Posted on 05/28/2014 7:46:03 AM PDT by Seizethecarp
Edward J. Snowden says he was not merely a “low-level analyst” writing computer code for American spies, as President Obama and other administration officials have portrayed him. Instead, he says, he was a trained spy who worked under assumed names overseas for the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency.
“I was trained as a spy in sort of the traditional sense of the word in that I lived and worked undercover overseas — pretending to work in a job that I’m not — and even being assigned a name that was not mine,” Mr. Snowden told Brian Williams of NBC News, in an excerpt released in advance of the full interview.
“They’re trying to use one position that I’ve had in a career here or there to distract from the totality of my experience,” he said, “which is that I’ve worked for the Central Intelligence Agency undercover overseas, I’ve worked for the National Security Agency undercover overseas and I’ve worked for the Defense Intelligence Agency as a lecturer at the Joint Counterintelligence Training Academy, where I developed sources and methods for keeping our information and people secure in the most hostile and dangerous environments around the world.”
“The reality is I never intended to end up in Russia,” he said in a second excerpt broadcast on NBC’s “Today Show.” “I had a flight booked to Cuba onwards to Latin America, and I was stopped because the United States government decided to revoke my passport and trap me in Moscow Airport. So when people ask why are you in Russia, I say, ‘Please ask the State Department.' ”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
I’m old enough to remember party lines as well.
My point being that Snowden went far beyond exposing what the NSA was doing within our borders. Those disclosures got a pass from me.
He went international, and thereby (IMHO) stepped into treason, by providing specific information that could be used by (potential) enemies.
Jury's still out for me....
“If he was truly concerned he could have run it up the chain, taken it to the IG, and if that didn’t work, to his Senator or Congressman (probably the best avenue).”
He would have been killed or indefinitely imprisoned the moment anyone of importance learned his intentions. He had to go public right away or government abuses would have remained secret.
His only option to stay alive and hold his narrative was to go to a hostile nation where we are unlikely to send a team to get him.
The only other possible option would have been to dump the data online for everyone and surrender publicly to the blackboots. But then the US government would have gagged him and controlled the narrative once they got him.
“I’m on the fence on this guy. On one hand, he’s shown how the gubment is spying on us. But, on the other, he’s showing the world how we spy on them.”
It’s not out for me.
My opinion is, “Thanks for the information, and now you have to die.”
He still did irreparable harm to the national security of the country where my kids sleep during a time of war.
If nobody else will push the button, I’ll do it.
“He didn’t stand there bravely and take the spears for his “courage.””
Yea. Right. That would be smart!
“Heck, if he just stayed and acted like a man and bravely took his hits for releasing to the press I could respect him for that.”
He is living in exile forever.
“Instead, he ran and is now living comfortably in Russia.”
Hmmm, have you been to Russia?
Anyone who watched the Frontline programs can learn first hand what happens to whistle blowers that go through the system. What surprised me is that they were only ruined and not killed. Kinda surprised me.
That would have been honorable.
I said ‘comfortably,’ not lavishly.
He ran.
He has no courage.
I recommend you watch the Frontline two part series. You will hear from the patirots that tried to stop this from happening just how well it works to go to congress.
The Patirot Act is a perfect example of Orwellian use of the language.
“He would have been killed or indefinitely imprisoned the moment anyone of importance learned his intentions.”
Not a fact. Speculation only.
“He had to go public right away or government abuses would have remained secret.”
Not if he went to Congress or US media.
“His only option to stay alive and hold his narrative was to go to a hostile nation where we are unlikely to send a team to get him.”
Not his only option.
“The only other possible option”
Another ‘only’ option?
“would have been to dump the data online for everyone and surrender publicly to the blackboots.”
The honorable course of action if congressional route failed.
“But then the US government would have gagged him and controlled the narrative once they got him.”
Speculation. Prosecution likely and govt spinning just as likely, but media has a life of its own that cannot be controlled.
Non-sequiter.
Calling him a patriot is an insult to TRUE patriots.
“My name is Snowden...Edward J. Snowden”
I’m sorry, I just can’t believe anything written in the NYT.
5.56mm
He is living in exile forever.
“Instead, he ran and is now living comfortably in Russia.”
Hmmm, have you been to Russia?
= = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Philip Nolan - without the cause and Class....
As to living conditions...I get a kick when people gasp and say “How can those 10 ‘Mexicans’ live in a three bed room apartment with their girlfriends and kids.
When looking at some of the ‘slum areas’ of the world, hot bunking and a curtain or blanket extending from the ceiling making another ‘room’ is luxury compared to a mud hut with no electricity, inside toilet or running water (I know somewhat of an exaggeration).
I say ‘slum areas’ of the world but that is sort of like ‘old time Appalachia’ or worse...
“Non-sequiter.”
Not sure of the meaning of your reply. Are you saying the Patriot Act was not related to NAS spying on all US citizens?
Read back then and thought it was a great piece of work. Got most of his information from NSA newsletters that were on in a library in Texas. Was it Johnson library?...don’t remember.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
