name). The question (of justice) is, what was exceptional in the case of Pollard

I'd like to know what spies are getting off easy. I'm pretty sure that John Walker is never getting out of jail, with the same thing being true of Aldrich Ames. Robert Hanssen is in for life without parole as well.

[bvw]

You are the fountainhead of mouth foamers.

[Dave S]

Thanks

[bvw]

" I don't know of any other country that spies on us more than the jewish state."

Yes sir, Mr. Dan Rather! You are the all-knowing. Can't tie your shoes in the dark but you dang well can rank every nation's US espionage effort. Obviously you DO work for the CIA.

[dfwgator]

I support Israel, but Pollard should fry. Some of those secrets got to the ChiComs.

[bvw]

You could even open a latte shop with all that foam.

[bvw]

Veteran's Day today. Honor a dead soldier. Note where he was born and where his family emigrated. Born in the USSR and made it to freedom Israel when the USSR allowed Jews to leave. Israel to the US. You still want to execute Pollard?

MICHAEL TARLAVSKY, 30, was killed August 12, 2004 during a raid amid the fierce fighting in the Iraqi city of Najaf. He was an army captain with the 1st Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group [Green Berets], based in Fort Campbell, Ky. He died in a hail of small-arms fire as he led Iraqi police trainees in a fight with insurgents who had blown up a school. This was Tarlavsky's second tour-of-duty in Iraq, having spent five months there in the beginning of 2003. He also fought in Afghanistan.

Tarlavsky was born in Latvia, in the former Soviet Union. His family first moved to Israel, and then came to the United States when Michael was 5. They eventually made their home in Clifton, N.J. Michael Tarlavsky was an Eagle Scout and captain of the swim team at Clifton High School. He was an avid marathon runner in recent years.

Michael Tarlavsky always wanted to be a soldier, according to his sister, Elina. He attended Rutgers University on a ROTC scholarship and was later assigned to Korea's DMZ, where among other duties he provided security for Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. ("He bragged most about that [assignment]," his sister told the AP.) Tarvalasky married another army captain in 2002 and settled in Tennessee. His wife gave birth to a son earlier this year.

The "Newark Star-Ledger" reported that Tarlavsky's parents combined Russian and Jewish traditions as they mourned their son: they propped up on their coffee table a photograph of Michael in uniform; a Yahrtzeit candle; and a shot glass filled to the rim with vodka. Michael's father, Yury, a veteran of the Soviet merchant marine, explained that a shot of vodka is a Russian way of honoring soldiers who have been killed.

Yury Tarlavsky said of his son: "He did his job very good. I'm very proud of my boy for what he did for his country." Michael Tarlavsky was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Source: http://jewishworldreview.com/1105/more_jewish_servicemen.php3

[Mr. Lucky]

Your position is that because a Russian immigrant died in Iraq, Israel should be forgiven for intentionally selling the identity of CIA agents to the Soviet Union?<P.
You're one twisted little buckaroo.

[RexFamilia]

Shoot the SOB and all who advocate his release. A spy is a spy whether he was spying for Israel or Russia; he betrayed USA.

[Sabramerican]

If you agreed with Weinberger, Pollard would have been freed a long time ago.

What “In the Arena” [Regnery] does not recount is his pivotal involvement with the Jonathan Pollard spy case. Weinberger was called upon by the judge to assess the damage Pollard, a civilian Navy analyst, did to national security.

Asked in an interview why he omitted the incident, Weinberger casually replied, “Because it was, in a sense, a very minor matter but made very important.” Asked to elaborate, Weinberger repeated, “As I say, the Pollard matter was comparatively minor. It was made far bigger than its actual importance.”

"Pressed on why the case was made far bigger than its actual importance, Weinberger answered, “I don’t know why — it just was"

Pollard was seized upon by Arabs and anti Semites and legends have been created. Like the casual mention here that Israel sent material to the Soviets.

Pollard spied for a foreign power, a friendly foreign power. It happens much more then you think and involves almost every country you can mention.

No one has ever served this length of time for a similar offense.

And for the anticipated responses I imagine will come, just read Weinberger's words again.

[TopQuark]

Don't try to spin this

It appears that is it you who does the spinning and just can't spin out of facts:

Pollard did considerable damage to our country. Are you defending that?

Not only I don't but I said so several time by now. Since you know that, you have thereby resorted to a lie.

The issue was not what Pollard did --- we left that behind --- but why it was YOU that put Jewish martyrs for their faith in the same category with this traitor. Pollard has nothing to do with it.

I gave you a chance to respond. You have confirmed that you are prejudiced. I have no interest in talking with you any longer: you've shown your stripes --- both your soul and intellect.

[brivette]

What tripe.