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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSenate pushes sanctions on nations aiding Snowden
BRADLEY KLAPPER
WASHINGTON (AP) U.S. sanctions against any country offering asylum to Edward Snowden advanced in Congress on Wednesday as the 30-year-old National Security Agency leaker remained in a Moscow airport while Russia weighed a request for him to stay permanently.
The measure introduced by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., demands the State Department coordinate with lawmakers on setting penalties against nations that seek to help Snowden avoid extradition to the United States, where authorities want him prosecuted for revealing details of the government's massive surveillance system. The Senate Appropriations Committee approved the proposal unanimously by voice vote as an amendment to next year's $50.6 billion diplomacy and international aid bill.
"I don't know if he's getting a change of clothes. I don't know if he's going to stay in Russia forever. I don't know where he's going to go," Graham said. "But I know this: That the right thing to do is to send him back home so he can face charges for the crimes he's allegedly committed."
Venezuela, Bolivia and Nicaragua have offered Snowden asylum since his arrival at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport a month ago, shortly after identifying himself as the source of a series of news reports outlining the NSA's program to monitor Internet and telephone communications. It was believed he would then fly to Cuba. The U.S. then canceled his passport, stranding him, with Russia yet to authorize his request for temporary asylum or allow him to fly on to another destination.
- more -
http://news.yahoo.com/senate-pushes-sanctions-nations-aiding-snowden-151239421.html
Members of the committee:
Democrats
Barbara Mikulski, Maryland, Chair
Patrick Leahy, Vermont
Tom Harkin, Iowa
Patty Murray, Washington
Dianne Feinstein, California
Dick Durbin, Illinois
Tim Johnson, South Dakota
Mary Landrieu, Louisiana
Jack Reed, Rhode Island
Mark Pryor, Arkansas
Jon Tester, Montana
Tom Udall, New Mexico
Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire
Jeff Merkley, Oregon
Mark Begich, Alaska
Chris Coons, Delaware
Republicans
Richard Shelby, Alabama, Vice Chair
Thad Cochran, Mississippi
Mitch McConnell, Kentucky
Lamar Alexander, Tennessee
Susan Collins, Maine
Lisa Murkowski, Alaska
Lindsey Graham, South Carolina
Mark Kirk, Illinois
Dan Coats, Indiana
Roy Blunt, Missouri
Jerry Moran, Kansas
John Hoeven, North Dakota
Mike Johanns, Nebraska
John Boozman, Arkansas
http://www.appropriations.senate.gov/about-members.cfm
dipsydoodle
(42,239 posts)and China , using Hong Kong, had already done so.
So should we expect sanctions against Russia and China or is this just a very lame threat ?
ProSense
(116,464 posts)dipsydoodle
(42,239 posts)it will be an EU country because that would end talks of a US/EU trade agreement.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)Union Scribe
(7,099 posts)msongs
(67,193 posts)warrant46
(2,205 posts)Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)I have a feeling that most of these senators signed off on bills giving the snoops the power that Snowden revealed.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)"I have a feeling that most of these senators signed off on bills giving the snoops the power that Snowden revealed."
...interesting mix of Senators, and public opinion is not on Snowden's side: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023339015#post2
Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)ProSense
(116,464 posts)Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)Thinkingabout
(30,058 posts)price to pay.
cpwm17
(3,829 posts)how ungrateful.
Thinkingabout
(30,058 posts)Guess they are ungrateful.
cpwm17
(3,829 posts)and the US supported the 2002 coup attempt against Hugo Chavez in Venezuela. Those are just two examples of our generosity.
The US Government has a terrible human rights record throughout Latin America.
totodeinhere
(13,034 posts)Any aid that we withdraw will be gladly replaced and then some by the Chinese.
NuclearDem
(16,184 posts)...you did mean to have one in there, right?
Union Scribe
(7,099 posts)Of course that's usually a price we pay ourselves, in trillions of dollars worth of invasion and bombings.
functioning_cog
(294 posts)why do we want to trade with and help nation states that are harboring our criminals?
Cha
(295,899 posts)And, many are boycotting Russian Vodka because of Russia's Atrocious Stance on GaY Rights.
So yeah.. "the bad USA and good Russia" doesn't work.
mahalo ProSense
Scurrilous
(38,687 posts)totodeinhere
(13,034 posts)offered him asylum will be deterred one bit by the threat of sanctions. The days when this country can push around Latin American countries are largely gone. And if the sanctions did go through any losses would be happily replaced by the Chinese who are working hard to increase their influence in the region. And they have more money to throw around than we do anyway.