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Frank R. Lindh the father of John Walker Lindh writes: "John was a scapegoat, wrongly accused of terrorism at a moment when our grieving country needed someone to blame because the real terrorist had gotten away. Now that Bin Laden is dead, I hope President Obama, and the American people, can find it in their hearts to release John, and let him come home. Ten years is enough."

Frank Lindh is shown speaking to law students in front of a projected image of his son, John Walker Lindh, at the University of San Francisco, 02/06/11. (photo: Jeff Chiu/AP)

Bin Laden's Gone. Can My Son Come Home?

By Frank R. Lindh, The New York Times

25 May 11

On the evening of May 1, we learned that Osama bin Laden had been killed. The following dawn, I left my house in the Bay Area to catch a bus to Oakland International Airport. I flew to Indianapolis for a scheduled visit with my son, John Walker Lindh, at the federal prison in Terre Haute, Ind.

I love my son. I enjoy our periodic visits and our weekly telephone calls, but this visit felt different. "If Bin Laden is dead," I kept thinking, "why can't John come home?"

A convert to Islam, John was found, unarmed and wounded, in a warlord's fortress in northern Afghanistan in December 2001. He was subjected to physical and psychological abuse - a precursor to the mistreatment of many prisoners, in both Afghanistan and Iraq, by the American military during the George W. Bush era. Marines took a photograph of John, blindfolded, bound and naked. It was published and broadcast worldwide.

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-2 # davidhp 2011-05-25 09:06

Comparing the Taliban to the American's who fought the fascists in Spain during the Spanish Civil War is a stretching too far. The Taliban has far more in common with the Spanish Fascist than those who fought them.

+30 # Carole McArthur M.D. 2011-05-25 09:10

Yes, I agree. How could any 21 yr old realize the implications of what he was doing anyway? Why would anyone in the middle of Afghanistan understand that anything they did had US lawa appleid. I was in Afghanistan when I was about 20 and certainly would not have recognized this.

-3 # rf 2011-05-26 03:35

At 21 we are allowed to vote and are considered adult and required to make decisions. You suggest that an 18 year old that sells crack doesn't know what he is doing when he kills his competitor. When is one an adult? When they quit making stupid decisions. If this was the rule, then we have had presidents who weren't responsible.

-5 # rf 2011-05-26 03:41

He was caught fighting with people we are at war with. He was an adult. Seems like 20 years is fair. I think torture is egregious in every instance. The father should take responsibility for not guiding his son, not knowing what he was up to, and being surprised by this whole mess. At exactly what age do white boys become responsible for their actions? The community of colr knows that the age for them is about 14!

+20 # Carole McArthur M.D. 2011-05-25 09:11

I agree. He was a youth when this occurred and could not ahve recognized the legal implciations of what he was doing. We should free him.

+16 # June Cunniff 2011-05-25 09:51

The male brain does not mature until 25 (the female at 18) so why should this young man be punished for pursuing his spiritual quest which is the highest of callings. He should be sent home to his parents.

+26 # granny 2011-05-25 09:51

And then there's Bradley Manning, also imprisoned and tortured for doing what he thought was right. Our President, duly elected, should recognize that these young men are every bit as deserving of support as are the several "reformed" athletes he has chosen to hold up as some kinds of role models.

+29 # Dave W. 2011-05-25 10:10

Mr.Lindh,Your son was indeed a "scapegoat." The Bush Administration NEVER intended to capture or kill Bin Laden.His was the "requisite" face of terror needed to perpetuate our military involvement in the Middle East.This was about oil and
geo-political hegemony as laid out in Project for a New American Century with a number of Bush Adm.officials as signatories.Your son was used as a "visible" face back here at home not only in a covert war against the Islamic faith but a "warning" to others that becoming an "other",meaning anything less than unwavering support for our imperialism in the Middle East,might come with a heavy price.The "real" terrorists are those who got us into these wars of empire under "false" pretenses and those who refuse to get us out.Your son got mixed up with the wrong people at the wrong time.He's paid his "debt" to society whilst the "true" criminals write books of faux courage and give inane speeches about sacrifice. I truly don't believe your son will be released until,and if,President Obama is re-elected.Releasing him now would not be "politically expedient." And that is truly an injustice in a country where injustice is becoming more commonplace everyday.Ten years is indeed long enough for a twenty year old young man's momentary lapse in judgment.My best wishes to you and particularly your son. May our "collective" sanity come to his rescue.

-20 # Timaloha 2011-05-25 12:45

Lindh received military training at TWO terrorist camps, one in Afghanistan and one in Pakistan and attended a lecture by Bin Laden prior to 9/11. Clearly, he was a willing participant in armed combat against fellow Americans. And he participated in an armed prison break in which an American CIA officer was shot and killed. He is a traitor and a terrorist and is lucky he only got twenty years. His age is no excuse for his behavior. He was an adult.

+16 # Dave W. 2011-05-25 15:13

Timahola, Congratulations ! You win both the "blind nationalism" and "just don't get it" awards all on the same day. Conservatives who lay claim to being "adults" have decimated our financial system for the sole reason of making enormous profits for themselves and started a Middle Eastern war/chain of events that will serve the Military Industrial Complex for decades unless halted. Lindh was an impressionable young man who made a mistake in judgment. There is nothing "clear" about his willingness to engage in combat against fellow Americans. His conversion to the Islamic faith WAS a clear indicator that he believed his native country was acting in an irresponsible manner in promoting the Christian faith as our "sole" guiding light. He's been tortured and imprisoned for ten years. The most grievous charges against him have been dropped. Please take your two awards and report to your Fox News commanding officer for further instructions.

-12 # Timaloha 2011-05-25 16:14

Nice sweeping generalization, Dave. I'm not a conservative, I'm a liberal, atheist, Olbermann/Matthews/Maddow fan and Obama-supporting Constitutionali st who happens to be a disabled U.S. Army infantry veteran. I don't apologize for believing that if you join forces with and fight beside enemies of your country then you are a traitor. You'd be whistling a different tune if Lindh had taken up arms against your father/son/brother/etc and killed or injured them. You're yapping politics, I'm talking the reality of combat and war. And I've already got awards...a Bronze Star and a three Purple hearts. You're welcome.

+10 # Dave W. 2011-05-25 19:04

Timaloha, First off, nice generalization Timahola. I'm NOT a Obama supporting Constitutionali st. I would lay claim to being a liberal/humanitarian. My respects for serving your country and regrets on your disabilities. The record would indicate that the U.S. government does NOT believe Lindh guilty of the crime of attempting to kill or injure fellow Americans. Did Lindh take up arms against YOUR father/son/brother? You're logic is skewered to the personal and that's not what the discussion was about. Yes, I'm "yapping" politics which got this country into this mess in the first place in case you haven't been paying attention. Lindh, was, from all accounts, a mixed up young man who forged alliances with the wrong people. This does NOT make him a natural born killer nor someone whose actions should be punished indefinitely. He has been tortured and served ten years in prison. Another ten won't heal your wounds whatever they happen to be. You are understandably proud of your awards while in the military. My congratulations . Now try excising the hate which obviously still flows through your veins. By the way, I'm a Deist as well as being a fan of Olbermann and Maddow. I don't trust Matthews. You claim to being a liberal. Mercy and compassion are weapons against radical ideologies as well. What will ten more years do to Lindh? His family? You're welcome as well.

-1 # BBFmail 2011-05-28 05:28

BUT...bin Laden was our friend. Jimmy Carter, the CIA and Brzezinski loved him so much that they provided him with millions of US taxpayer $$$$ and assisted him and his soldiers in every way in his efforts to killed Russian soldiers in Afghanistan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJTv2nFjMBk

+16 # mtnview 2011-05-25 13:21

Your son is a political prisoner in a country that says it is ruled by law, and values justice. Mr. Lindh, my heart goes out to you, to your family and your son. Amnesty International is one organization that might help. On behalf of my country, I offer my apology for the devasting impact you and your son have suffered. As Americans, we all have a lot of 'splaning' to do.

+12 # liberalman 2011-05-25 15:58

Scapegoat. Pure & simple.

-3 # JohnnyK 2011-05-26 10:24

Lindh was a soldier fighting with the Afghan army. The Taliban was the Afgahn government at that time.

+2 # Amentha V Dymally 2011-05-26 10:53

I think this fellow should be allowed to come home, even if he has some strict parole parameters. But, if there is no evidence that he was fighting American Soldiers......he shouldn't have been there in the first place.

0 # BBFmail 2011-05-28 05:18

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dn1EXwjFOa0

+1 # teineitalia 2011-05-28 06:11

yes, Mr. Lindh, Bin Laden is gone, but the hard truth is that he won anyway.

He won, because he was able to pit Americans against one another; he won because he was the point man, used by the military/industrial/congressional complex and the Bush war criminals to create enough fear in the citizenry that they blindly followed the ranting of crazies at Fox News and other conservative media; he won, because he created the need for a "revenge war" that has drained our treasury and brought our economy to its knees; he won ... and we have lost so many of our best and brightest in retaliatory wars that have seen more innocents die and more death and destruction than we would have thought possible pre 09/11

My heart goes out to you and your family. Your son is a scapegoat, pure and simple, as another commentor suggested. I pray that your son will be allowed to come home and heal. Our whole nation needs a healing ceremony.

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