Edward Snowden on Russia

You will remember Edward Snowden as the National Security Agency 'whistleblower' who leaked classified information about the NSA's surveillance activities five years ago, and who found asylum in Russia. (No other country would take him in.)

His recent comments about Russia are very interesting (and confirm my own prejudices, which is why I'm posting this link).

An excerpt :

"National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden has delivered his most trenchant criticism yet of the Russian government, describing it unequivocally as “corrupt”.
His comments mean the proposed US-Russia summit in Helsinki on 16 July is potentially risky for him if Donald Trump was to request Vladimir Putin to hand him over.
Snowden is wanted in the US on three charges under the Espionage Act, carrying a minimum of 10 years each in jail. Putin could balance the propaganda value of having Snowden in Russia against providing Trump with an easy gift."
​

Whatever you think of him, he's obviously a man with principles.

Full story here.

 

He's been got at by the Pentagon because he wants to go back to the US, so will say anything he's told to say. But that's a mere sideshow when the main thrust of the Trump-Putin initiative is to get Russia on-side against holy jihad before it's too effing late - if it isn't too late already!!

 

Whoa ... you say the Pentagon has made a deal with him .. say that the Russian state is corrupt, and you can come back, no hard feelings? That's pretty dramatic. What's your source?

[I'm pretty sympathetic to the idea that we need to find a different approach to the Russians, and that stopping the jihadis is an interest we have in common. But that's true no matter what the character of the Russian government is. Heck, we worked with Stalin against a common enemy, and no one is claiming that Putin and friends are reincarnated Stalins.]

 

Why post source links for those who in all probability won't believe them? We live in the age of lies and blatant disinformation from all governmental sources and the mainstream news outlets, so I just 'read between the lines', closely watch the body language of the spokespeople, then reach my conclusions. As to what I've highlighted in your second para - there are quite a few even within the confines of PF who believe Stalin was a compulsively benevolent humanitarian compared to Putin. Oh, and all 'states are corrupt', even our own?

 

Snowden deserves a Congressional Medal of Freedom

as well as a full pardon!

 

Leave Snowden where he is. It wasn't a good thing when Lee Harvey Oswald returned from Russia.

 

I completely agree !!

 

Assange and Manning too.

NB. I don't know if Assange is still imprisoned in the Ecuadorian Embassy though . . . probably is!

 

I am pretty sure Assange is still imprisoned in Equador - an appalling affront to the principles of individual liberty on which Western democracy was founded.

 

Indeed so - the most unscrupulous abuse of power against the individual I've ever known. I hope that the architects of it get cancer and die soon.

 

It is part of the Establishment's attack on freedom of the press/freedom of speech. Getting rid of net neutrality - given the number of people directly affected - is perhaps a bigger abuse of power (not against just one individual but against the collective).

There are other examples of those who tried to out Gov't criminality through legitimate channels. They were persecuted as well - their lives/careers ruined - Police State showing up and ramsacking their houses and threatening them with kangaroo court proceedings.

The Assange example is chilling due to the example it sets to others who might engage in free speech that challenges the Establishment.

Phil Donahue is good example - of someone who was made an example. He was the male version of Opera Winfrey and had a career spanning 2 decades. He made the mistake of speaking out against the Iraq war at the wrong time - and has never worked since.

Bill Maher made the mistake of challenging one of the necessary illusions on his show "Politically incorrect". His big blunder ? He questioned the bravery of dropping 1000 lb bombs from airplanes - in relation to some terrorist who is willing to strap bombs to himself.

It is an obvious truth - regardless of whether one agree's with the terrorist - it is unquestionably a brave thing to do. There is a fine line between bravery and stupidity. Storming a hill in WW2 protected by machine Gun turrets may have been brave ... but, perhaps not the smartest thing to do. In any case - this is certainly a whole lot braver than dropping a bomb from an airplane or controlling a drone in a room 1000 miles away from the action.

Careful if what you are saying challenges a "necessary illusion" - even if it is the Truth.

 

Interesting post, Giftedone - what strange times we live in, where those who proclaim themselves to be our servants are our masters who will ruthlessly persecute any of us on a whim. **** them all is what I say!

 

That's insanity.

He deserves a trial, and that's about all he deserves.

 

He did nothing wrong. It's the people he exposed that should be on trial

 

Where did I say that 'all states are corrupt'? Perhaps our difference is this: I don't think the American state is somehow different from all others, uniquely pure and virtuous and seeking only the good of mankind. But neither do I think all states are equally bad. In any case, in a clash between a 'relatively good' state, and a 'relatively bad' one, it's not axiomatic that the relatively good one is always right and to be supported. You have to look at each case.

I do believe that all states use lies and force to achieve their ends, and that there is some degree of corruption within all systems -- in the US it takes the form of campaign contributions, and only occasionally outright bribes. But I definitely do not draw an equals sign between the liberal democracies, which include the US, and authoritarian states like Russia and Turkey and Iran ...nor do I place an equals sign between them and places like North Korea. No, the liberal democracies are just the best that humanity has achieved so far.

As for Stalin-lovers on this forum ... I probably haven't read enough threads to spot any, but I haven't spotted any. Putin is far better, from the point of view of Russians and non-Russians, than Stalin.

 

F manning. What he did and what Snowden did couldnt be further from eachother.

 

The Federals don't want him to have a fair trial because "secrets" to their violating our 4th Amendment will be further revealed.

A closed trial would not be justice. It would be more Sovietsky or even


Moi

Murder by State.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Riel​

 

Snowden is a traitor and deserves a trial and a rope...

 

Exposing violations of the 4th Amendment is not a true crime.

The criminals are the ones who violate the Bill of Rights and declare their behavior top secret.

If anyone should appreciate Snowden, one would expect conservatives to do so.
They love the Constitution more.

@Dispondent, Please think through "why we have a Bill of Rights". History, etc. before replying. Gracias.


Moi
psst, it was to keep the Federals in check.

​

 

What Snowden whistle-blew was the NSA violating the Constitutional Rights of literally everyone in America.

He's a Fing Hero.

 

Exposing classified information is a crime, regardless of its intent. Had Snowden released the information and paid the price for it, I might well agree. Instead Snowden ran off first to Communist China, who rejected him, and then to Russia, who we weren't all that friendly with at the time. Putin isn't allowing Snowden to stay out of the goodness of his heart, so he's not done betraying our country yet...

 

The people exposed control the system.
And fools celebrate the system and want to hang the individual(s) who expose the corrupt system.

 

And he has paid a price for his heroism.
Loss of home and the familiar.

 

My 4th Amendment Rights supersede their classified.
That's why we have a Bill of Rights. Duh - uh!
Truly, you didn't give the Bill of Rights a thought as requested, did you?

 

What the government did or did not do is separate to Snowden running off to Moscow with our secrets. As I said, my opinion of Snowden would be vastly different had he not fled like a traitor. Snowden betrayed America, there is no excuse for that, he is no hero and never will be...