FBI Probes if Official Spied for Israel

[Jackie97]

I’ve been saying it was going to happen for a while now. Sooner or later, Israel is going to do *something* to tick off the United States enough to make us turn against them. This won’t make us cut off aid or anything, but it might strain relations between the two countries.

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20040828/D84O8MM00.html

FBI Probes if Official Spied for Israel

"In a spy investigation that could strain U.S.-Israeli relations and muddy the Bush administration's Middle East policy, the FBI is investigating whether a Pentagon analyst fed to Israel secret materials about White House deliberations on Iran."

(snip).

"The link to Feith's office also could prove politically sensitive for the Bush administration."

(snip).

"The investigation centers on whether the Pentagon analyst passed secrets about Bush administration policy on Iran to the main pro-Israeli lobbying group in Washington, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which then was said to have given the secrets to the Israeli government, one official said. Both AIPAC and Israel deny the allegations."

(snip).

[still_one]

1. It is more than that

It represents how incompetent this administration is

This has major legs, but I am skeptical that the media will follow it because of the convention

[comradebillyboy]

2. clearly a rogue element in the fbi wants to embarrass

the heroic neo-cons in the pentagon and nsc. how can ashcroft allow these anti-semites to interfere with the administration plan to facilitate the rapture and end of times?

i just love it. this pile of shit may be tough even for rove and cheney to sweep under the rug.

[tinnypriv]

3. The official is Larry Franklin

According to the Hebrew press.

[Gimel]

4. The latest in the get Israel attacks

....


The Web site of the Washington Post on Saturday quoted two sources who identified the alleged Pentagon spy as Larry Franklin, a desk officer in the Defense Department's Near East and South Asia Bureau.

Israeli sources said Saturday that Franklin had work relations with Israeli officials, but that these relations did not exceed the boundaries of accepted diplomatic contact. The sources said that checks conducted over the weekend negated all possibilities of espionage or unacceptable conduct and that no Israeli had received classified information from Franklin.

....

Haaretz

Obviously another attempt to smear Israel. They might hang him though. I wouldn't be surprised after what they did to Pollard.

[Classical_Liberal]

5. Why is catching an Israeli spy an obvious attempt to smear Israel?

? Israel used the info Pollard gave them to trade with the Solviet Union for dissedents. Israel's interests are not necessarily Americas.

[Gimel]

6. No such trade

That is a fallacious argument which the American spy Ames used to try and deflect his own espionage charges as a double agent.

Franklin isn't an Israeli spy, and already they are changing the story and talking about charges such as passing on classified information. Giving something to AIPAC is not giving it to Israel, though it is very doubtful that any classified documents were shared that way.

AIPAC people like Richard Perl can get information from cabinet ministers, have discussions with presidential advisers, etc.

Looks like the whole story is falling apart. It is an attempt to smear the President before the elections, and cause more suspicion about leaks in his administration. It just coincidently harms Israel, though that probably wasn't the main intention.

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[IA_Seth]

9. Extremes

I am just getting back to civilization from the weekend, so this is post and another are the first I am hearing of this...

In regards to this post in particular, to say it is "an attempt to smear the President before the elections" without holding any type of wait-and-see attitude seems to me to be clearly as biased as those that will immediately say this story is 100% accurate. No one here (nor there) can say without hesitation that this story is right or wrong until more facts come out.

Do you doubt that Israel has spies in the US? I would assume they do, just as many other nations do as well. Espionage has become part of this era's "diplomatic" approach, as much as military actions have become this era's "humanitarian" approach. The world is still in its cold-war posture and these types of things are going to come out every now and then.

[Gimel]

11. Turn about

I would ask you how you can "assume" without any evidence to support it, that there are Israeli spies? Actually, the Pollard affair is said to have changed the game for Israel.

As far as the political angle, it is already being reported news casts as a possible motive, in view of the timing. It is no longer seen as an "Israeli spy", by the way.

[Jackie97]

20. Why does the president need to be smeared before elections?

He does a fantastic job of smearing himself.

I've read more about the story, and I think that Israel did send spies.

Hey, they've sent them to other parts of the world. Why not send them to the States or vice versa? Sooner or later, it was going to happen.

[Violet_Crumble]

10. "It is an attempt to smear the President before the elections"

Infuckingcredible :eyes:

I can't say anymore, lest my post join the ranks of the deleted...

Violet...

[Gimel]

12. Some seem to think

that Democrats are by political persuasion above reproach. It isn't so. A candidate from either side can be subject to ploys to try to caste him or her in a negative light. Being a Democrat means above political maneuvering? I doubt it.

[DenverDem]

13. Criticism of Likud/Mossad criminality is not anti-semitism.

FYI

[Gimel]

14. Israel Mossad or Likud

has nothing to do with this case.

[DenverDem]

15. How do you figure?

Where was the info going?

[Gimel]

16. What I heard

Franklin MAY have unknowingly or not shared some classified documents with AIPAC. There has been nothing to date to indicate that it was transferred to Israel or anywhere else. Certainly there is no accusation that Israel requested this or that Franklin was working for Israel or Mosad.

[DenverDem]

17. Right.

And busholini has no ties to the Smearboaters.

Whatever.

[Gimel]

18. None whatsoever.

FATYMTS*

[IA_Seth]

19. ??

What is FATYMTS*?

[Violet_Crumble]

21. Damn. Now we'll never find out...

Oh well...

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