

Ecuador has received asylum request from NSA leaker Snowden - teawithcarl
http://rt.com/news/ecuador-asylum-request-snowden-135/

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codex
Snowden's choice of helper countries is a national security risk to the United
States. Here you have someone in possession of (still undisclosed) state
secrets from his work at the NSA, and who needs help from a foreign
government. That's the very definition of compromised. What is he going to
trade for protection? More classified information, of course--possibly much
more sensitive information than the existence of programs like PRISM, which
foreign spy agencies have likely known about for years. He has national
security information, foreign governments want it, and they eventually will
get it. This intel will eventually flow to China and/or Russia, where it will
remain secret and used against the United States.

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blhack
This is a very jingoistic mentality.

Perhaps Ecuador cares about human rights?

~~~
brown9-2
I doubt that his why he has chosen Ecuador as a place of asylum. It's because
they won't respond to an extradition request.

[http://www.cpj.org/blog/2013/06/new-ecuadoran-legislation-
se...](http://www.cpj.org/blog/2013/06/new-ecuadoran-legislation-seen-as-gag-
law-to-muzzl.php)

~~~
cpursley
Nor does Russia, which seems like the most logical choice.

~~~
brown9-2
Perhaps. The chances of being used as a pawn seem much higher in Russia.

~~~
cpursley
True, but less chance of being taken out.

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throwawayyyz
Bad idea. I personally know a guy who was illegally kidnapped by the US
government from Ecuador with the assistance of local police. Snowden will
regret this decision.

~~~
werid
Mossad kidnapped Vanunu from Italy. With or without local help, you can be
kidnapped anywhere.

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mordechai_Vanunu](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mordechai_Vanunu)

~~~
tzury
1986 is not 2013.

The fact this is not going off the top news makes it much harder - in all
aspects (the tactic operation is just one aspect to such act).

~~~
threeseed
But it will go off the top news.

The US government has all the time in the world and in months/years from now
when nobody remembers his name there will be an opportunity for a extradition
to be done quietly.

~~~
goldfeld
That's my thought . But I guess there's a way for him in working together with
Assange from now on, thus keeping a high profile.

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sudhirj
[http://wikileaks.org/WikiLeaks-Statement-On-
Edward,253.html?...](http://wikileaks.org/WikiLeaks-Statement-On-
Edward,253.html?updated)

The Wikileaks statement has been updated to confirm this.

------
nodata
This is all one hell of a distraction from what the government did.

~~~
jakejake
Yea it's a pretty classic debate technique - [http://www.orange-
papers.org/orange-propaganda.html#divert](http://www.orange-papers.org/orange-
propaganda.html#divert)

It's also a great time for lawmakers to pass unrelated, controversial
legislation while everyone's attention is elsewhere.

~~~
eli
You imply it's intentional. People (both "the media" as well as HN readers)
are focusing on Snowden because it's much more exciting and interesting to
read a real life spy thriller than discuss an NSA spying program that we all
knew existed (at least in principle) for years.

~~~
jakejake
I can't really argue with you, but I personally suspect it's a bit of both.

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sho_hn
First Assange and now Snowden. One wonders when Ecuador's capacity to act in
this role would run out.

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cdash
Why should it run out?

~~~
brown9-2
His safety in Ecuador seems highly dependent on the attitudes of the current
ruling party/president. What happens if a more US-friendly group takes hold of
power?

~~~
general_failure
That could happen with any country.

Since we are arguing this way - Maybe the next US president has good will
towards Snowden and he will come back home as a patriot.

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return0
It doesn't necessarily mean that he has to go to Ecuador, he can stay in the
Ecuadorian Embassy in Moscow (if there is one). But, can he? He doesn't have a
visa to exit the airport.

~~~
sold
Reports say he used diplomatic cars [1] to avoid visa requirement.

[1]
[https://twitter.com/NewsBreaker/status/348800297700835328](https://twitter.com/NewsBreaker/status/348800297700835328)

~~~
throwaway10001
If Russia bent it's rules. Having been at many international airports, I can't
see how a car entered that holding /transfer area. His passport has been
cancelled but is there an international db to check valid vs non-valid ones?
What if Russia made believe they never got the "Snowden's passport has been
cancelled" memo?

~~~
lmm
AIUI passport requirements are up to the receiving country. If Ecuador are
willing to receive him then he can travel there (and travel through any number
of airports on the way as long as he stays "skyside"), passport or no. Indeed
the best policy for Russia and Snowden is probably for him to not legally
enter Russia at all.

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Havoc
Damn - all these places seem to be leaking info like a sieve.

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ChuckMcM
What does Ecuador get out of offering him asylum? I could get Russia or China
but don't see the appeal of Ecuador.

~~~
eli
Ecuador's President was very close to Hugo Chavez and his open hostility
towards US influence in South America helped him consolidate power.

It is politically beneficial for him to embarrass the US government and make
them appear weak.

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moo
News you can trust, with desk reporter Julian Assange, field reporter Edward
Snowden. Today we give an update on John McCain's trip to Syria, with video of
McCain's night feeding on human organs with his best buddy, opposition leader
Khalid Al-Hamad.

Yeah, I'm liking the new media.

~~~
jlgreco
So to be clear, your hypothesis is that he is still in Hong Kong?

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throwaway10001
I hope he has plan B, or starts planning it. Ecuador is a tiny country and can
easily be influenced by USA once this government falls. In smaller countries
when USA needs a favor, it "forgets" a few things their leader does when it
comes to human rights, elections and so on.

