Commute John Walker Lindhs Prison Sentence!

George W. Bush
President of the United States of America
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20500



In May 2001 John Walker Lindh, an American citizen, traveled to Afghanistan to fight along side the Afghan Army and against the Northern Alliance faction, notorious human rights violators. Lindh did nothing illegal as an 1896 Supreme Court decision maintained it constitutional for an American citizen to join a foreign army. American men fought in Spain during the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s. Today, many Jewish American citizens join the Israeli Army for a time. Lindh did nothing different.

After the 9/11 attacks the United States government cut relations with the Taliban government of Afghanistan and allied itself with the Northern Alliance faction. During this time the Northern Alliance captured Lindh and handed him over to the American troops.

In American custody Lindh was subjected to a variety of torture including exposure to extreme cold, untreated wounds, and being placed in a metal container for over a week.

All of the top United States officials came out and slandered Lindh, calling him a terrorist, saying he intended to kill Americans, and that he was connected to the 9/11 attacks.

Unable to obtain a fair trial Lindh agreed to a plea agreement in which he pled guilty to the sole charge against him: he violated the trade embargo against the Taliban government. For this minor charge, Lindh received a 20-year prison sentence.

Lindhs only legal recourse at this point is the Presidents pardon power. Lindh is not asking to be pardoned. He merely is asking for a commutation of his sentence, that is an early release from jail.

Lindh is not scheduled for release until 2019. Many others caught in similar situations as Lindh, such as Yaser Hamdi and David Hicks, have already been released to their home countries and families.

We ask the President to extend some clemency to John Walker Lindh and commute his sentence.