U.S. Preparing to Release Convicted Israeli Spy Jonathan Pollard, Officials Say

Wall Street Journal ^ | July 24th, 2015 | Devlin Barret

[MadIsh32]

The Obama administration is preparing to release convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard, according to U.S. officials, some of whom hope the move will smooth relations with Israel in the wake of the Iran nuclear deal.

Such a move would end a decadeslong fight over Mr. Pollard, who was arrested on charges of spying for Israel in 1985 and later sentenced to life in prison. The case has long been a source of tension between the U.S. and Israel, which has argued that a life sentence for spying on behalf of a close U.S. partner is too harsh. For decades, Israel has sought Mr. Pollard’s early release only to be rejected by the U.S.

[Brad from Tennessee]

FROM WIKIPEDIA:

Intelligence officials contend that at least some of the information purchased from Pollard ended up in the Soviet Union.[9] His motives, they argue, were monetary, not idealistic or patriotic.[9] He stole classified documents related to China that his wife used to advance her personal business interests.[11] He admitted shopping his services to countries other than Israel.[12] There is evidence that he sold classified information to South Africa, and attempted to do so with Pakistan.[12] He also attempted to broker arms deals with South Africa, Argentina, Taiwan, Pakistan, and Iran.[9]

. . . in June 1984 Pollard started passing classified information to Sella. He was paid $10,000 cash and given a very expensive diamond and sapphire ring, which Pollard later offered to his girlfriend Anne when proposing to her. Pollard was paid well by the Israelis: he received a salary that eventually reached twenty-five hundred dollars a month, and tens of thousands of dollars in cash disbursements for hotels, meals, and jewelry. In his pre-sentencing statement to Judge Robinson, Pollard said the money was a benefit that was forced on him. “I did accept money for my services,” he acknowledged, but only “as a reflection of how well I was doing my job.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Pollard

[kearnyirish2]

Snowden didn’t do the same thing; he exposed our government’s war on its own citizens.