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flamingdem

(39,300 posts)
Mon Jul 1, 2013, 04:28 PM Jul 2013

Edward Snowden jumps the shark in Moscow - Jonathan Capehart [View all]

** 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.

I’m all for whistleblowers revealing what government is doing, especially if it stretches the bounds of legality or if it’s 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 wasn’t exactly a smart P.R. move. That nation and Russian President Vladimir Putin aren’t exactly this nation’s 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 Obama’s entreaties that Snowden be extradited, Putin said, “Russia never extradites anyone anywhere and is not going to extradite anyone.” Great.

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He ran out of options. This article is a bunch of baloney. nt Mojorabbit Jul 2013 #1
You mean he's desperate? That's what I was concluding flamingdem Jul 2013 #2
It is not over yet. Mojorabbit Jul 2013 #3
I doubt that Western Europe is interested flamingdem Jul 2013 #4
'Should' get asylum doesn't mean that it's going to happen. CakeGrrl Jul 2013 #6
They want him to stop leaking to the world -- because they want the advantage pnwmom Jul 2013 #17
No, it's not over yet.. how much more is he gonig to snitch? nm Cha Jul 2013 #20
He'll squeal like a stuck piggie! sheshe2 Jul 2013 #24
Probably Mojorabbit Jul 2013 #23
Ha, you can't stand the facts in the article. Denying Snowden's in Russia Cha Jul 2013 #22
Can you point me to where I said anything of the sort? nt Mojorabbit Jul 2013 #25
Jonathan Capehart seems to be a little mixed up on terms sgtbenobo Jul 2013 #5
Wherever he winds up, I bet they make sure he has no computer access. He's a hacker, and they..... Tarheel_Dem Jul 2013 #12
"Becoming hence"? What does that even mean? Also, the "media machine" and bloggers are having... Hekate Jul 2013 #13
"I am not here to hide from justice." randome Jul 2013 #7
It looks like an error Snowden made to ask Russia for asylum flamingdem Jul 2013 #8
"But flirting with Moscow is a credibility killer". As usual, I agree with JC. Tarheel_Dem Jul 2013 #9
He went to Russia because..? kentuck Jul 2013 #10
Maybe they don't have to extradite him but they could deport him treestar Jul 2013 #11
Snowden's life has taken a Kafkaesque turn from the weird to the VERY weird Hekate Jul 2013 #15
Yes, because Putin is playing word games and the USA has sent flamingdem Jul 2013 #18
Another quisling for the totalitarians usGovOwesUs3Trillion Jul 2013 #14
He's another flack for the administration. NOVA_Dem Jul 2013 #16
If you find a comment by Ellsberg about the Russian aslyum request flamingdem Jul 2013 #19
Ellsberg supports Snowden (this is after he went to Moscow) NOVA_Dem Jul 2013 #41
Ellsberg had documentation, the Pentagon papers themselves. Snowden has... randome Jul 2013 #29
Are you serious? A presentation generated by the NSA isn't legitimate? NOVA_Dem Jul 2013 #37
Godwin is laughing his ass off at you. baldguy Jul 2013 #26
That'd be you usGovOwesUs3Trillion Jul 2013 #28
Do you even know who Godwin is? Do you even know who Quisling is? baldguy Jul 2013 #30
Another collaborator usGovOwesUs3Trillion Jul 2013 #31
You really have no clue who Godwin is, do you. baldguy Jul 2013 #32
That'd be you usGovOwesUs3Trillion Jul 2013 #33
. baldguy Jul 2013 #34
too funny usGovOwesUs3Trillion Jul 2013 #35
Thanks for the educational moment flamingdem Jul 2013 #36
Here we go, Jonathan Capeheart under the bus. JaneyVee Jul 2013 #21
The authoritarians are revealing themselves flamingdem Jul 2013 #27
Not to worry...the WikiLeaks Attorneys will solve this matter presently alcibiades_mystery Jul 2013 #38
I personally don't believe the Russians want anything to do with him Number23 Jul 2013 #39
Desperation makes for strange bedfellows flamingdem Jul 2013 #40
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