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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsToday Snowden said he risked his life to expose NSA surveillance practices
theguardian.com, Friday 18 April 2014
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I was surprised that people who witnessed me risk my life to expose the surveillance practices of my own country could not believe that I might also criticize the surveillance policies of Russia, a country to which I have sworn no allegiance, without ulterior motive. I regret that my question could be misinterpreted, and that it enabled many to ignore the substance of the question and Putin's evasive response in order to speculate, wildly and incorrectly, about my motives for asking it.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/apr/18/vladimir-putin-surveillance-us-leaders-snowden
How exactly is copying millions of documents to a portable thumb drive risking one's life?
elias49
(4,259 posts)if he hadn't left the country??
Cali_Democrat
(30,439 posts)zappaman
(20,606 posts)So, Snowden would be small potatoes.
sabrina 1
(62,325 posts)that btw? And as we all know, the CIA would NEVER, EVER do something so 'wrrrrronnnnnggg'. Especially when they threaten to do so.
He risked his life, certainly his normal life, to inform the people here of what their government has been up to, and for that he will eventually be recognized, along with others, like Ellsberg, for what he did.
elias49
(4,259 posts)in an enhanced way. They've been known to do that kind of thing...
Generic Other
(28,979 posts)and I don't hate him at all. Funny how that is.
sabrina 1
(62,325 posts)as a totally innocent person. We are not known for our respect for Human Rights or respect for the law anymore. I think Snowden is going to be one of the first of many Whistle Blowers to come who will be seeking political asylum eslewhere.
arely staircase
(12,482 posts)or am I going to have to file that with the boxes bullshit and the 50 million American households that watch RT.
sabrina 1
(62,325 posts)In a world where I would not be restricted from killing an American, I personally would go and kill him myself, a current NSA analyst told BuzzFeed. A lot of people share this sentiment.
I would love to put a bullet in his head, one Pentagon official, a former special forces officer, said bluntly. I do not take pleasure in taking another human beings life, having to do it in uniform, but he is single-handedly the greatest traitor in American history.
That violent hostility lies just beneath the surface of the domestic debate over NSA spying is still ongoing. Some members of Congress have hailed Snowden as a whistle-blower, the New York Times has called for clemency, and pundits regularly defend his actions on Sunday talk shows. In intelligence community circles, Snowden is considered a nothing short of a traitor in wartime.
US Spies Talk About Killing Snowden
I think if we had the chance, we would end it very quickly, [an Army intelligence officer] said. Just casually walking on the streets of Moscow, coming back from buying his groceries. Going back to his flat and he is casually poked by a passerby. He thinks nothing of it at the time starts to feel a little woozy and thinks its a parasite from the local water. He goes home very innocently and next thing you know he dies in the shower.
US Intel Officials keep Talking about Killing Snowden, then say trust us with your data
In a world where I would not be restricted from killing an American, I personally would go and kill him myself, a current NSA analyst told BuzzFeed. A lot of people share this sentiment.
I would love to put a bullet in his head, one Pentagon official, a former special forces officer, said bluntly. I do not take pleasure in taking another human beings life, having to do it in uniform, but he is single handedly the greatest traitor in American history.
They don't seem to have much understanding of the rule of law, which of course explains why they were so willing to break the law by spying on the American people. These are dangerous people, now more obvious than ever, and as the JC article points, 'we should trust THEM with our 'data'?
arely staircase
(12,482 posts)MineralMan
(146,317 posts)Link? Show us.
sabrina 1
(62,325 posts)give too much credit to ALL Duers as people who are informed. Clearly in this case, I was wrong.
America's Spies Want Edward Snowden Dead
In a world where I would not be restricted from killing an American, I personally would go and kill him myself, a current NSA analyst told BuzzFeed. A lot of people share this sentiment.
I would love to put a bullet in his head, one Pentagon official, a former special forces officer, said bluntly. I do not take pleasure in taking another human beings life, having to do it in uniform, but he is single-handedly the greatest traitor in American history.
That violent hostility lies just beneath the surface of the domestic debate over NSA spying is still ongoing. Some members of Congress have hailed Snowden as a whistle-blower, the New York Times has called for clemency, and pundits regularly defend his actions on Sunday talk shows. In intelligence community circles, Snowden is considered a nothing short of a traitor in wartime.
US Spies Talk About Killing Snowden
I think if we had the chance, we would end it very quickly, [an Army intelligence officer] said. Just casually walking on the streets of Moscow, coming back from buying his groceries. Going back to his flat and he is casually poked by a passerby. He thinks nothing of it at the time starts to feel a little woozy and thinks its a parasite from the local water. He goes home very innocently and next thing you know he dies in the shower.
US Intel Officials keep Talking about Killing Snowden, then say trust us with your data
In a world where I would not be restricted from killing an American, I personally would go and kill him myself, a current NSA analyst told BuzzFeed. A lot of people share this sentiment.
I would love to put a bullet in his head, one Pentagon official, a former special forces officer, said bluntly. I do not take pleasure in taking another human beings life, having to do it in uniform, but he is single handedly the greatest traitor in American history.
They don't seem to have much understanding of the rule of law, which of course explains why they were so willing to break the law by spying on the American people. These are dangerous people, now more obvious than ever, and as the JC article points, 'we should trust THEM with our 'data'?
MineralMan
(146,317 posts)sabrina 1
(62,325 posts)which I suppose if you weren't around, you wouldn't know. Your opinion means very little to those who do know how reliable those sources are.
The CIA has threatened to kill Snowden, considering where this information came from, there is simply no doubt about that.
The CIA has not only NOT denied this, they have attempted to explain it by claiming the 'guys were just blowing off steam'.
There wouldn't be much point in them denying it, considering the credibility of the source.
Of course I understand your reaction, it is pretty shocking that we have sunk to this level regarding the rule of law in this country, no surprise the CIA would try to dismiss it as 'blowing off steam' or whatever.
Before you jump to conclusions about sources on this dem forum, it would be wise to know something about them. Apparently the CIA themselves, actually do.
HipChick
(25,485 posts)if not the payroll...
elias49
(4,259 posts)davidn3600
(6,342 posts)Most people wouldnt sacrifice that even if they found out their employer kills people.
In any case, I wouldnt put it past the CIA/NSA to find a way for Snowden to die in a "freak accident." I'm sure those agencies have done far, far worse in the past. But they probably wont try it while he's in Russia and being watched by the FSB. America doesn't want to start a world war over him...yet anyway.
Blue_Tires
(55,445 posts)Which is why I'm hoping the negotiations in Hollywood speed up...
BenzoDia
(1,010 posts)And the Guardian is officially trash to me now.
Scuba
(53,475 posts)Cha
(297,275 posts)Journalistic death toll in Putin's Russia
http://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2012/mar/11/journalist-safety-vladimir-putin
"risking his life".. first of all he hacked, Ran, and then leaked from the safety of the Russian Embassy in Hong Kong.. or did he Leak to China's newspapers and all over the Planet before he was a guest at the Russian Embassy?
treestar
(82,383 posts)his life would be in far less danger here.
marions ghost
(19,841 posts)...!
treestar
(82,383 posts)And you expect to have others go along with it. His life is at bigger risk there. I know some people really do hate the US - I see the Republicans are right when it comes to some people - I didn't hate it for opposing the war and the Republicans said we hated it for opposing the war. But there were some of us suffer from US derangement syndrome. And it's getting unrealistic. The idea the US justice system is worse than Russia's is delusional.
marions ghost
(19,841 posts)and more and more favors only the interests of the wealthy. Surely you see that.
The delusion is that Snowden would find any justice in post Booshcheney America.
Political exile remains the only option open to him.
treestar
(82,383 posts)The justice system is basically functional. Nothing can be perfect, but with all that publicity, Eddie would get all of its protections. I consider claims he will be sent to Gitmo or "tortured" to be pure delusion and most people would.
And it is one of the best in the world, though it may have problems. It is certainly better than Russia's.
marions ghost
(19,841 posts).... "Basically functional" --how about "barely functional..." ? The courts are clogged, the system is antiquated and often rigged in favor of the wealthy, and the politically and economically connected. Everyone lies and nobody cares. You have to see it to believe it. It's pretty close to tragic.
treestar
(82,383 posts)And you have nothing to back up your allegations. How is the system antiquated? Name a more modern system. You're against trial by jury or what?
marions ghost
(19,841 posts)--(honest) lawyers and public defenders agree with me. Not going to plead the case to you here. Do some research.
The legal system needs a lot of reform. (Like several other antiquated systems in the US govt).
baldguy
(36,649 posts)And if you believe that & agree with Snowden - I know a guy who's a Nigerian price and needs your help.
Response to Cali_Democrat (Original post)
Name removed Message auto-removed
Autumn
(45,096 posts)Welcome to DU.
Cali_Democrat
(30,439 posts)Poor Betty.
Autumn
(45,096 posts)gulliver
(13,181 posts)Maybe he means "foreswarn."
This guy is a character.
99Forever
(14,524 posts)... perhaps either the most disingenuous or the most ridiculously naive one I have seen on this on this forum in a very long time.
Or maybe it's just flamebait?
MohRokTah
(15,429 posts)Progressive dog
(6,904 posts)from the Snowden fans of why he really really truly would have been killed by the evil US government agencies.
99Forever
(14,524 posts)Progressive dog
(6,904 posts)none of which would explain why Eddie claims he risked his life. I attribute it to his egotistical focus on himself and to his Paulite libertarian leanings.
99Forever
(14,524 posts)Then there's reality.
Progressive dog
(6,904 posts)The Straight Story
(48,121 posts)MineralMan
(146,317 posts)His life? Probably not. But, he has already lost a measure of his freedom. He's stuck in Russia, with nowhere else to go. I imagine his Russian is improving, but he's not a Russian.
Would someone have killed him? Unlikely. The information was already compromised and would have been disseminated anyhow. As soon as he passed it along to someone else, there was no going back.
If he does come back to the US, he'll be serving some time in a federal prison, almost certainly. And he knew that there were serious potential penalties for transferring classified information to unauthorized people. That's made clear to everyone who deals with such information, they sign papers to the effect that they won't do it and understand those penalties.
I don't think he risked his life. He risked something though. Was it worth it? I don't know. That's a question only Edward Snowden can answer.
Vashta Nerada
(3,922 posts)cthulu2016
(10,960 posts)Cali_Democrat
(30,439 posts)...lost my virginity very early on in life.
Also, I smoked quite a bit of weed in high school and college....drank a lot too.
I sorta go with the flow, wholesomeness be damned...