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Treason prosecutions in the modern U. S. are exceedingly rare; although an [[al-Qaeda]] operative born in [[California]] was recently indicted, other U. S. citizens who have fought in [[Afghanistan]] on the [[Taliban]] side, notably [[John Walker Lindh]] and [[Yasser Esam Hamdi]], were tried on lesser charges, and Hamdi is now a free man.  This is in part because there were no treason prosecutions arising from the [[Cold War]]; even the Rosenbergs were tried and sentenced to death for [[espionage]], the selling of secrets, which led their lawyers to complain that they were being treated more harshly than the average American traitor in [[World War II]], only two of whom had been sentenced to death.  [[Aldrich Ames]], originally charged with treason after his spying for [[Russia]] during the Cold War was revealed, averted prosecution for this charge by reaching with the government a plea agreement to lesser charges, and is now serving a life sentence.   

Treason prosecutions in the modern U. S. are exceedingly rare; although an [[al-Qaeda]] operative born in [[California]] was recently indicted, other U. S. citizens who have fought in [[Afghanistan]] on the [[Taliban]] side, notably [[John Walker Lindh]] and [[Yasser Esam Hamdi]], were tried on lesser charges, and Hamdi is now a free man.  This is in part because there were no treason prosecutions arising from the [[Cold War]]; even the Rosenbergs were tried and sentenced to death for [[espionage]], the selling of secrets, which led their lawyers to complain that they were being treated more harshly than the average American traitor in [[World War II]], only two of whom had been sentenced to death.  [[Aldrich Ames]], originally charged with treason after his spying for [[Russia]] during the Cold War was revealed, averted prosecution for this charge by reaching with the government a plea agreement to lesser charges, and is now serving a life sentence.   

The decision not to charge the Rosenbergs with treason may stem from the fact the Cold War remained cold instead of being formally declared by [[Congress]].  This would mean that the definition of "enemies" is actually more problematic than that of any other word in the Constitution's treason clause, since the Rosenbergs quite obviously adhered to the [[Soviet Union]] and give it aid and comfort.  Comparably, [[Jonathan Pollard]] was also charged with espionage when he passed American secrets to [[Israel]], a state which could not conceivably be described as an enemy of the U. S. in any way, and sentenced to life in prison.  As with the Rosenbergs, there were loud protests; unlike them they included calls for a Presidential [[pardon]].

The decision not to charge the Rosenbergs with treason may stem from the fact the Cold War remained cold instead of being formally declared by [[Congress]].  This would mean that the definition of "enemies" is actually more problematic than that of any other word in the Constitution's treason clause, since the Rosenbergs quite obviously adhered to the [[Soviet Union]] and give it aid and comfort.  Comparably, [[Jonathan Pollard]] was also charged with espionage when he passed American secrets to [[Israel]], a state not usually be described as an enemy of the U. S., and sentenced to life in prison.  As with the Rosenbergs, there were loud protests; unlike them they included calls for a Presidential [[pardon]].

[[category:government]]

[[category:government]]