No mercy for Jihad Johnny
My column today responds to the latest attempt by the Lindh family to drum up sympathy for their convicted Taliban helper son.
Bill Roggio: “Given what he could have been charged with, he should consider his 20 years a gift. Instead, he is made out to be a victim.”
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No mercy for Jihad Johnny
by Michelle Malkin
Creators Syndicate
Copyright 2008
If it’s December, it’s time for the Left to throw another shameless pity party for convicted American jihadist John Walker Lindh (aka Suleyman al-Faris, aka Abdul Hamid). Every Christmas season for the last four years, the Taliban accomplice and his parents have asked President Bush to pardon him. This country should save its tears and mercy for the defenders of freedom.
The further we have moved from the September 11 attacks, the cloudier our collective memory of Lindh’s case has become. Sympathetic journalists have rewritten the history, embracing him as a naive young hippie-dippie from Marin County, Calif.,who just caught in the “wrong place at the wrong time.”
Others, like Esquire magazine writer Tom Junod, have proclaimed him “innocent” and lamented Lindh’s life behind bars in a federal medium-security facility. Junod criticized the government for forbidding him to speak Arabic. (Human rights atrocity!) Meanwhile, he enjoys the privilege of cooking his meals for himself and fellow inmates, working in the library, and praying to Mecca. Junod insisted that Lindh deserves more “credit for his sense of purpose or his vast reserves of will” and more “credit for what it took to get to Afghanistan, much less what it took for him to get back to America.”
In Afghanistan, I remind you, Jihad Johnny took up arms with the terrorists. His purpose was to kill Americans and his “reserve of will” accomplished the goal. He told the feds he trained with al Qaeda before the September 11 attacks and he fought alongside them after Osama bin Laden’s henchmen murdered 3,000 of Lindh’s fellow citizens on American soil. He wrote a letter to his mother expressing support for the U.S.S. Cole bombing that took 17 sailors’ lives and, despite an emphatic denial by Lindh’s father that Jihad Johnny took up arms against his country, he recounted how his rifle malfunctioned on the front lines in Takar.
Finally, on Nov. 25, 2001, upon being captured and taken to the Qala I Jangi fortress outside Mazar E Shiref for interrogation, Suleyman al-Faris/Abdul Hamid/John Walker Lindh sat silent — and deliberately and defiantly chose not to tell American CIA officer and former Marine Corps artillery specialist Mike Spann about a planned Taliban prison revolt. Spann was killed in the riot.
Asked by journalist Robert Pelton at the prison if “this the right cause or the right place,” Lindh replied unequivocally: “It is exactly what I thought it would be.”
Who deserves the “credit” for “sense of purpose” and “reserve of will?” The saboteur of American freedom or the guardian?
Mike Spann’s family visited the fortress after his murder. They talked to Afghan doctors who will never forget his bravery. “They said they thought Mike might run and retreat, but he held his position and fought using his AK rifle until out of ammo, and then draw and begin firing his pistol,” Spann’s father said. “While watching Mike fight they were able to jump up and run to safety.
“They said the only reason that they, and several others, were able to live was because Mike stood his position and fought off the prisoners while enabling them the time to run to safety. The doctors stated that as they fled toward a safe haven they saw Mike run out of ammo and then witnessed him fighting hand to hand until he was overcome by the numerous Al Qada and Taliban prisoners.”
American hero Mike Spann will not get to cook dinner for widow Shannon and three young children. Mike Spann cannot curl up with a good book or go to church with his family. Pray for Mike Spann, show his family the compassion and gratitude they deserve — and may American traitor John Walker Lindh rot in hell.
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20 years is too little, true, it was a gift.
Thanks for the reminder MM.
Tears.
I feel the same as you about the team. You would think that beating Bama six straight years would get you some forgivness for a bad season. Apparently not. Oh, my other favorite college team? Whoever is playing Notre Dame!
How will President Bush respond to this last request for him to bailout Jihad Johnny? Will it be the old Bush?
“No pardon for you!”
Or will it be the new, compassionate Bush?
“I’ve abandoned the principles of justice to save the justice system.”
Will the real President Bush please stand up?
(Oops, my appologies – I didn’t see the wheelchair. I should have known that a lame duck in a crippled presidency can’t stand up.)
I confess that the two worst games I have seen in years were Auburn vs. Bama and USC vs. Notre Dame this year. I am so grateful that Notre Dame played worse than we did and earnestly hope more people watched that game instead of the Iron Bowl. It was fun watching Pete and USC kick Irish butt all over the place!
IIRC, Shannon Spann subsequently became a CIA officer to carry on Mike Spann’s work. Semper Fi! Mike and Shannon.
To JWL: RIFHMF!
Agree on both counts. But there is always next year.
WAR EAGLE!
Let’s not forget who Johnny Lindh’s lawyer is. It is a wealthy and politically connected San Francisco lawyer named James Brosnahan. Mr. Brosnahan is one of those liberal and wealthy lawyers who see no contradiction in representing wealthy privileged clients and still being a liberal dogooder after 5:00pm. Mr. Brosnahan was one of Lawrence Walsh’s special prosecutors back in the 1980s. In case anyone has forgotten the miserable Lawrence Walsh, he was the special prosecutor brought in to destroy President Reagan and to send as many Reagan aides as possible to the clink. When Walsh indicted Reagan Secretary of Defense Weinberger on flimsy charges, Walsh brought in Brosnahan to personally prosecute Weinberger. And Brosnahan loved every minute of it. Fortunately, the first President Bush pardoned Weinberger and also pardoned Elliot Abrams. Liberal well-heeled lawyers like Mr. Brosnahan have never gotten over it.
Thank you Mike Spahn.
Semper Fi.
isn’t it a shame we don’t play by the rules these jihad johnny jerks play by. i might even pay money to go to caleefornia, or wherever, and sit next to this aholes parents while some guy with a dull machete saws his head off, ala berg. i could cheer while the parents cried and screeched about what viscious murderers we are. until your ox is gored, it’s meaningless what happens to others when you care only for yourself.
“Free Hat”
Why was Jehad Johnny not shot at dawn for Treason? I’m just asking.
I still say he needs to spend every second of the 20 years in a cell with bubba who has a size 15, ahem, shoe.
ACLU.
He was not accused of treason. I believe the only person since the 1952 accused of treason is Adam Geydan [sp?]aka Azzam the American.
But I agree with an earlier poster who said that Taliban Johnny should be happier he was not found in an earlier age, if not executed on the spot, he probably would have been later on.
For the same reason that Jane Fonda, john Kerry, and Jim McDermott are still breathing. Because those in power do not care in the least about treasonous activity.
Lindh should be publically executed and his body buried far out to sea, off of American soil. His parents can go visit him anytime they want!
StanW — too bad when his sentance is over we can’t get something like the old novella “The Man Without a Country” — have him travel around on a naval ship for the rrst of his life, with no one permitted to say the word “America” in his presence.
You know, lifers in jail will do just about anything for a pack of smokes, just saying….
Except it would be a shame to have Lindh’s filth on a proud U.S. Naval vessel. Better to just take him out of U.S. Territorial Waters and drop him off.
But he is welcome to keep the handcuffs and leg-irons.
That’s a terrible thing to do to six innocent living piglets.
Why was he taken alive in the first place? Talk about chutzpah!
Someone should really explain to the seditious left that its OK to revile
John Walker LindhSuleyman al-FarisAbdul HamidHamza Walker LindhJihad Johnny because he’s a homophobe (islam is the Cadillac of homophobia.)In June 2002 I visited the prison on a daytrip since I was in Mazar-i-Sharif. The evidence of the fight was still all around and the location of Mike’s last stand still had at least twenty casings on the ground. It was clear he put up quite a struggle and the exit from the underground holding cell was perhaps thirty feet from his almost bare location. I recall, memory at work here, he was behind a burned out car or something based on the account given by the Afghan guide.
Let the American Taliban stay in prison. Letting him out only dishonors Mike Spann.
What’s frightening to me is the prospect that if Bush (rightfully) doesn’t pardon him; Obama will. The reason is because Frank Lindh donated three separate $500 donations last year to the Obama campaign, according to OpenSecrets.org.
I second both of those emotions!
To the Spanns: Your husband and father was an awesome man worthy of all praise and honor! I empathize with you over your loss of such an honorable man…
To JWL: I also say may you rot in H, you filthy MF!!! May You Rot!!!
of course we know that the liberal “free to be you and me, hug a tree can’t we all just get along” liberals will set that piece of human garbage free and he’ll be able to slice more worthy Americans’ throats!
Like they used to say in the old days Army, “SMOKE EM IF YOU GOT EM!”
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We got Johnny–warm up the slow cooker / smoker.
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Possibly a review of Saddam Hussein’s very humane treatment of prisoners would yield some good ideas. Ditto– reviews of the PASSION OF THE CHRIST and BRAVEHEART movies would help.
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But since we do not believe in vengeance, but in justice instead–give him his pick. Firing squad or a long drop with a short rope.
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It’s time to make treason and bearing arms against your country a real high punishment crime again. No pardon!
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John Bibb
I disagree. The fools were always there; they are just counting on the passage of time to make us fools. Not happening.
Waste of a bullet. Tree, rope, drop. Leave the body for the carrion birds.
Mike Spann is an American hero.
The toast in the officers’ mess is “Absent friends. Lest we forget.”
ECS
Maybe is is a hippie-dippie caught in the “wrong place at the wrong time.” However, no one held a gun to his head as he participated in a prison riot. That was an action and for actions there are consequences. Both he and his parents need to accept the reality and “man up” to those facts.
There are alot of people who have done the “wrong place at the wrong time” scenario and are in prison also. What do these journalists think makes this traitor different and deserves a pardon?
It makes you wonder about their values of right and wrong and their patriotism.
#124- Then let Obama pardon him.
Lord help us if it only takes $1500 to free convicted traitors.
I can understand Johnny’s parents wanting to get him oout of prison. Any parent would want to do that.
However, the punishment needs to fit the crime. Johnny is alive. Mike is dead. Johnny contributed to Mike’s death.
Johnny needs to pay the price. He was an adult when he decided to take up arms against his country. Treason is treason.
If it only takes a measly $1500 to free el taliban johnny, then this great group of bloggers should be able to come uo with $3K to free Ramos and Compean.
GSP
“This is Sparta!”
FWIW, his parents are the ding-dongs that brought up their son to hate his country. Goes a long way for me toward explaining why they have such a misplaced sense of “compassion.” Sort of like Casey Anthony’s screwed-up parental figures.
Not ANY parent would want him sprung from prison.
Any parent who was an American would have a son who was dead to them if that son was Jihad Johnny.
There’s gotta be sumptin in the water in Marin County….
Just wondering where the resident libs LGM and Chap are on this as there is nary a reply form them.
Lindh is a waste of life and I agree he should not be drawing wind anymore. Damned shame he’s alive while Mike is no longer with us.
Oh forgot to add Ilovemycountry also.
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I don’t think Bush will pardon the little monkey scum. Besides, it wouldn’t make the Left hate him one bit less; and the Right would correctly vilify him as a total sellout.
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absurd thought -
God of the Universe says
LEAVE Jihad Johnny alone
in a dark and dirty hole
with NO Koran just bacon
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Eff you Johnny, as well as all you sick, sick effs on the Left who support him. You are ALL mentally deranged. You should be glad he isn’t sent to an Iraqi prison, you sick bastards.
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absurd thought -
God of the Universe says
just HOPE to pay more taxes
DREAM about high fuel prices
CHANGE PROGRESS to move backwards
.
All real freedom starts with freedom of speech. Without freedom of speech there can be no real freedom.
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Philosophy of Liberty Cartoon
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Help Halt Terrorism Today!
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USpace
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>Not ANY parent would want him sprung from prison
WHen Taliban Johgnny was caught, my mother called me and said that if I ever pulled something like that, I should hope the government gets to me before she dis.
And I don’t think it was to give me some baked ziti.
Amen, RIP Mike Spann. Your sacrifice will not be forgotten. “Greater love has no man, than he lay down his life for his brother…”
I love my son (and my daughter) more than life itself. Yet if he pulled a stunt like Johnny Jihad and turned against his own country and fellow man, his a$$ better stay in prison. He would have me to fear.
amen.
Michelle:
I’m in a compassionate spirit this Christmas season. Could you please tell me where I can donate to the Spann family for their daughter’s education. Also, where can I send some pork renderings to Jihad Johnny???
The Lindh thug is a murderous and cowardly traitor. He’s lucky he only got 20 years.
Had I been doing the sentencing he would never have seen the outside of a prison again.
Johnny’s parents want Bush to show compassion during the Christmas season. Johnny is a Muslim and Muslims don’t celebrate Christmas, so why honor him with a pardon during the Christmas season?
I agreed w/ every word of Michelle’s post – until this. Michelle is a Catholic (I am too) and she knows the nature of Hell.
Michelle, all due respect; you’re terrific but you’re off base w/ this comment. We should be praying for this man’s repentance so he turns to the true God, repents his many sins and DOESN’T end up in Hell. God wants him to turn around so he can spend eternity with Him and we should too.
*off to pray some for Jihad Johnny, myself*
Just what the hell does it take to be tried and shot for treason in this country? How can anyone possibly defend this scumbag? How could they do so publicly?
I am still of the belief that the Truthers be brought up on charges of treason, sedition and aiding and abetting. Add supporters and defenders of them to that list as well.