Is Edward Snowden A Traitor?

[Clyde]

It wasn't like he was Lee Harvey Oswald and was dying to be Russian. He didn't exactly go to Russia or China because he was in love with the place, it was really about the only places he could go that would give him some form of protection. The US tried to block every move he made and would have tracked him down and captured him in 98% of the world's countries. He ended up in Russia because they have a big enough pair and a long enough rocky history with the US to pretty much say, "you're not getting him here".

 

He didn't really have anywhere to go. If he stayed in the US he would have been screwed, if he went to Canada or Mexico he would have been screwed. If he went to the UK, France, Germany, Italy, etc. he would definitely be screwed. I mean what else did he have to do really other than die for his actions at the hands of the US government. In which he would have been martyr then.

 

Regardless of what you guys suggest, by him spilling the beans the US was going to get him no matter if he went to another country or not. He could have stayed here and begged for mercy and I would guarantee you we would have probabbly already been reading his obituary.

 

His original plan was to go to Central America. He didn't want the country he landed in to look like he was "defecting." Julian Assange convinced him that Russia's stable govt was the best route to go for the short term.

[Clyde]

Who said his agenda had to be personal? Do you not think it is possible he is working for someone else? I think he's an idiot myself but that's my opinion. Why would any one person, right or wrong, go up against a government by themselves that he believes is doing wrong? That spells all kinds of stupid to me. That is also why I think there is way way more to Snowden than what meets the eye. For all we know the government could have been infiltrated. He could be a plant for all we know.

 

It is not the wises move to make if your goal is self-preservation. However, if he truly believes in the spirit of the US and feels the govt is grossly violating that spirit then he is willing to risk the downside to exposing the lies.

[Clyde]

Here is my take, wether or not he is arreted for being a traitor or not, the bottomline is he is a theif. No matter if what the Govt was doing was right or wrong ins't an issue here. He stole documents from his workplace which makes him a theif. Put on top of that the fact that the documents were classified is what makes him a traitor.

 

Traitor or not, he is a theif and should be prosecuted. If he wanted to do the right thing he could have just made it known what the gov't was doing without stealing documents. Either way I hope he gets prosecuted.

 

I'm a bit surprised at many (not just my guy HB) posters' naivete. "Just go the to government. They'll understand."

 

Come on. They'd burn him at the stake to make an example of him.

[Clyde]

I'd lean yes if it was proven the government was breaking the law.

 

"Yes" he's a traitor or "yes" something else?

[Clyde]

Everybody is different. I'm not taking Snowden's words as the gospel anymore than the government's. I know the government didn't run and hide though. The government didn't go to another country begging for safe quarters in exchange for info. I also know that Mitch McConnell made perfect sense when he explained the situation. For me personally, I don't care if the government wants to waste their time looking at my dumb text messages between myself and my friends. I am doing nothing wrong and once they see that they'll move along. I have nothing to hide and neither should any other innocent citizen.

 

Again, it wasn't in exchange for info. He doesn't HAVE the documents with him.

 

And we're not talking about Snowden's "words." He's produced documents. They're not made up. The govt is prosecuting him for exposure of sensitive intelligence - not falsifications.

[Clyde]

There are probably plenty of people who would have listened to his story. But he chose this way?

 

So he goes to the NYT with his story. Govt is not happy. You think they're not going to find out who leaked the docs? Then what? There is NO other option unless he is willing to fall on the sword and go to jail for life even though he felt he was being a patriot by forcing the govt to change their ways.

[Clyde]

We both agree going to another country was the wrong move.

 

Again, what was his other option?

[LIPTON BASH]

"Yes" he's a traitor or "yes" something else?

 

You gave a scenario and asked if it happened is he not a traitor. My yes meant if he didn't run I wouldn't of thought he was traitor if it was proven the government betrayed its citizens.

[LIPTON BASH]

Again, what was his other option?

 

There are small government congressman and senators who would of helped him out. I may be naive . But there are a handful I think he could of gone to and at least it would of come off better to the general public that he was reporting it to the government.

[Clyde]

You gave a scenario and asked if it happened is he not a traitor. My yes meant if he didn't run I wouldn't of thought he was traitor if it was proven the government betrayed its citizens.

 

Even though he didn't "run" with the documents in his possession?

[LIPTON BASH]

Even though he didn't "run" with the documents in his possession?

 

I don't know if we can ever really know what he does or does not have, or even what knowledge he may have stored away in memory that could of been leaked. I just don't like the idea of running to another country. I'm not saying I would of been brave enought to what he did. But if he was going that route he should of stayed in country and faced the consequences. Hoped he could find some allies in congress.

[Clyde]

There are small government congressman and senators who would of helped him out. I may be naive . But there are a handful I think he could of gone to and at least it would of come off better to the general public that he was reporting it to the government.

 

I believe you are naive(which may be a good thing).

 

I just read about a Yemeni reporter who exposed the US to being behind the bombing in 2009(?) that killed some innocents. She was going to be released until President Obama picked up the phone and placed a call. She's now in prison.

 

The govt will has always and WILL always burn one or a few to protect themselves. Hell, they liked about how Pat Tillman was killed in order to sell a vision.

[Clyde]

I don't know if we can ever really know what he does or does not have, or even what knowledge he may have stored away in memory that could of been leaked. I just don't like the idea of running to another country. I'm not saying I would of been brave enought to what he did. But if he was going that route he should of stayed in country and faced the consequences. Hoped he could find some allies in congress.

 

I've read articles about the two who have them. Unless they're lying (and why risk your reputation over one guy) he didn't take docs with him.

[LIPTON BASH]

I've read articles about the two who have them. Unless they're lying (and why risk your reputation over one guy) he didn't take docs with him.

 

They may not be lying he may just don't of told them everything. He did work for a spy agency.

[LIPTON BASH]

I believe you are naive(which may be a good thing).

 

I just read about a Yemeni reporter who exposed the US to being behind the bombing in 2009(?) that killed some innocents. She was going to be released until President Obama picked up the phone and placed a call. She's now in prison.

 

The govt will has always and WILL always burn one or a few to protect themselves. Hell, they liked about how Pat Tillman was killed in order to sell a vision.

 

I just think there would of been some small gov't congressman who would of used it to score points against Obama. It may have been all political, but if you were taking this chance that would of been the best route in my eyes.