Jerusalem – Former US secretary of defense Donald Rumsfeld said that Israeli agent Jonathan Pollard should not be granted clemency by US President Barack Obama, in an interview with Channel 10 aired on Thursday.
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Rumsfeld stated that freeing someone convicted of spying sends the wrong message that such behavior is acceptable.
Despite Rumsfeld’s comments, efforts to bring about the release of Pollard received a boost on Wednesday when a key Republican congressman and 100 New York State assemblymen called upon Obama to commute his sentence.
Rep. Michael Grimm of Staten Island, New York, became the first Republican Congressman to call for Pollard’s release following a recent meeting with him. He released a video on YouTube [first reported on VIN News] in which he called upon Obama to “do the right thing and let [Pollard] resume his life and return to Israel.
Hey Donald, why did the US free Christopher Boyce in 2003 who served 25 years in prison after being caught selling secrets to the Russians, an enemy of ours? Boyce was 22 when his father, a former FBI agent, helped him land a job at TRW Inc. in Redondo Beach. He eventually gained access to the “Black Box” vault that held communications with CIA headquarters in Langley, Va. I guess Boyce not being Jewish had something to do with it!
Jonathan Pollard has served 26 years already.
The message has been sent, the point has been made. ENOUGH.
What about all the other spies freed in weeks and months, like the group of Russian spies arrested a few months ago.
Why are they so affreid of Pollatd?
I think that’s totally fair enough. After all, the USA does not have any spies operating anywhere in the world, right? ;o)
What a hypocrite! He sure was happy when his former boss Richard M. Nixon was pardoned!
Here is one man whom I respect and even admire even when I diagree with him. Releasing Pollard will not send “the wrong message that such behavior is acceptable.” It will send a message that you will be imprisoned for more than quarter century if you spy even for an ally.
Only because he’s Jewish and tried to help Israel that he is serving a lifetime sentence.
He would probably have the same opinion regarding any others who have been convicted of espionage – and rightfully so. Regarding Pollard’s situation, his sentence doesn’t fit the crime.
Rumsfeld displays his true colors and double standard where Jonathan Pollard is concerned. He continues to be a cold hearted and vile creature who has obviously learned nothing about compassion despite dealing with the wounded military men and women he sent into battle, and dealing with their broken families. Does he feel zero sense of responsibility, zero remorse for what he contributed to the suffering of others? Does he ever open his heart just a little, or is it permanently sealed shut? Rumsfeld’s arrogance and insensitivity to the plight of those suffering are an embarrassment to Americans everywhere. Do not lose heart, Jonathan! We will continue to fight for your cause!
He is coming up to parole soon
Zohl der goy pigerin. 24 years is enough already. He is 57 years old and lost out on much of his life. LEt him live his life in peace. Are they afraid he will become a hero in Israel, run for Parliament and take a hard stance against the US? They can choose to deport him and put conditions on his release. Just let the man live free again. Maybe Israel needs to capture an American spy and do a trade.
“Rumsfeld stated that freeing someone convicted of spying sends the wrong message that such behavior is acceptable”
Well in that case any one put in Jail for anything should never be set free, because it sends a message that such behavior is acceptable.
U should know till today ,with all the leftist’s befauling Rumsi, I always defended him
Till now!
Yup, releasing Pollard sends a really encouraging message to potential spies:
‘Get caught & you will be released ‘early’ after sitting 27 yrs and decades of public pleas…’
This guy must be senile!! Thank goodness his stupidity is drowned out by the overwhelming majority of the political community who still have some common sense and have voiced their opinion that Pollard has more than paid for his crime.
Pollard was found guilty of treason… Pollard had a fair trial. pollard should do his time and some of you should stop whining. if pollard wasn’t Jewish, you could care less. Allow justice to take it’s course…. Pollard is still young. He needs more time to ponder treason. Treason should be punishable by death. meanwhile, pollard has fre cable, medical benefits, room and board. His airconditioning is paid for by people like you and me. Best thing for pollard right now is not to allow some of you to mingle in his business.
Pollard has kosher food and good representation as far as his religeous beliefs are concerned. Let Pollard have his 3 hots and a cot, hbo, cnn and whatever the warden pays for to keep the prisoner comfortable.. Sure it’s difficult. He got caught because he wasn’t good at what he did. Anywhere else you are convicted of treason and old sparky would have saved the feds a great deal of money supporting this treasonous crapper… Let him rot….
Well, Mr. Pollard and any other person who may wish to spy on the USA should not mind too much. Maybe the Americans will give him a full pardon after his time in jail is deemed too long and they will be able to spend the rest of their days in the summer sun on the beach or in a nice cantina or other place of enjoy. That seems like a good idea. Just take a chance and go. What do you have to lose right?
To #19 - Do you read about current events, or not? Pollard never had a trial. He plead guilty to one count of passing classified information. He was never convicted of treason. The government reneged on the deal that it made with him, because of Caspar Weinberger, Aubrey Robinson, DiGenova, and others who wanted to send a strong message to Jews working in government. Incidentally, Pollard has been in custody for 25 years and four months, and not 26 years.
Rumsfeld is right. We should not release someone convicted of selling some of our most secret documents to another country, even if the country is otherwise a “friend” of the U.S. A pardon or release now would mean that any government employee can decide for himself (or herself) when the circumstances warrant violating their vows to protect secret documents and release such documents to “friendly” governments.
There are multiple murderers that have done less time than Pollard. Enough is enough.
Maybe this a good thing. When was the last time thar Obama followed Donald Rumsfeld’s advice?
I guess the only way to be heard is to say some stupid and idiotic r u dumb or something Mr Rumsfeld
How about all the other spies with wore histories that has sentences commuted
Pollard is more than a traitor. He is a rodef who has cast suspicion on all Jews who serve in the government. If this was Russia instead of the U.S. He would have been responsible for causing pogroms. Life sentence? He should thank the Eibishter that they didn’t stand him up in front of a firing squad.
To #26 -Charley Hall-The government used the interviews that Pollard’s wife gave to 60 minutes, and the interview which Pollard gave to Wolf Blitzer, as an excuse to throw the book at them. The judge in this case (Aubrey Robinson) was an African-American, who had a bug up his nose towards Israel, because he did not like the assistance which Israel was giving towards South Africa. Caspar Weinberger, who had Jewish roots, hated his background, and wanted to make an example out of Pollard. The prosecutor DiGenova, also wanted to teach Jews in government a lesson. It was only a few years later that an American Indian U.S. Marine, was caught passing classified secrets to the Soviet Union. The Marine worked at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. P.S. The Marine served less than 10 years, as did a former F.B.I. agent, who was also caught spying for the Soviet Union. Aftrer all of these years, something still spells bad about the harsh sentence that Pollard received. I have never condoned what he did, but enough is enough!! P.P.S. The government also mistreated Pollard’s wife in prison, by deliberately withholding medical care for her digestive disorder, in order to put pressure on Pollard.
Why should I listen to one of the 21st century’s greatest unhanged war criminals?
Ronald Reagan’s shooter is walking free, and Pollard is still in jail! Is that the right message Rummy?
unfortunately, pollard SOLD information to another country. YES FOR CASH>>> was he good at what he did? NO! he got caught. if he weren’t jewish there wouldn’t be 46 threads so far on this blog. most of you wouldn’t care.
he gets 3 meals and a place to sleep PLUS A/C and CABLE at my tax dollar.
He has a big mouth which dug him deeper to trouble.
should , imo, he be freed. NO NO NO
my tax dollars are better spent keeping hin in prison then he gets out and somehow does more dammage..
let him stay until he repents, if not for this lifetime then let him sit there 180 years..