Jonathan Pollard pleaded guilty to violations of the Espionage Act in 1987 and became the only American to ever receive a life sentence for passing classified information to a U.S. ally, Israel. He was released on Friday:
After spending 30 years in prison for spying on the U.S. for Israel, Jonathan Pollard was released Friday. His attorney confirmed Friday morning that Pollard has been released, shortly after Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement welcomed his release.
"As someone who raised Jonathan's case for years with successive American presidents, I had long hoped this day would come," Netanyahu said. "After three long and difficult decades, Jonathan has been reunited with his family."
The New York Times adds that Pollard is currently not allowed to leave the country:
Jonathan J. Pollard, the American convicted of spying on behalf of Israel, walked out of prison early on Friday after 30 years, the Israeli prime minister said, but the Obama administration had no plans to let him leave the country and move to Israel as he requested.
[...] The one-paragraph missive did not mention Mr. Pollard's desire to immediately move to Israel, which would require a waiver of federal parole rules. Israel Today, a newspaper based in Jerusalem that often reflects the views of Mr. Netanyahu, reported on Thursday that the prime minister had personally appealed to President Obama during their meeting this month to lift the standard prohibition on parolees leaving the United States but received no response. American officials confirmed that.
[...] Two Democratic lawmakers wrote to the Justice Department last week urging Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch to grant the request, saying that Mr. Pollard would be willing to renounce his American citizenship and never return to the United States. They noted that a spy for Cuba was allowed to renounce his American citizenship and live in Cuba in 2013 after serving his sentence.
But the White House repeated on Friday that it would not intervene in the matter. "The president has no plans to alter the forms of his parole," Benjamin J. Rhodes, Mr. Obama's deputy national security adviser, told reporters on Air Force One en route to Malaysia, where the president was traveling. He referred questions to the Justice Department.
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Just days after the release of convicted spy Jonathan Pollard, Ronald W. Pelton is set to be released. In 1986, Pelton was convicted for selling classified information from his work at the National Security Agency to the Soviet Union. According to Secrecy News:
Tomorrow Ronald W. Pelton, a National Security Agency communications specialist who was convicted in 1986 of spying for the Soviet Union, will be released from prison.
Like Jonathan J. Pollard, who was convicted of spying for Israel and released last week, Pelton was apprehended in 1985, which became known as the Year of the Spy because so many espionage arrests and prosecutions took place during or around that time.
A search of the Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator indicates that Pelton's release, which has not been widely noted, is set for Tuesday, November 24. It further identifies Pelton as a 74 year old white male (Register Number 22914-037).
The Pelton case had several distinctive features.
Unlike most spies of the time, he did not steal U.S. government documents and turn them over to a foreign government. Instead, he was able to sell the Soviets information based on his "excellent memory and [...] encyclopedic knowledge of intelligence activities." Among the U.S. intelligence projects he compromised was IVY BELLS, an effort to secretly tap Soviet undersea communications cables.
Operation Ivy Bells tapped Soviet submarine cables during the Cold War.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Runaway1956 on Saturday November 21 2015, @06:30AM
I believe that if I were in Pollard's position, I would take a little "vacation" to southern California, cross the border into Mexico, continue south, and fly out of - ohhh - maybe Venezuela - to Israel.
I don't believe in parole. I really don't. Parole officers, as near as I can tell, just make life miserable for everyone involved. The average parolee doesn't have transportation, telephone, or much of anything. He's lucky if he can find a job and a place to sleep under a roof. But, he's forced to jump through hoops at the whim of some parole officer, getting to arbitrarily set appointments, coughing up fees, etc ad nauseum.
To hell with the parole system.
I don't even have any great desire to move to Israel, or any other country, but I'd sure as hell skip parole within days after getting out of prison. Being a free man in almost any third world country would be better than kissing some parole officer's ass at least once a month.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Ethanol-fueled on Saturday November 21 2015, @07:36AM
Sure, if you can escape to a hero's welcome.
Your average parole or probation situation doesn't involve a tickertape parade and a sprinkling of shekels. Probably serves as good motivation for getting the hell out, though from a diplomatic perspective it would make sense not to flee. You've already beaten the system. No point in running when you know you're gonna be taken care of. You get to live in New York already around a bunch of asshole Jews, hell, New York might as well be Israel.
Jews run the United States. Pollard would be equally at home in Israel, Miami, Los Angeles, New York City, or Chicago. The only reason why fleeing to Israel is an issue here is because Israel can thumb its nose at the US in such a manner. The Goyim are eating it up like flies on a fat pile of shit.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by Runaway1956 on Saturday November 21 2015, @07:59AM
Mmmm. I see that you really don't like Jews. Me, I don't really give much of a damn about them. The US is in love with Israel, primarily because while the rest of the mideast was falling into the Soviet sphere of influence, Israel chose to come into the US sphere of influence. That, and a predominantly Christian nation has far more sympathy for a Jewish nation than for any Islamic nation.
It's not even as if Israel needs our support. They've kicked ass each and every time they've been attacked. They just don't NEED US.
And, my attitude is, if there really is a God, and that God favors Israel, then Israel doesn't need anyone's support. Let them sink or swim with God's assistance.
I don't like or dislike them - I dislike my own government for being so involved in all the crap in the mideast.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 21 2015, @02:55PM
> Mmmm. I see that you really don't like Jews.
You can see it. Why do you think it is?
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Saturday November 21 2015, @04:51PM
I can see it. Probably because he makes it so obvious?
Oh - you want to know "why does he hate Jews"? Well, I'm not sticking MY head up his ass, to read his mind! Maybe you should ask him instead?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 21 2015, @05:05PM
> Well, I'm not sticking MY head up his ass, to read his mind! Maybe you should ask him instead?
You stick your head up the asses of everybody you consider an enemy. Feminists, gays, SJWs, etc.
Their shit must be sweeter.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Saturday November 21 2015, @06:04PM
You're projecting, Cupcake. You know you really shouldn't do that. I am what I am . . .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i26E_5m4Tt8 [youtube.com]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 21 2015, @06:21PM
> I am what I am . . .
Yep. A predictable hypocrite.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Saturday November 21 2015, @07:09PM
Well, AC, I'm so glad to hear what you think. I'll file that away somewhere in the back of my mind, and I might even think about it someday.
Receive criticism and compliments positively
Accept compliments graciously.
Allow yourself to make mistakes and ask for help.
Accept feedback positively – be prepared to say you don't agree but do not get defensive or angry.
https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/Assertiveness.htm [mindtools.com]
LMAO
(Score: 2) by PinkyGigglebrain on Saturday November 21 2015, @09:51PM
Why even bother with that. All he has to do is get into a car from the Israeli embassy with diplomatic plates. No one will stop them even if they run every red light along the way.
Drive to the nearest airport where a Israeli diplomatic plane is waiting, Jonathan boards said plane and flies away.
No one would try to stop him lest it cause an "incident" with Israel
I expect he will be out of the USA within the week.
"Beware those who would deny you Knowledge, For in their hearts they dream themselves your Master."
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Ethanol-fueled on Saturday November 21 2015, @06:46AM
They are killing your citizens. But you would not dare criticize them, lest you be accused of RACISM.
They are relocating citizens from the Middle-East to make room for greater Israel...which isn't actually a bad idea, if the endgame involves getting the goddamn Jews out of our own societies and cutting off all aid to them.
They are fifth-columnists. I do not advocate eradicating them, because they are cunning and we must study their methods as we would study any weapon of mass destruction. We must make a place for them. I suggest evacuating all of those hot fertile thick-butted Arab women and liberating them into Western culture, nuking the remaining Arab males, then running special ops strikes on all Israeli nuclear weapons facilities.
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Ethanol-fueled on Saturday November 21 2015, @07:16AM
What the hell is this? Funny, but disturbing. [youtube.com]
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 21 2015, @10:24AM
then running special ops strikes on all Israeli nuclear weapons facilities.
The last time one of your presidents told them "no nuclear weapons for you", he was shot in the head.
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 21 2015, @10:32AM
Why steal land from Arabs? Isn't it mostly desert?
Please tell me more about these fertile thick-butted Arab women. Got any pics?
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 21 2015, @10:36AM
if the endgame involves getting the goddamn Jews out of our own societies
Getting the jews out of america will mean only the modern, unorthodox, zionist jews will leave. Which leaves you with the inconvenient problem of orthodox jews, historically also known as internationalists.
Did you know that orthodox jews do not support the israeli state? They used to travel the world in search of a host nation and that america is welcoming them, they are not going to leave unless america runs into deep economic problems it cannot get out of. Then they will search for another host nation they can pillage and exploit.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 21 2015, @08:26AM
life sentence for passing classified information to a U.S. ally, Israel
Not true. He sold information to whoever would buy it. The lowest form of life and that might have nothing to do with him being jewish, but you can't be sure.
Related question: Why wouldn't Hollywood make a movie of this businessman/spy?
Related answer: Because Hollywood doesn't want to.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 21 2015, @12:10PM
Hwood is bought and owned by the military.
(Score: 2) by Magic Oddball on Saturday November 21 2015, @12:40PM
Re-read the summary. He stated outright that his loyalties were (and likely are) divided between the USA and Israel — it definitely wasn't a case of giving info to the highest bidder.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 22 2015, @12:07AM
He tried on three different occasions to sell information to Pakistan. How is that related to loyalties?
His only loyalty was to money. When caught, he and his wife tried to use his Jewish race to get American Jews behind them.
And by the way, he can state whatever the fuck he wants.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by Phoenix666 on Saturday November 21 2015, @12:35PM
I don't really understand the motivation for releasing Pollard. It's something that Netanyahu and Israel have been pushing for for a long time. However, Netanyahu and Obama (and increasingly large swathes of the United States) do not like each other. There's no reason to do anything nice for Israel in a case like this. It's like awarding Congressional Medals of Freedom to the Israeli pilots who attacked the USS Liberty.
The only possible reason I can think of is that the puppet masters believe releasing Pollard will shore up Jewish voter support for their best candidate to keep control of the Oval Office, Hillary Clinton. But I do think that if that's the case then they're overestimating Pollard's status as a factor for influencing how Jewish voters cast their ballot; there are some in the American Jewish community who place Israel's interests above their own country's, but polls (run by Zionist organizations) show that fewer and fewer American Jews identify with Israel at all.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 21 2015, @01:22PM
> I don't really understand the motivation for releasing Pollard.
Wikipedia says that when Pollard was convicted the law mandated parole after 30 years absent bad behavior or likelihood of recidivism.
If they were sucking up to Israel they would have let him emigrate since he holds israeli citizenship.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 21 2015, @06:15PM
He did the minimum time and didn't shank anyone in prison. He got paroled like anyone else. Obama was probably not even notified until he saw the headlines on CNN after the fact.