Netanyahu 'Looking Forward' To U.S. Release Of Spy Pollard

[Purveyor]

Source: Agence France-Presse

Jerusalem (AFP) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday welcomed news of the impending release of Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard after 30 years in a US prison.

"After decades of effort, Jonathan Pollard will finally be released," Netanyahu's office quoted him as saying.

"Throughout his time in prison, I consistently raised the issue of his release in my meetings and conversations with the leadership of successive US administrations. We are looking forward to his release."

Pollard, a former US Navy intelligence analyst convicted of spying for Israel, will be released on parole on November 21, his lawyers said earlier.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/netanyahu-looking-forward-release-spy-pollard-202921999.html

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

1. Beat ya...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027020926

[Purveyor]

13. You did but I thought this could use LBN coverage...

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

14. Damn you, purveyor! You cad!

Jest foolin.

[Purveyor]

16. Well I'm relatively 'consistant' at least...

[rpannier]

2. What a magnificent job you did Bibi

He's being released because they have to
I guess giving away secrets to a country that traded them to the Soviets does not qualify as exceptional circumstances
If I had been on the board, I would have voted no

[delrem]

3. 30 yrs is fine. Hopefully he'll go live in Israel,

where they want him.

[Purveyor]

12. I can't wait to cover the celebrations the israelis will hold upon his release. Greatest friends

and allies, indeed.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

15. With friends like these...

Who needs enemas?

[MADem]

4. His release date was published by the Bureau of Prisons on the day he did his intake into prison.

"Bibi" has known for THIRTY YEARS the exact date when this guy was getting out.

No one did Israel any favors on that score.

Now, if they dump him at the Israeli embassy and say "Get him the fuck outta here," rather than spend money supervising him for the next fifteen years in a parole capacity, that might be regarded as a slight "favor."

But only a very slight one--after all, it will cost us a bundle to supervise that guy--let Israel support him. They've given him citizenship, so--assuming he wants to go live there--that would be a "favor" to let him go.

[NCjack]

9. It will be interesting to see what his services for Israel have earned for him. A govt job,

a villa, a pension, ....

[MADem]

10. Make no mistake, that guy was a profiteer. He wasn't some ass who acted out of some higher sense

of loyalty to a cause; he acted for personal and pecuniary gain. He sold stuff to the old USSR. He was run by the Israelis as their spy--and he was paid handsomely--he got paid very well, and regularly, too-- for betraying his country.

The stuff he gave Israel must have been FABULOUS (and he gave them more than we even know--he damaged national security in a big way)...they certainly have been relentless in griping about him down the years, and they granted him citizenship early in the process. I think they may want to use him as an example (See? We won't abandon you if you get caught doing our bidding) of how they stick by people who work on their behalf, but that doesn't work too well when the US government insists--rightfully, too--that he serve every frigging minute and second of the sentence allotted to him.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

17. No thanks.

Let the spy serve out his parole in the USA.

[MADem]

19. Apparently, per reports downthread, the "deal" is he only does five years of parole instead of 15.

15 is the max, anyway. He'll be 66 by the time he reaches Israel's shores.

[Submariner]

5. He should spend life without parole

In the Navy brig, and the Israelis who bought off this asshole should be arrested and jailed even if its 30 years later.

Traitorous spies don't go free....ever...period.

[MADem]

20. His max sentence was 30 years, even with a life sentence. 15 years max parole.

Those were the sentencing guidelines at the time of his conviction.

[azurnoir]

6. well Bibi's going to have to wait : US won’t let Pollard move to Israel for five years

Jonathan Pollard, the former civilian analyst for the US Navy convicted of spying for Israel, will be required to remain in the US for five years after being released from prison in November, a US official indicated late Tuesday.

Pollard, an American granted Israeli citizenship after being jailed for spying for the country, is set to be released on November 20, after 30 years in jail, the US Justice Department said Tuesday.

Despite being a highly-regarded figure in Israel, which has lobbied for his release for decades, Pollard will have to remain in the US for five years, a White House official said.

“The president has no intention of altering the terms of Mr. Pollard’s parole,” said Alistair Baskey, a spokesman for the White House’s National Security Council.

The White House said Pollard had committed “very serious crimes” and would serve his sentence under the law.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/us-wont-let-pollard-move-to-israel-for-five-years-official-says/

[MADem]

11. That's GOOD news! Frankly, I think they should hold him for the full fifteen, just to piss off

Bibi. Friends don't spy on friends. On the one hand, we have to pay to supervise him...but five years is a good amount....

And it will piss off the people who benefitted from running him as a spy....

[Steviehh]

7. Pollard

Traitor helping foreign government. Needs to rot in jail. He cost lives.

Compare him to Snowden who was trying to right a wrong.

[Hoppy]

8. Don't we still owe Israel $$$ to pay for the munitions they used to attack the USS Liberty?

[timdog44]

18. Amazing how our alllies

get away with this.
Glad to see the USS Liberty has not been forgotten. Our ship attacked and our men killed and injured by a country who receives financial aide from us. To be used against us. In 2012 over 99% of the aide was military aide.

[iandhr]

23. Though I agree with you

He was sentenced to life but "mandatory parole after 30 years." He has done 30 years.

[lsewpershad]

21. The vast majority

of Americans living in Puerto Rico are anxiously waiting the same treatment for Oscar Lopez of PR.

[iandhr]

22. It has nothing to do with you Bibi.

His sentence was life but parole after 30 years.

He has been in prison for 30 years. He has done his time you didn't do anything.