Pentagon Analyst May Have Been Israeli Agent

Last week, the FBI announced that a Pentagon analyst involved in Iranian issues was under investigation, as others may have been, for possibly working for Israel. Lawrence A. Franklin has worked under neo-con heavy-weight Douglas Feith, who. The FBI was very deliberate in saying that Colonel (for that is his rank in the Air Force reserves) Franklin was in no position to influence American policy. The Sharon Government in Israel was deliberate in saying it has done no spying on the US lately. And the Bush administration has been deliberately silent. The deliberation is the result of a need for everyone to be careful because there is no way to make this look good, especially if the colonel is innocent.

The biggest problem is way this story, as it continues to bleed all over the papers, reinforces the belief in the Muslim world that US policy is infinitely pro-Israel, or even that US policy is run from Tel Aviv. The conspiracy theorists, especially those in the Muslim world, will never believe exoneration of Colonel Franklin no matter what. This fits in with their world view, and his innocence is not possible in that view -- an acquittal is a cover-up

Israel itself has a problem if the colonel is an agent of theirs. Spying on the country that underwrites its existence makes the Israelis look ungrateful. At the same time, if the Sharon government is telling the truth, that there are no Israeli operatives working to secure American secrets, then his government is incompetent and is risking Israel's security. Every nation needs spies, and no nation can omit the US in its espionage. America is just too important.

Apologists for Israel are already suggesting that if any spying occurred, it didn't harm the US, and therefore, isn't espionage. This is wrong. Espionage under US law covers a great many activities, but the key words in Title 18, Part I, Chapter 37 Section 793 of the US Criminal Code say that "Whoever, lawfully having possession of, access to, control over, or being entrusted with any document, writing [and the list goes on] . . . relating to the national defense, or information relating to the national defense which information the possessor has reason to believe could be used to the injury of the United States or to the advantage of any foreign nation, willfully communicates [or otherwise gives over] . . . to any person not entitled to receive it" is guilty of espionage [emphasis added].

In the run up to the election, it is an embarrassment for the pro-Israeli, neo-cons who believe that re-working the Middle East is America's job. However, this is a problem that will fester long after the election is over. Israel's last spy to get caught by the US, Jonathan Pollard, was arrested in November 1985. He is still in prison.


© Copyright 2004 by The Kensington Review, J. Myhre, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent.


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