Is Edward Snowden a Criminal or a Hero?

[ktn4eg]

Edward Snowden, the civilian who worked for the NSA & who revealed the extent of that agency's records on individual Americans, is on his way to a country that hopefully won't allow him to be extradited to the US.

Leaders from both major political parties and the Obama administration want him arrested.

Do you think he is a hero or a criminal for what he did?

 

[thisnumbersdisconnected]

A criminal who, were he a legitimate whistle-blower, would have chosen a better way to call attention to the misuse and abuse of FISA provisions, which nonetheless still need to be investigated to the fullest.

 

[poncho]

Not quite sure what he is. There's not enough information out there for me to make that kind of determination just yet.

I know the criminals in DC are saying he's a criminal but when is the last time the criminals in DC actually told us the truth about anything? They lied to us about their snooping on us didn't they? Now they've gone into distraction and cover up mode . . . again. Ah nothing like a good international spy thriller to take your mind off the real crooks and their crimes.

 

[saturneptune]

Not quite sure what he is. There's not enough information out there for me to make that kind of determination just yet.

It depends on whether he is on the board of the international bankers running the ghost government that unites all the evil corporations and industrial military complexes throughout the world.

 

[Tom Bryant]

Ron Paul said, "Espionage is giving secret or classified information to the enemy. Since Snowden shared information with the American public, his indictment could mean that the government views you and me as the enemy."

 

[Tom Bryant]

A criminal who, were he a legitimate whistle-blower, would have chosen a better way to call attention to the misuse and abuse of FISA provisions, which nonetheless still need to be investigated to the fullest.

So Snowden should have gone to his superiors who were doing the snooping? Or maybe seek an appointment with the CIA and FBI who were the recipients of the information? Or gone to the Senate or Congress? Or gone to the lame street media? I am sre they all would have jumped on it. :BangHead:

 

[Aaron]

:thumbs::thumbs:

Ron Paul said, "Espionage is giving secret or classified information to the enemy. Since Snowden shared information with the American public, his indictment could mean that the government views you and me as the enemy."

 

[thisnumbersdisconnected]

So Snowden should have gone to his superiors who were doing the snooping? Or maybe seek an appointment with the CIA and FBI who were the recipients of the information? Or gone to the Senate or Congress? Or gone to the lame street media? I am sre they all would have jumped on it. :BangHead:

The latter two would have been preferable to defecting, which is obviously what he has done. Obviously there are senators and representatives who are concerned enough to demand answers, and Fox News or the Washington Times would have heard him out. Heavy is the evidence against his claimed innocence and self-proclaimed mantle of sincere concern for personal rights. When he left Hong Kong, he believed he was ultimately bound for Cuba, not exactly a destination that will instill confidence in the minds of the majority of the American public that he was a "concerned citizen." His phone call to Julian Assange didn't help that perception. He's a traitor, likely all along in the employ of China, Russia, Iran or someone who set up an operation to embarrass the United States.

Certainly his claims that FISA is regularly abused deserve investigation, but FISA itself, as written, is an excellent anti-terrorism tool and needs to be left alone. What needs to halt is the "enemy of the state" attitude the Great Pretender has toward anyone who disagrees with him, motivating him to use illegal means under the guise of national security to spy on his critics. It is no accident NSA, IRS and other scandals have arisen all at the same time.. He sees far more enemies within our borders than he sees outside of them. Paranoia does not well serve a president, or in his case, an occupier of the White House. He couldn't keep all the balls in the air that long.

 

[Tom Bryant]

Certainly his claims that FISA is regularly abused deserve investigation, but FISA itself, as written, is an excellent anti-terrorism tool and needs to be left alone. What needs to halt is the "enemy of the state" attitude the Great Pretender has toward anyone who disagrees with him, motivating him to use illegal means under the guise of national security to spy on his critics. It is no accident NSA, IRS and other scandals have arisen all at the same time.. He sees far more enemies within our borders than he sees outside of them. Paranoia does not well serve a president, or in his case, an occupier of the White House. He couldn't keep all the balls in the air that long.

Maybe that's why Snowden did what he did. When the perpetrators of a crime hold the investigatory and judicial system in the palm of their hands, it drives people to do what would in normal time be a crime.

I understand what you are saying, though. But when the FBI, CIA, NSA and IRS are all marching to the President's priorities, issues need to be addressed and sometimes they are dealt with in ways we are not comfortable with. I hate using the Nazi Germany or Soviet Union comparison because I don't think we have gone that far, but we celebrated those who blew the whistle on the Soviet's government domination of their own people. I think there just might be a time when we might celebrate this action also, but only if we are free enough to do so by the American people returning our gov't to a constitutional republic in future elections.

 

[InTheLight]

Ron Paul said, "Espionage is giving secret or classified information to the enemy. Since Snowden shared information with the American public, his indictment could mean that the government views you and me as the enemy."

Of course Snowden is not giving any of this information to the Chinese or the Russians...

 

[InTheLight]

Not quite sure what he is. There's not enough information out there for me to make that kind of determination just yet.

Yes, it's hard to say. He revealed information that we (sorta) knew anyway. Nothing has changed in our situation except that now we are certain the government is collecting information on us via our phone records. Still, according to law the divulging of this information is a crime, so I guess he's a criminal.

 

[Bro. Curtis]

Ron Paul said, "Espionage is giving secret or classified information to the enemy. Since Snowden shared information with the American public, his indictment could mean that the government views you and me as the enemy."

Excellent.

 

[poncho]

Yes, it's hard to say. He revealed information that we (sorta) knew anyway. Nothing has changed in our situation except that now we are certain the government is collecting information on us via our phone records. Still, according to law the divulging of this information is a crime, so I guess he's a criminal.

The fourth amendment is law. The government breaks it everyday doesn't that make the government criminal?

Snowden signed a non disclosure agreement. He violated it once now he's on the run.

Obama swore an oath to protect and defend the constitution he violates it everyday. Then he goes off to play golf.

So much for the law. What good is it if only the little people have to live by it?

 

[poncho]

. Nothing has changed in our situation except that now we are certain the government is collecting information on us via our phone records.

That's another thing. None of this was secret. We all knew the government and corporations (Google, AT&T, Verizon, etc.) were all spying on us so what's the big deal all of a sudden?

Looks like a full court press from the government and corporations (Time Warner, Fox, Disney, etc) to demonize one guy that really didn't tell us anything new.

It is not clear to an ordinary person what Snowden has revealed that William Binney and other whistleblowers have not already revealed. Perhaps the difference is that Snowden has provided documents that prove it, thereby negating Washington’s ability to deny the facts with its usual lies. Paul Craig Roberts

Snowden's real crime then is the same as the little dog Toto's, he drew back the curtain to let everyone have a look at the hypocrites behind it.

That makes him a hero in my book.

 

[Sapper Woody]

Ron Paul said, "Espionage is giving secret or classified information to the enemy. Since Snowden shared information with the American public, his indictment could mean that the government views you and me as the enemy."

I am not defending either side of the argument here, but that statement is ludicrous. He didn't give the information to the "American public". He gave it to the world, allowing our enemies to have the information.

Personally, the jury is still out for me. I am leaning towards criminal at this time, however. Because all intel leaks are bad in my book.

 

[webdog]

I am not defending either side of the argument here, but that statement is ludicrous. He didn't give the information to the "American public". He gave it to the world, allowing our enemies to have the information.

Personally, the jury is still out for me. I am leaning towards criminal at this time, however. Because all intel leaks are bad in my book.

He gave the info to the American press, and nothing given puts our nation in harms way. During the campaign trail last fall Obama said we should praise whistleblowers in our government. That all changed when he was re-elected. Hes a hero in my book, putting his life second to the constitution.

 

[thisnumbersdisconnected]

He gave the info to the American press, and nothing given puts our nation in harms way.

... and the English media (the Guardian is British) and in so doing gave it to the world, including our enemies. Plus it is known he downloaded over 200 "Top Secret" and "Eyes Only" documents, and he didn't give any of those to the media. So what do you suppose he did with them? (HInt: He didn't burn them.)

He gave the info to the American press, and nothing During the campaign trail last fall Obama said we should praise whistleblowers in our government. That all changed when he was re-elected. Hes a hero in my book, putting his life second to the constitution.[/QUOTE]He's a traitor, obviously having passed information to the enemy. He needs to be arrested, extradited, tried and convicted. It appears, with the Great Pretender's sudden disinterest in accomplishing that, he has information that the competent liar knows could bring down his administration and has no interest in him being brought to justice. But Snowden's still a traitor.

 

[webdog]

... and the English media (the Guardian is British) and in so doing gave it to the world, including our enemies. Plus it is known he downloaded over 200 "Top Secret" and "Eyes Only" documents, and he didn't give any of those to the media. So what do you suppose he did with them? (HInt: He didn't burn them.)

He gave the info to the American press, and nothing During the campaign trail last fall Obama said we should praise whistleblowers in our government. That all changed when he was re-elected. Hes a hero in my book, putting his life second to the constitution. ]He's a traitor, obviously having passed information to the enemy. He needs to be arrested, extradited, tried and convicted. It appears, with the Great Pretender's sudden disinterest in accomplishing that, he has information that the competent liar knows could bring down his administration and has no interest in him being brought to justice. But Snowden's still a traitor.

You have information the rest of us doesn't know about stating he gave national security secrets to our enemies? How is telling Americans and the world, our government is using unconstitutional practices being a traitor? That's quite the leap. Giving weapons to our enemies is being a traitor.

 

[thisnumbersdisconnected]

You have information the rest of us doesn't know about stating he gave national security secrets to our enemies?

If you watch the news, you couldn't possibly not have heard this. No offense, but even the whitewashing liberal media is reporting that.

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/white-house-unsure-files-edward-snowden/story?id=19514086#.Uc4FXW3fIR4

 

[webdog]

If you watch the news, you couldn't possibly not have heard this. No offense, but even the whitewashing liberal media is reporting that.

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/white-house-unsure-files-edward-snowden/story?id=19514086#.Uc4FXW3fIR4

The media is in Obamas corner. They support what he says. That article said nothing of him being a traitor, only that they didnt know what informtion he posseses