Frank Lindh, the father of American-born Taliban soldier John Walker Lindh, talks about his son at the Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on Thursday, Jan. 19, 2006. Lindh says his son is an honorable and decent young man who simply embarked on a — quote — ‘spiritual quest.’ The quest found the younger Lindh captured by American forces in 2001, alongside members of the Taliban. He pleaded guilty to supplying services to the Taliban in violation of U-S economic sanctions and of carrying weapons against U.S. forces.

Associated Press: ‘American Taliban’ Father Urges Clemency

After years of silence, the father of American-born Taliban soldier John Walker Lindh said Thursday he has asked President Bush to grant his son clemency, adding that the then teenager never raised arms against the United States.

“In simple terms, this is the story of a decent and honorable young man embarked on a spiritual quest,” said Frank Lindh, swallowing back tears at times during a speech at the Commonwealth Club, a nonprofit organization.

John Walker Lindh, now 24, was captured by American forces on Nov. 21, alongside the Taliban. Frank Lindh said his son thought he had been rescued by U.S. soldiers until he was taken into custody and tortured.

Flap understands a father’s concern for his son. And John Walker Lindh was young and immature.

But, he was an enemy combatant in a foreign country aiding the enemies of the United States.

Charged with conspiring to kill Americans and supporting terrorists, the younger Lindh avoided a potential life sentence in 2002 by pleading guilty to lesser charges of supplying services to the Taliban in violation of U.S. economic sanctions and of carrying weapons against U.S. forces.

Last year John Walker Lindh asked President Bush for a reduction in his 20-year sentence, repeating a September 2004 request the government rejected.

Until now, his parents have mostly maintained a public silence about the case, hoping to avoid a media barrage that could be detrimental to their son. But on Thursday Frank Lindh shared baby pictures and other photos of his son during the presentation and said he is proud of his child.

Lindh said he decided to break his silence because he hoped the story of his boy’s journey from bucolic Marin County to harsh Afghanistan battlefields will help gain him a reprieve.

If a teenager from California can enlist in the United States Army and fight the Taliban in Afghanistan or Al Qaeda in Iraq why should John Walker Lindh be given a reprieve or clemency when he aids enemies of this soldier? If this Army teenager makes a conscious choice to fight for the United States didn’t Lindh make the same choice to consciously fight against this American soldier?

If Frank Lindh is arguing that his son was young and clueless then he is wrong. Afghanistan is a long way from California. There was a concerted effort by his son to join the Taliban. He did not happen upon the scene.

John Walker Lindh should serve his sentence according to the federal sentencing guidelines and serve not one day more or less than prescribed by law.

American John Walker Lindh is seen in this undated photo obtained Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2002, from a religious school where he studied for five months in Bannu, 304 kilometers (190 miles) southwest of Islamabad, Pakistan. Lindh, who fought with the Taliban in Afghanistan, began his journey home from the war in Afghanistan on Tuesday to face charges he conspired with Islamic radicals to kill fellow countrymen.

No clemency for John Walker Lindh, the American Taliban.

Technorati Tags: JohnWalkerLindh, FrankLindh, Afghanistan, Taliban, clemency, PresidentGeorgeBush

ASSociated Press: CIA Confirms It’s Bin Laden on Audiotape

Al-Jazeera on Thursday aired an audiotape from Osama bin Laden, who says al-Qaida is making preparations for attacks in the United States but offers a truce on “fair” but undefined conditions. The CIA has authenticated the voice on the tape as that of bin Laden, an agency official said.

The tape’s release came days after a U.S. airstrike in Pakistan that was targeting bin Laden’s deputy, Ayman al-Zawahri, and reportedly killed four leading al-Qaida figures, including possibly al-Zawahri’s son-in-law. There was no mention of the attack on the segments that were broadcast.

It was the first tape from the al-Qaida leader in more than a year _ the longest period without a message since the Sept. 11 2001 suicide hijackings in the United States.

The al-Qaida leader is believed to be hiding in the border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Al-Jazeera said the tape was recorded in the Islamic month that corresponds with December.

Bin Laden refers to an alleged comment by President Bush about bombing the Qatar headquarters of Al-Jazeera, which was first reported in the British press on Nov. 22.

He also refers indirectly to the July 7 bombings in London that killed 56 people and to poll numbers that showed a fall in Bush’s popularity, as occurred in late 2005.

U.S. counterterror officials said Thursday they have seen no specific or credible intelligence to indicate an upcoming al-Qaida attack on the country.

So, Al Qaeda is suing for a TRUCE?

The al-Qaida leader did not spell out conditions for a truce in the excerpts aired by Al-Jazeera.

“We do not mind offering you a long-term truce with fair conditions that we adhere to,” he said. “We are a nation that God has forbidden to lie and cheat. So both sides can enjoy security and stability under this truce so we can build Iraq and Afghanistan, which have been destroyed in this war.

“There is no shame in this solution, which prevents the wasting of billions of dollars that have gone to those with influence and merchants of war in America,” he said.

How about a NOOSE?

Technorati Tags: GlobalWaronTerror, AlQaeda, OsamaBinLaden, Iraq, Afghanistan