Snowden, Putin, Obama: Birds of a feather?

[Jerry Biggers]

Well, today we have this rather revealing story, "former" KGB/FSB officer, now President of Russia, Vladimir Putin announces that NSA "whistleblower" Edward Snowden can stay in Russia as long as he does not harm our friend, the United States! No, really. Even Putin quickly added that that's a strange comment to be coming from him.

Not really. The implications of this decision by Putin to accept Snowden (who apparently has now applied for "asylum" in Russia), and the capitulation of the U.S. government to this development says a lot about all three.

Read:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2013/07/01/putin-slaps-down-obama-again/

[Peter]

You mean Snowden won't come back to clear his name? For shame. Now he will end up in a Russian jail like "Pussy Riot."

Peter

[Jerry Biggers]

According to the reports of Putin's statement, Edward Snowden will be offered asylum in Russia, NOT jail. Usually, defectors from the West have been offered cozy accommodations.

And of course, Comrade Putin stated that Russia will NOT extradite Snowden back to the U.S.

Also, for the taglines, I said "compromise," but appeasement (on the part of Obama) is the correct word.

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Here is Snowden's latest message:

Snowden, in new statement, accuses Obama of using ‘old, bad tools of political aggression’

Michael

[BaalChatzaf]

Here is Snowden's latest message:

Snowden, in new statement, accuses Obama of using ‘old, bad tools of political aggression’

Michael

Twisting the underpants of the Mighty might teach them some humility. If so, Snowden might have done the rest of us a service. If so, his means can be ethically questioned, but the results might be a benefit. I think making Obama and his ilk look like the ass-holes they are in public is a fun thing to do. I keep thinking of the little boy who subjected his Emperor to public shame and ridicule by pointing out that he (the Emperor) was bare-ass naked. If I were sitting on a jury at Snowden's espionage trial I just might be tempted to give that pest a free pass.

All my life I wanted to be the little boy who shamed the Emperor. I never succeeded, but Snowden did. However I wish he had not given the NOC lists away. That is going to get someone killed.

Ba'al Chatzaf

[Jerry Biggers]

If Edward Snowden gives to the Russians (or Chinese, or anyone else for that matter, including to WikiLeaks) "Top Secret" data that would seriously compromise our national security (by that I mean, information, the release of which would make us more vulnerable to attack militarily, or by sabotage, or by cyber-attacks) to any foreign power or by terrorists, then he is quite simply a traitor, or worse.

This is assuming that he even possesses such data, or can provide information that would allow others to access such data. It is rather alarming that NSA does not know (or states that it does not know) how much data that he was privy to.

Some commentators in the MSM have speculated that Putin will simply use Snowden for any benefit that he can derive, propaganda, or otherwise. But once Snowden divulges whatever secrets that he still has that would be useful to the Russians, then his value to them is over, and they will either turn him over to U.S. authorities or allow him to leave and get arrested by us in a foreign country, or in transit.

[BaalChatzaf]

If Edward Snowden gives to the Russians (or Chinese, or anyone else for that matter, including to WikiLeaks) "Top Secret" data that would seriously compromise our national security (by that I mean, information, the release of which would make us more vulnerable to attack militarily, or by sabotage, or by cyber-attacks) to any foreign power or by terrorists, then he is quite simply a traitor, or worse.

According to the U.S. Constitution -proving the treason- would require the testimony of two witness who saw the act of treason being committed. There is not a chance that the U.S. could make the case. On top of which Snowden did not make war against the U.S. nor did he aid anyone making war against the U.S. At present, legally the U.S. is not at war with any nation nor is any nation legally at war with the U.S. There is no proof that Snowden has aided any particular terrorist group to make an act of war against the U.S.

That being said, Snowden is in deep kimchee concerning mis-allocation of data which by contract and law he had no right to disseminate. For that he can be charged and most likely convicted. He is either going to end up here in the U.S. and be looking at 30 years in prison or at best (for him) end up as a barely tolerated guest in some shit-hole country. I think Snowden will end up like the protagonist in -The Man without a Country-. He will eventually lead a miserable life, he will be despised in most places and he will have few friends. His misery would be plenty of punishment for him, foolish man. He let his nerd impulse lead him down a hard and sad path.

He is an over age boy-nerd. I know the mind and heart of The Nerd for I was once a boy-nerd.

Ba'al Chatzaf

[Xray]

Quite ironic that Obama once praised whistleblowers and promised to protect them:

When campaigning in 2008, Obama promised to protect whistleblowers, saying their “acts of courage and patriotism, which can sometimes save lives and often save taxpayer dollars, should be encouraged rather than stifled,” ABC News’ Megan Chuchmach and Rhonda Schwartz reported on Aug. 4, 2009.

http://www.counterpunch.org/2011/06/30/obama-s-war-on-whistleblowers/

[BaalChatzaf]

Quite ironic that Obama once praised whistleblowers and promised to protect them:

When campaigning in 2008, Obama promised to protect whistleblowers, saying their “acts of courage and patriotism, which can sometimes save lives and often save taxpayer dollars, should be encouraged rather than stifled,” ABC News’ Megan Chuchmach and Rhonda Schwartz reported on Aug. 4, 2009.

http://www.counterpunch.org/2011/06/30/obama-s-war-on-whistleblowers/

No irony. Like all other politicians, Obama is a fucking liar.

Ba'al Chatzaf