

U.S. assures Russia Snowden won't be executed or tortured - JumpCrisscross
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/26/us-usa-security-letter-idUSBRE96P0NV20130726

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FellowTraveler
Obama also assured us that he would protect whistleblowers:

"Protect Whistleblowers: Often the best source of information about waste,
fraud, and abuse in government is an existing government employee committed to
public integrity and willing to speak out. Such acts of courage and
patriotism, which can sometimes save lives and often save taxpayer dollars,
should be encouraged rather than stifled. We need to empower federal employees
as watchdogs of wrongdoing and partners in performance. Barack Obama will
strengthen whistleblower laws to protect federal workers who expose waste,
fraud, and abuse of authority in government. Obama will ensure that federal
agencies expedite the process for reviewing whistleblower claims and
whistleblowers have full access to courts and due process."

So perhaps his assurances are of no value.

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sockgrant
It's sad that the U.S. has sunken to a point where this kind of guarantee is
necessary.

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hansjorg
It doesn't mean as much as it would have 15 years ago either. With many
techniques redefined from torture to "enhanced interrogation", they could keep
their word and he would still be in for quite a rough treatment.

~~~
recusancy
On January 22, 2009 President Obama signed an executive order requiring the
CIA to use only the 19 interrogation methods outlined in the United States
Army Field Manual on interrogations.
[http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/EnsuringLawfulInt...](http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/EnsuringLawfulInterrogations/)

