Failed terrorist now wants a pardon.
“American Taliban” John Walker Lindh’s family is asking President Bush to pardon him and let him out of jail before Bush leaves office next month. Their reasoning? “John made a mistake in joining the Taliban.”
Yeah, you could say that. You could also say that John deliberately traveled to an area known for its extremist and intolerant practices and then trained to take up arms in furtherance of those values. He was captured on the battlefield standing in opposition to the United States and our allies. He participated in a prison uprising against Americans and our allies. For these crimes – and crimes they most certainly are – he was tried, convicted and sentenced to a term of 20 years. And we’re supposed to just say, “oh, well” and let him go free? Why, so he can head back out and take up arms against us again?
I understand he made a mistake. But it was a well-informed one on his part and such mistakes have consequences. I don’t see the case for a pardon, here.
