Kerry reportedly says he will consider freeing Jonathan Pollard as part of prisoner swap

Kerry reportedly says he will consider freeing Jonathan Pollard as part of prisoner swap

Secretary of State John Kerry will travel to the Middle East in the first week of the new year amid a flurry of reports in the Israeli press that he has said he would consider freeing convicted spy Jonathan Pollard. Israel's Channel 10 TV station first reported Friday that Kerry offered to free Pollard as part of an exchange for the release of a fourth group of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails as peace talks resume between the two sides. The third of four groups is scheduled to be released Monday, the Jerusalem Post reported. Pollard, a former U.S. intelligence analyst, pleaded guilty to passing national defense information to the Israeli government in 1986 and was sentenced to life in prison the following year.

How dare this man. Why should America give up a traitor who by all rights should be dead so Israel will give up some prisoners to another country. America shouldn't be involved in these peace talks if anyone should mediate these talks it should be the UN.

Wow Buster....

For the first time ever we agree.

There is hope....

People trading must be a real ego boost. Kerry has been high on power for awhile. He is not good at hiding it at all (smug as can be along with the others in his posy). Maybe they will begin setting up arenas and bring back a gladiator mentality soon. We will never evolve if we keep giving so much power and glory to "leaders". Can someone please come up with another idea already?

reply to post by buster2010


Pollard should have been executed instead of prison.. besides any trade to release Palestinian prisoners is no good..Israel just rearrests them a month later.

Pollard is...awkward. It's pretty tough for Israel to be playing America's BFF while he is busy sitting it out in the Crowbar Hotel for being naughty at their behest.

reply to post by buster2010


I thought Netanyahu gave ##snipped##, et al, the finger - just like Saudi Arabia has - and Egypt - and Turkey - and Germany, ect.

Maybe this is a way that kerry wants to bud back in and seem relevent in some way.

reply to post by buster2010


Do not go against your Dear Leader Buster! I actually agree with you for possibly the first time ever. Pollard should be executed, same as the Palestinian terrorists. Same as any foreign national caught spying and passing information to the US.

Nowadays extortion comes in many shapes and forms…

In this case Jonathan pollard. As disappointed as I read this article I thought Yankees dose not negotiate with the terrorists.

If this happen then it will pave the way to more kidnapping, capturing of more innocents civilians for extortion purposes.

Happy1
reply to post by buster2010

 

I thought Netanyahu gave obozo, et al, the finger - just like Saudi Arabia has - and Egypt - and Turkey - and Germany, ect.

Maybe this is a way that kerry wants to bud back in and seem relevent in some way.

Benny will keep kissing Obama's butt as long as the checks clear.

OccamsRazor04
reply to post by buster2010

 

Do not go against your Dear Leader Buster! I actually agree with you for possibly the first time ever. Pollard should be executed, same as the Palestinian terrorists. Same as any foreign national caught spying and passing information to the US.

First Kerry is not my dear leader.
Second Pollard is not a foreign national he is an American citizen. He was given Israeli citizenship while he was in prison.
Third if you are going to execute Palestinian terrorists then you have to execute the Israeli terrorist as well.

reply to post by buster2010


The logic of it could be that Pollard has been imprisoned long enough and is now a pawn in the game of "trade up". Besides that, Pollard is a cause celebre there, so the value to the U.S. of letting him go is more than that of keeping him in jail for his remaining years. He's been punished, and now will return for his honoring at home (or his quiet move to the Falklands to retire as a sheep herder).

reply to post by buster2010


If memory serves me right, Pollard was burned by the Israelis in the first place. Wasn't he refused entry into the Israeli embassy while he was attempting to avoid arrest?

Pollard wasn't an Israeli agent he was an Israeli Asset that outlived his usefulness once he was detected by the FBI. I can't see the value that he would have, even given his Israeli citizenship, for the Israelis.

On the other hand, if the opportunity is presented to allow the Israelis to place some new assets into play as part of an apparent prisoner swop, then this could be a win/win all round.

Except of course for the target of the newly released assets in Palestine...

redshoes
reply to post by buster2010

 

If memory serves me right, Pollard was burned by the Israelis in the first place. Wasn't he refused entry into the Israeli embassy while he was attempting to avoid arrest?

Pollard wasn't an Israeli agent he was an Israeli Asset that outlived his usefulness once he was detected by the FBI. I can't see the value that he would have, even given his Israeli citizenship, for the Israelis.

On the other hand, if the opportunity is presented to allow the Israelis to place some new assets into play as part of an apparent prisoner swop, then this could be a win/win all round.

Except of course for the target of the newly released assets in Palestine...

You are right Israel turned their back on him for years after he was in prison before finally admitting he was spying for them. But Israel has no American prisoners so why should we give up a traitor and get nothing for it.

buster2010

OccamsRazor04
reply to post by buster2010

 

Do not go against your Dear Leader Buster! I actually agree with you for possibly the first time ever. Pollard should be executed, same as the Palestinian terrorists. Same as any foreign national caught spying and passing information to the US.

First Kerry is not my dear leader.

Who do you think Kerry gets his marching orders from? What Kerry is doing is what your Dear Leader commands ... so in that sense yes, Kerry is your Dear Leader.

Second Pollard is not a foreign national he is an American citizen. He was given Israeli citizenship while he was in prison.

Typical of your posts, unable to understand what is being said. Pollard was a foreign national to the Israelis, whom he was spying for. The people in other countries are foreign nationals to America, spying for America.

Third if you are going to execute Palestinian terrorists then you have to execute the Israeli terrorist as well.

I completely agree. Any Israeli who goes into Palestinian territory and attempts to bomb their citizens, or any Israeli who fires rockets into Palestine from Israeli territory, should be executed. Find me the Israelis doing such and let's petition for it to happen.

reply to post by OccamsRazor04


Is there any former "ally" in the middle east talking to the obama administration anymore?

I don't think so - I believe we have completely lost touch of anything that would matter in the middle east.

America is now the laughingstock of the world - we will be destroyed - kerry is a clown. As is the rest of the politicians in the USA.

See mccain promote anti-russian "sentiment" in the Ukraine ......

We are the world's enemy now - to be destroyed....

reply to post by Happy1


Russia and China are the 2 countries we SHOULD be promoting negative sentiments about. Unfortunately the current administration seems to be alienating all our allies and bending over for Russia and China. Not that Russians and Chinese are bad people .. just their governments. Russia, China, and the US all deserve better.

reply to post by OccamsRazor04


I agree with you - and the Iranian people just want to live in peace, also. Who wants this stupid bloodshed and chemical warfare? Drone killings? And all the un-necessary killing? And to what end?

Happy1
reply to post by OccamsRazor04

 

I agree with you - and the Iranian people just want to live in peace, also. Who wants this stupid bloodshed and chemical warfare? Drone killings? And all the un-necessary killing? And to what end?

Sure they do.That must be why they arm,train and fund the likes of hezbollah and hamas I guess.Because Iran knows Israel would kick their coward asses so use them as pawns."Just want to live in peace" my ass.

Happy1
reply to post by OccamsRazor04

 

I agree with you - and the Iranian people just want to live in peace, also. Who wants this stupid bloodshed and chemical warfare? Drone killings? And all the un-necessary killing? And to what end?

Iran doesn't desire peace, they are simply more intelligent than Iraq and know they are outmatched. If you want to believe that were Iran strong enough to do as they wish they would be peaceful you are welcome to do so, that belief doesn't match reality though. NK is much the same.

The Iranians are simply following the same playbook as NK to acquire nuclear weapons.NK told the world they needed nuke power for electricity then exploded bomb.Iran tells the world they have to have nuclear program for the sick then proceed to build 6000+high speed centrifuges.And last week I heard of Iran talking of producing nuclear fuel for their submarines.