How can you possibly arrive at that conclusion, having never seen the memorandum and having no idea of what specifically is in the memorandum? (BTW, Klein said he read the memorandum, but admitted some of it was redacted. However, he could make assumptions as to what was in the redacted parts based on the titles of the sections.)
And how can you say the judge is not an issue? It's the judge who imposed the sentence, not Weinberger nor anyone else. It's very basic: there are two sides that bring their positions and papers before the judge prior to sentencing (pre-sentencing hearing), the prosecution and the defense. Weinberger's memorandum (assuming Weinberger actually wrote it) doesn't have to control the judge's thinking. There are many other factors for him to consider: most importantly in this case, the plea agreement. The judge is NOT obligated to rubber stamp Weinberger, but in this case he either did, or even went beyond Weinberger's wishes in meting out the disproportionate sentence. Remember that Pollard pled to unauthorized use of classified documents ONLY.
This smells of the possibility of some secret backroom deal made between someone in the government and the judge, without Pollard or his attorneys privy to it, or the possibility of Pollard's attorneys selling out their client behind his back.
One question for you: what is NIS?
I'm not suggesting a backroom deal couldn't have been made with the judge. My point was that the Weinberger memo did provide him a basis to break the deal, if true. I have zero sympathy for Pollard, but given the fact that his sentence is nearly over, I think the important issue becomes what happened, and why. And no, the judge doesn't get a pass on that. But like even the attorney who "forgot" to file an appeal, they're not the important historical issue. That becomes what the memo said, and when did the powers at be know many of the charges alleged to be in the memo were false. If Pollard did out our agents in Europe, info he had no access to, should we be calling for the release of Ames (Pollard's investigator) and Hansen? They confessed to providing the names.
Personally I'd have shed no tears had Pollard died in prison, he's not guilty of treason, but in common usage of the word, he's a traitor. But I suspect there were more serious systemic issues underlying the 30 year Pollard saga.
You're correct, this was likely a 3 to 5 year crime. I'm not sure if you're correct about the declassification of the memorandum, but that could well have happened in the last couple years.
An aside, Pollard worked at an NIS facility, the Navy Antiterrorist Alert Center.