

Snowden Is Said to Renew Plea for Asylum in Russia - captiva12
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/13/world/europe/snowden-russia-asylum.html

======
jere
>...Mr. Snowden could stay in Russia only if he agreed to “cease his work
aimed at inflicting damage on our American partners.” Mr. Snowden told the
gathering of activists that he did not see an obstacle in this condition. “No
actions I take or plan are meant to harm the United States,” he said,
according to the activists present. “I want the United States to succeed.”

A few days ago:

>Edward Snowden has withdrawn an application for asylum in Russia, apparently
deciding that he couldn't abide by President Vladimir Putin's insistence that
he stop leaking U.S. secrets, a Kremlin spokesman said Tuesday.

[http://www.latimes.com/news/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-
edward-s...](http://www.latimes.com/news/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-edward-
snowden-russia-asylum-20130702,0,5873964.story)

First, Hong Kong is a perfect place to avoid extradition. Despite that, he
then goes to Moscow. He applies for asylum in Russia, then revokes it, then
applies again.

I'm getting more and more skeptical of any claims that all of Snowden's
actions are part of some brilliant plan.

~~~
fixxer
> I'm getting more and more skeptical of any claims that all of Snowden's
> actions are part of some brilliant plan.

This is a very dynamic situation. I'm not going to fault the guy for trying,
but he is obviously out-gunned. Everyday he avoids U.S. custody is a win.
Personally, I think there needs to be greater efforts made at home to protect
his status as a whistle blower. The current administration obviously isn't
losing their interest in getting him. Perhaps the next one will be different
(not holding my breath).

~~~
thomasjames
He is already a civilian and will not be court marshalled, which is why
Bradley Manning is in a military prison. Ellsberg enjoyed the full rights of
being a civilian when he leaked from RAND Corporation. The thing that a lot of
people do not get is that the Snowden case would go through the civilian
courts system. Sure the more sensitive subjects would be subject to
injunctions and have be argued before being admitted to court, but the same
thing is going to happen with the EFF case in the Northern District of
California.

~~~
fixxer
I tend to agree with Ellsberg regarding the unlikelihood of Snowden being free
on bail. I think this government will claim whatever they need to lock him up
and throw away the key.

Flag waivers aren't going to mind because the government is "just trying to
keep them safe".

------
shrikant
So Michael McFaul, the US ambassador to Russia, called a member of the human
rights delegation today and asked her to pass on to the message to Snowden
that he is not considered a whistleblower [1].

This is deliciously ironic timing -- just yesterday, the US Embassy in Russia
released a statement condemning the posthumous conviction of tax fraud
whistleblower Sergei Magnitsky [2].

[1]
[https://twitter.com/RyanLizza/statuses/355704161536450562](https://twitter.com/RyanLizza/statuses/355704161536450562)

[2]
[http://moscow.usembassy.gov/pr_071113.html](http://moscow.usembassy.gov/pr_071113.html)

~~~
fixxer
I find this administration _so_ infuriating. They are truly living down to my
expectations.

~~~
phaus
It's not this administration or the last administration. It's almost all
politicians. The next time we have an election, we will get to pick a new one
out of a pool of several hundred people who are almost universally just like
Obama, Bush, and all the rest.

As a whole, American voters have a really short memory. After 8 years of one
party running the country into the ground, they will gladly elect a member of
the other party, and then repeat the cycle after another 8 years of the same.

The worst part is that while even a bad plan can achieve marginal success,
completely changing course every eight years guarantees failure.

~~~
fixxer
That might be true, but where the hell are all the "Bush is a nazi" idiots
now? It strikes me as very quiet on the left... do they not realize Cheney's
vision is alive and well in Obama's house?

~~~
eli
Still around [http://www.politico.com/politico44/2013/05/code-pink-
heckler...](http://www.politico.com/politico44/2013/05/code-pink-heckler-
interrupts-obama-drone-speech-164687.html)

~~~
fixxer
Refreshing; thanks for that.

------
mark_l_watson
Long time NYT subscriber here. I am fairly sure I am going to cancel my
subscription. I don't like that they didn't even include Snowden's short
statement; wasn't that newsworthy? I thought the opening sentence in the
article did not set an impartial tone -far from it.

This reminded me of when the NYT helped the Bush administration make a case
for invading Iraq.

The writing in the NYT is good and I generally enjoy it, but I want impartial
news coverage that seems easier to get by a random sampling from a few
international news sources on any story I am interested in.

~~~
mark_l_watson
A comment on my comment: I just looked at other news media in the USA and a
sampling from countries that are close allies of the USA. The NYT article was
the worst as far as censoring the relevant news, that is, what Snowden said.
All other news stories were both critical of Snowden, yet covered the news
without censorship.

Loud flushing noise: my cancelled New York Times subscription.

------
fixxer
So, what are his prospects for supporting himself post-asylum/defection?
Intelligence asset? Puppet for a leftist government?

Besides the White House petition, what organized efforts are underway to bring
this guy back without rebuke?

~~~
dedward
He's a technologist; if he's allowed to work, there is obviously work.

------
lettergram
I don't think I would have the stomach to run. He clearly faces a possible
execution if he comes back to the United States, but I think at this point
he's garnered enough support from the populous that there would be MASSIVE
riots if an execution was passed or even being considered.

Plus, personally, I would rather come back to the U.S. and stand for what I
did because (1) South America isn't exactly the most healthy place. (2) The
socialist governments are using Snowden to get back at the U.S. and some of
the rhetoric the south american officials said upon accepting his request
would scare me more than facing a public trial. (3) If it was actually
attempting to show the world what the government is doing because its morally
wrong part of standing up for what you believe in is looking your enemy in the
eye. He's made his point, clearly the rage the world and Americans feel is
continuing to grow, festering under the surface. His best chances at survival
are actually to come home and face the enemy, than run and get murdered in his
sleep or simply disappear.

~~~
freehunter
The US wouldn't need to execute him. Look at Bradley Manning: they could just
lock him away in a foreign country until the world forgets about him.

~~~
JonFish85
Look, I forget Kansas exists every so often too, but let's not pretend it's a
foreign country!

~~~
freehunter
It was kind of a failed reference to Snowden being trapped in Russia. If the
US can keep him there, he's effectively imprisoned until he can be forgotten.
I didn't use enough words, I guess.

