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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsEdward Snowden jumps the shark in Moscow - Jonathan Capehart
** Wonder what Ellsberg will say about this request by Snowden. I'd guess his primary advisor is Julian Assange
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2013/07/01/edward-snowden-jumps-the-shark-in-moscow/
Last month, I pleaded for an end to the breathless comparisons between Edward Snowden and Daniel Ellsberg. News that the present-day intelligence leaker has asked the Russians for asylum should put it to rest. Sure, Snowden made the same request of other nations. But flirting with Moscow is a credibility killer.
Im all for whistleblowers revealing what government is doing, especially if it stretches the bounds of legality or if its flat-out illegal. What we know of what Snowden has released of interest to the American public has been known for a while. But what has stuck in my craw from the outset was Snowden fleeing the country.
Snowden earned side eyes from me with his decision to hightail it to Hong Kong (read, China). Then he bolted for Moscow. For a man trying to win public opinion against what he called the vast and illegal overreach of the National Security Agency, heading to Russia wasnt exactly a smart P.R. move. That nation and Russian President Vladimir Putin arent exactly this nations best friend. Heck, they barely rise to the level of frenemy.
Just in his comments today, Putin said of Snowden, If he wants to stay here, there is one condition: He has to stop his work aimed at damaging our U.S. partners, no matter how strange this sounds coming from me. But when it came to President Obamas entreaties that Snowden be extradited, Putin said, Russia never extradites anyone anywhere and is not going to extradite anyone. Great.
Mojorabbit
(16,020 posts)flamingdem
(39,300 posts)Assange has no more answer for him.
Mojorabbit
(16,020 posts)flamingdem
(39,300 posts)but I agree the drama is not over.
CakeGrrl
(10,611 posts)He has negated whatever credibility he had by claiming to steal secrets for the sake of freedom and peddling them to places where they will do damage.
When Russia basically says 'you can stay as long as you stop leaking information', even they don't trust him.
pnwmom
(108,915 posts)of being the only ones who've seen it all.
Except for maybe China.
Cha
(295,543 posts)sheshe2
(83,138 posts)Eddie sure snowed everybody didn't he!
Cha
Mojorabbit
(16,020 posts)it says something when someone bucks the system and is left with nowhere to go. It sends a message to other people who want to expose wrongdoing by their govt.
Cha
(295,543 posts)asking for asylum, are ya?
Mojorabbit
(16,020 posts)sgtbenobo
(327 posts)Jumping the shark is an catch phrase that implies that a notion or product is becoming hence. I believe our USA media machine would love this to go away. It won't. This is just the beginning. We haven't even started. Just wait until everyone of whom we've spied on gets on the same page. Then the show will really begin.
Carry on.
Tarheel_Dem
(31,201 posts)don't want their secrets known. His every move will be orchestrated, and he'll be cut off from the "www".
Hekate
(89,977 posts)... the time of their lives. Nobody in those spheres wants it to go away, although I'm sure the government does.
I'm trying to understand your post. "We haven't even started." "Then the show will really begin." Who is WE, exactly? What sort of "show" are you hoping for?
randome
(34,845 posts)This is galactic level irony.
[hr]
[font color="blue"][center]I'm always right. When I'm wrong I admit it.
So then I'm right about being wrong.[/center][/font]
[hr]
flamingdem
(39,300 posts)It gives Putin an excuse to wait and see what his best deal can be. And Snowden may end up stuck there. Assange is probably pumping the idea of idealistic countries running to his rescue to lighten the doom vibe at the pod hotel.
Tarheel_Dem
(31,201 posts)kentuck
(110,916 posts)He felt safe in Hong Kong? The US was not on his trail? Our government wanted to capture him and punish him. Why didn't he just turn himself in and take his medicine? Is that the question?
treestar
(82,383 posts)They have not even given him permission to visit the country. He's in the transit area because they haven't admitted him.
Hekate
(89,977 posts)Living in an airport in Moscow... wow
flamingdem
(39,300 posts)1,700 people back to Russia mostly for criminal warrants.
So his claims are about wordage I could see deportation due to lack of documents perhaps.
usGovOwesUs3Trillion
(2,022 posts)yawn...
NOVA_Dem
(620 posts)Did you notice he said Snowden's no Ellsberg but won't quote Ellsberg opinion of Snowden? I'm glad this has come out b/c it really shows who's an unprincipled phony on MSNBC and on this site.
flamingdem
(39,300 posts)please post it.
NOVA_Dem
(620 posts)Go to the 4:54 mark.
He also thinks Snowden was correct to NOT go the NSA IG or Congress. He said it was wise to release information outside of the the country.
randome
(34,845 posts)...PowerPoint slides!
There is no comparison between the two.
[hr]
[font color="blue"][center]I'm always right. When I'm wrong I admit it.
So then I'm right about being wrong.[/center][/font]
[hr]
NOVA_Dem
(620 posts)[link:|
baldguy
(36,649 posts)usGovOwesUs3Trillion
(2,022 posts)Since you obviously don't know it.
baldguy
(36,649 posts)usGovOwesUs3Trillion
(2,022 posts)baldguy
(36,649 posts)Why does this not surprise me?
usGovOwesUs3Trillion
(2,022 posts)No reference to nazis or hitler, just a common reference for a COLLABORATOR, look it up, and stop trying to distract.
baldguy
(36,649 posts)usGovOwesUs3Trillion
(2,022 posts)Now, tell DUers something they don't know
flamingdem
(39,300 posts)JaneyVee
(19,877 posts)Boo!
flamingdem
(39,300 posts)As bad or worse than Putin!
"I vill drain your laptops, you know dat nyet Mr. Snowdenk"
alcibiades_mystery
(36,437 posts)Number23
(24,544 posts)It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.
And for Snowden to "fear for his life" from the US and then seek asylum from the Russians is the utter height of hypocrisy and ignorance. There are few countries as well known for knowing how to silence dissent and opposition better than the Russians. With damn good reason.
flamingdem
(39,300 posts)Oh to be a fly on the wall when Assange gets on the speaker phone with Sarah Hastings and Snowden and umm half the Kremlin via wiretapping. They're probably throwing out many obscure country names, Tonga maybe?