Nsa Contractor Identifies Himself As Source

[Scott]

No, I don't think they can get into legal trouble for this. They are not harboring him, they are not helping him evade capture, etc.

The law enforcement people could make life a little uncomfortable for the expats, but that's about it.

[Publicus]

In this day of electronic communications ( that the powers that be are so keen to monitor ) they could have easily had a kind of referendum using the internet to vote on something so important as this . To leave this kind of decision soley to a handful of so called elected “representatives “is a farce.

Washington hasn't ever conducted an official vote on anything via the internet and for good reasons, such as abuse, security of the process, validity of the outcome, massive logistics, a tremendous expense and for many other valid reasons.

Besides, the House and the Senate each have established an Intelligence Committee which no one in Congress is complaining about, nor expressing fear about. Our elected representatives in both Chambers of the Congress represent the vast center-middle point of view of the body politic, to include my own point of view in the matter.

Only a handful of Americans see a bogeyman in this.

“ the House and the Senate each have established an Intelligence Committee which no one in Congress is complaining about, nor expressing fear about. “

You seem to be wrong on this because legislators have been experiencing in gaining details about NSA surveillance programs.

“We keep hearing that there’s all kinds of robust oversight by Congress, and need not worry,” Greenwald continued, but alleged that the lawmakers who have contacted him “have said that they’re being forced to learn about what the NSA is doing from what they learn about in our reporting.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unj_72Gqj9w&feature=player_detailpage

You misapplied my statement that you quote.

I said the House and the Senate respectively each voted long ago to established an Intelligence Committee which no one in Congress is complaining about, nor expressing fear about.

No one - I say no one - in the Congress of the United States is complaining about this arrangement.

The rules of each body, voted by the Membership of each body, prohibit members of each Intelligence Committee discussing national security matters with anyone not authorized to know the information. No member of the House or the Senate respectively have criticized the rules either body established by its own vote, or the members of either Intelligence Committee, or the work of each committee.

You misuse my statement in your post. Glenn Greenwald and the "alleged" statements he alleges have nothing to do with the statement I made. If Members of Congress were taking to the Floor of either Chamber to complain, then you might have something. Otherwise, as is the case, you don't.

Edited August 5, 2013 by Publicus

[SinglePot]

I mean, the best thing to do if you find yourself in Russia is to get out. I've never been to Russia and with good reason.

Well, you have no knowledge but make statements none the less.

I have been to Russia, and I don't share F430murci's opinions about seclusion and controlled communications.

Russia's FSB doesn't have the same means at their disposal as the US.

If Snowden wanted to communicate, he could do so and he could probably also keep his communications' content a secret if he wanted. Moscow is full of wifi places.

Yep. They've got Starbucks.

[Publicus]

I mean, the best thing to do if you find yourself in Russia is to get out. I've never been to Russia and with good reason.

Well, you have no knowledge but make statements none the less.

I have been to Russia, and I don't share F430murci's opinions about seclusion and controlled communications.

Russia's FSB doesn't have the same means at their disposal as the US.

If Snowden wanted to communicate, he could do so and he could probably also keep his communications' content a secret if he wanted. Moscow is full of wifi places.

Before I came to Thailand I'd thought it was a backward place.

After twelve years I know it's a backward place.

I thank Burger King for its establishment in Silom, so I suppose I should thank Thailand to for allowing it. However, I'm sure some Thais are pocketing money over it.

[SinglePot]

American Dream, Russian Dream, Chinese Dream.

Burger King.

[Publicus]

No, I don't think they can get into legal trouble for this. They are not harboring him, they are not helping him evade capture, etc.

The law enforcement people could make life a little uncomfortable for the expats, but that's about it.

What makes you say that?

I can't imagine I'd have the right under U.S. law to accept into my expat home in Thailand a person wanted in the United States on felony charges, and especially if the person were as notorious as Edward Snowden.

I'd instead expect a very unpleasant visit to my home from the FBI assigned, with the permission of the Thai Government, to the US Embassy over on Wireless Road.

I'd expect I'd need a lawyer. I'd expect I'd face charges against me by my government. I'd expect the embassy to take possession from me of my government's passport.

I'd expect to precipitate a lot of bad things against me in accord with the laws of the United States. And maybe some Thai laws too, given an extradition treaty exists between Thailand and the U.S. Government.

I'd expect the same to be true of expats in Russia despite the fact there is no extradition treaty between the two governments involved. (I dunno if the Russian government allows FBI to operate at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.)

I really dunno on what basis you say that.

[Scott]

He has been granted asylum by Russia. He is not wanted in Russia. If he comes to your home, who do you call? The Russian police? The US Embassy?

I don't think the laws to which you are referring extend outside the USA. They did not help him escape.

I don't know for sure and maybe one of our legal eagles can shed more light on this.

[Publicus]

He has been granted asylum by Russia. He is not wanted in Russia. If he comes to your home, who do you call? The Russian police? The US Embassy?

I don't think the laws to which you are referring extend outside the USA. They did not help him escape.

I don't know for sure and maybe one of our legal eagles can shed more light on this.

I'm a citizen of the United States and subject to its code of laws whether I'm at home or abroad.

If I harbor a fugitive from US justice at my expat home in a foreign country I've violated a US law. As a citizen, I'm culpable, a perp.

The asylum is not recognized by US law.

If Snowden today tried to fly to, say, Venezuela, the U.S. Government would go after him. Any asylum papers would get tossed into the garbage can.

Then the US Government would come after me, or wait for me. I'd probably lose the passport by revocation during the commotion.

U.S. sovereignty trumps any other foreign government's laws or actions. The UN Amnesty Treaty/Convention has its provisos and caveats.

We're talking espionage here, not advocating democracy in the CCP-PRC.

Snowden isn't Aung San Suu Kyi.

Edited August 5, 2013 by Publicus

[F430murci]

I mean, the best thing to do if you find yourself in Russia is to get out. I've never been to Russia and with good reason.

Well, you have no knowledge but make statements none the less.

I have been to Russia, and I don't share F430murci's opinions about seclusion and controlled communications.

Russia's FSB doesn't have the same means at their disposal as the US.

If Snowden wanted to communicate, he could do so and he could probably also keep his communications' content a secret if he wanted. Moscow is full of wifi places.

Not just my view, but just about everyone's view from Russia that can speak somewhat freely about the situation. And then we have history of how Russia has treated similar individuals in the past. No freedom of movement and very depressing situation.

-----

But the secrecy that surrounded Snowdens time at the Moscow airport and his unwillingness so far to talk to the press indicates he is being controlled by Russian intelligence, Andrei Soldatov, a Russian journalist who co-authored a book on the Russian intelligence services said.

Does he have independent sources of information and communication? My impression is that he has none, which means hes not his own master, Soldatov said.

. . .

One of the reasons for keeping Snowden isolated may be to prevent him from speaking about the people he met and what really happened to him during the 39 days he spent in the airports transit zone

http://m.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/lawyer-snowden-has-a-place-to-live-in-russia-still-figuring-out-what-he-will-do/2013/08/02/197ca9c4-fb67-11e2-89f7-8599e3f77a67_story.html

Before Philby died of heart failure in 1988, he was under constant Russian surveillance and his entire life was bugged. Philby knew this and drank heavily to numb the pain of his hellish existence, suffered severe depression, on more than one occasion slashed his wrists, and told his wife that his earlier belief in the communist dream had turned out to be utterly wrong.

Burgess and Maclean suffered a similar existence in Moscow, until their deaths.

Philby got nothing but Russian pain, despite what he did for the motherland.

Snowdens prospects are worse because hes not a top Russian spy like Philby. Instead, hes a nomadic snitch with a grudge. Putin formerly a colonel in the KGB will view him as such.

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/08/02/can-snowden-survive-russia-and-putin/#ixzz2b5zZGny5

[mania]

But the secrecy that surrounded Snowdens time at the Moscow airport and his unwillingness so far to talk to the press indicates he is being controlled by Russian intelligence,

Did Snowden himself not say thru the UK reporter early on that he would not be doing shows/talking to the press etc.

Because he did not want this to turn into a show about him.

He wanted it to be focused on the information that has been shown & what is to be shown.

So I do not think this admission by him is an indication the Russian Intelligence is controlling him.

Since that statement came early on in his talks with the UK reporter.

But again as I have said before this is not about Snowden anymore in reality.

It is about the information he released & what ever is released in the future by those he gave copies to early on.

For the most part the messengers part is done.

Some will remain fixated on the messenger & ignore his message.

Others like Congress showed with the recent narrow vote will decide

if change will occur.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/10201135/White-House-defeats-NSA-surveillance-ban-in-narrow-Congress-vote.html

Edited August 5, 2013 by mania

[F430murci]

"Harlow Robinson, Matthews Dis­tin­guished Uni­ver­sity Pro­fessor and an expert in Russian his­tory and cul­ture" states:

As for Snowden himself, this means asylum in Russia; its not a resort. Who knows how Snowden will be treated. Where will he live? This is a devils bargain, for sure. He has no passport, and hes at the mercy of the Russian authorities, who history has shown arent delicate in dealing with anyone seen as a thorn in their side. Snowden is really a prisoner now in Russia.

http://www.northeastern.edu/news/2013/08/3qs-snowden-asylum-russia/#sthash.MFwywAr3.dpuf

------

Yeah, he will be firing that iPad up at the local Starbucks daily . . .

-------

Snowden is here because he has been trapped, said influential political analyst Fyodor Lukyanov, who edits Russia in Global Affairs magazine.

He will definitely not be allowed to carry on leaking data. In all likelihood, Snowden will have nothing to do in Russia.

Invasive medical tests, a placement in a refugee center, and round-the-clock security observation are just some of the things whistleblower Edward Snowden could face

http://rt.com/news/snowden-russia-immigration-asylum-758/

[F430murci]

But the secrecy that surrounded Snowdens time at the Moscow airport and his unwillingness so far to talk to the press indicates he is being controlled by Russian intelligence,

Did Snowden himself not say thru the UK reporter early on that he would not be doing shows/talking to the press etc.

Because he did not want this to turn into a show about him.

He wanted it to be focused on the information that has been shown & what is to be shown.

So I do not think this admission by him is an indication the Russian Intelligence is controlling him.

Since that statement came early on in his talks with the UK reporter.

But again as I have said before this is not about Snowden anymore in reality.

It is about the information he released & what ever is released in the future by those he gave copies to early on.

For the most part the messengers part is done.

Some will remain fixated on the messenger & ignore his message.

Others like Congress showed with the recent narrow vote will decide

if change will occur.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/10201135/White-House-defeats-NSA-surveillance-ban-in-narrow-Congress-vote.html

And has he spoken with his dad . . . Any message about going public sounds Russia controlled, especially when Putin saying poor Snowden needs to go silent regarding the "message." Putin can now say his choice to remain in isolation . . .

I am cool with the message, the bigger story is the human tragedy of this poor guy stuck in an unbelievably bad situation, but you guys are so busy high fiving about more bad info against a President you detest, you cannot see the real human tragedy here.

Reality is, Snowden now has a fate perhaps worse than death given his former existence and nothing about data collection POLICIES will change.

Edited August 5, 2013 by F430murci

[FDog]

Can't see how the expats can be doing anything illegal. If Snowden was with them in the US then yes, but as they are in Russia I don't think the US laws cover that. Murder yes, pedophiles yes, but not allowing someone to stay with them that has broken no laws in that country.

A US citizen being caught drink driving etc in another country cannot then be charged in the US for that offence. The legislation to charge US citizens who commit crimes overseas is very very limited.

Edit: Probably next to impossible for US authorities to actually prove who he was staying with anyway.

Edited August 5, 2013 by FDog

[Publicus]

"Harlow Robinson, Matthews Dis­tin­guished Uni­ver­sity Pro­fessor and an expert in Russian his­tory and cul­ture" states:

As for Snowden himself, this means asylum in Russia; its not a resort. Who knows how Snowden will be treated. Where will he live? This is a devils bargain, for sure. He has no passport, and hes at the mercy of the Russian authorities, who history has shown arent delicate in dealing with anyone seen as a thorn in their side. Snowden is really a prisoner now in Russia.

http://www.northeastern.edu/news/2013/08/3qs-snowden-asylum-russia/#sthash.MFwywAr3.dpuf

------

Yeah, he will be firing that iPad up at the local Starbucks daily . . .

-------

Snowden is here because he has been trapped, said influential political analyst Fyodor Lukyanov, who edits Russia in Global Affairs magazine.

He will definitely not be allowed to carry on leaking data. In all likelihood, Snowden will have nothing to do in Russia.

Invasive medical tests, a placement in a refugee center, and round-the-clock security observation are just some of the things whistleblower Edward Snowden could face

http://rt.com/news/snowden-russia-immigration-asylum-758/

Certain people around here have been touting all of the job offers Snowden supposedly is getting, marriage proposals by Russian models etc. They make Russia sound like a desperate defector's paradise.

[chuckd]

"Harlow Robinson, Matthews Dis­tin­guished Uni­ver­sity Pro­fessor and an expert in Russian his­tory and cul­ture" states:

As for Snowden himself, this means asylum in Russia; its not a resort. Who knows how Snowden will be treated. Where will he live? This is a devils bargain, for sure. He has no passport, and hes at the mercy of the Russian authorities, who history has shown arent delicate in dealing with anyone seen as a thorn in their side. Snowden is really a prisoner now in Russia.

http://www.northeastern.edu/news/2013/08/3qs-snowden-asylum-russia/#sthash.MFwywAr3.dpuf

------

Yeah, he will be firing that iPad up at the local Starbucks daily . . .

-------

Snowden is here because he has been trapped, said influential political analyst Fyodor Lukyanov, who edits Russia in Global Affairs magazine.

He will definitely not be allowed to carry on leaking data. In all likelihood, Snowden will have nothing to do in Russia.

Invasive medical tests, a placement in a refugee center, and round-the-clock security observation are just some of the things whistleblower Edward Snowden could face

http://rt.com/news/snowden-russia-immigration-asylum-758/

Certain people around here have been touting all of the job offers Snowden supposedly is getting, marriage proposals by Russian models etc. They make Russia sound like a desperate defector's paradise.

Maybe Snowden will get lucky and find one of those Russian brides making a six figure salary.

[chuckd]

He has been granted asylum by Russia. He is not wanted in Russia. If he comes to your home, who do you call? The Russian police? The US Embassy?

I don't think the laws to which you are referring extend outside the USA. They did not help him escape.

I don't know for sure and maybe one of our legal eagles can shed more light on this.

I'm a citizen of the United States and subject to its code of laws whether I'm at home or abroad.

If I harbor a fugitive from US justice at my expat home in a foreign country I've violated a US law. As a citizen, I'm culpable, a perp.

The asylum is not recognized by US law.

If Snowden today tried to fly to, say, Venezuela, the U.S. Government would go after him. Any asylum papers would get tossed into the garbage can.

Then the US Government would come after me, or wait for me. I'd probably lose the passport by revocation during the commotion.

U.S. sovereignty trumps any other foreign government's laws or actions. The UN Amnesty Treaty/Convention has its provisos and caveats.

We're talking espionage here, not advocating democracy in the CCP-PRC.

Snowden isn't Aung San Suu Kyi.

Perhaps your zeal to have the book thrown at Snowden or anybody that might assist him is an overreach.

Here are the basic requirements for federal charges of harboring a fugitive:

"Harboring a fugitive refers to the crime of knowingly hiding a wanted criminal from the authorities. Federal and state laws, which vary by state, govern the crime of harboring a fugitive. Although supplying funds may make one an accessory after the fact, supplying financial assistance to a fugitive does not rise to the level of harboring or concealing.

The federal statute, 18 U.S.C. § 1071, requires proof of four elements: (1) proof that a federal warrant had been issued for the fugitive' s arrest, (2) that the accused had knowledge that a warrant had been issued, (3) that the accused actually harbored or concealed the fugitive, and (4) that the accused intended to prevent the fugitive' s discovery or arrest."

Since the world knows it was a US expat that gave him quarters, it would seem they would not be falling afoul of the law. I'm certain if the FBI showed up at their front door and asked to speak to Snowden, they would grant him entry and let Snowden decide whether he wanted to talk or not.

http://definitions.uslegal.com/h/harboring-a-fugitive/

[F430murci]

"Harlow Robinson, Matthews Dis­tin­guished Uni­ver­sity Pro­fessor and an expert in Russian his­tory and cul­ture" states:

As for Snowden himself, this means asylum in Russia; its not a resort. Who knows how Snowden will be treated. Where will he live? This is a devils bargain, for sure. He has no passport, and hes at the mercy of the Russian authorities, who history has shown arent delicate in dealing with anyone seen as a thorn in their side. Snowden is really a prisoner now in Russia.

http://www.northeastern.edu/news/2013/08/3qs-snowden-asylum-russia/#sthash.MFwywAr3.dpuf

------

Yeah, he will be firing that iPad up at the local Starbucks daily . . .

-------

Snowden is here because he has been trapped, said influential political analyst Fyodor Lukyanov, who edits Russia in Global Affairs magazine.

He will definitely not be allowed to carry on leaking data. In all likelihood, Snowden will have nothing to do in Russia.

Invasive medical tests, a placement in a refugee center, and round-the-clock security observation are just some of the things whistleblower Edward Snowden could face

http://rt.com/news/snowden-russia-immigration-asylum-758/

Certain people around here have been touting all of the job offers Snowden supposedly is getting, marriage proposals by Russian models etc. They make Russia sound like a desperate defector's paradise.

Like the Snowden offer at vk from Durov who himself is in hiding after Russian police came for him and Kremlin purchased the other 48% of vk from Durov's two buddies still in Russia.

I believe vk shares were purchasedby United Capital Partners and is run by Ilya Sherbovich, who also controls Rosneft, a oil company with Putin ties or interests. Point being, Putin has taken over most large Russian social media and is in a hostile takeover of vk since Durov allowed political opposition to use vk as a social platform for its anti Putin message.

This is something the wife actually knows about as these are all matters within the purview of her job in Investment Banking in Global Markets for BofA Merrill Lynch.

[Publicus]

"Harlow Robinson, Matthews Dis­tin­guished Uni­ver­sity Pro­fessor and an expert in Russian his­tory and cul­ture" states:

As for Snowden himself, this means asylum in Russia; its not a resort. Who knows how Snowden will be treated. Where will he live? This is a devils bargain, for sure. He has no passport, and hes at the mercy of the Russian authorities, who history has shown arent delicate in dealing with anyone seen as a thorn in their side. Snowden is really a prisoner now in Russia.

http://www.northeastern.edu/news/2013/08/3qs-snowden-asylum-russia/#sthash.MFwywAr3.dpuf

------

Yeah, he will be firing that iPad up at the local Starbucks daily . . .

-------

Snowden is here because he has been trapped, said influential political analyst Fyodor Lukyanov, who edits Russia in Global Affairs magazine.

He will definitely not be allowed to carry on leaking data. In all likelihood, Snowden will have nothing to do in Russia.

Invasive medical tests, a placement in a refugee center, and round-the-clock security observation are just some of the things whistleblower Edward Snowden could face

http://rt.com/news/snowden-russia-immigration-asylum-758/

Certain people around here have been touting all of the job offers Snowden supposedly is getting, marriage proposals by Russian models etc. They make Russia sound like a desperate defector's paradise.

Like the Snowden offer at vk from Durov who himself is in hiding after Russian police came for him and Kremlin purchased the other 48% of vk from Durov's two buddies still in Russia.

I believe vk shares were purchasedby United Capital Partners and is run by Ilya Sherbovich, who also controls Rosneft, a oil company with Putin ties or interests. Point being, Putin has taken over most large Russian social media and is in a hostile takeover of vk since Durov allowed political opposition to use vk as a social platform for its anti Putin message.

This is something the wife actually knows about as these are all matters within the purview of her job in Investment Banking in Global Markets for BofA Merrill Lynch.

That's where I do my banking and stuff - your wife got any hot tips?

With Assange apparently running for the Senate in Oz, perhaps Snowden could run for the Duma (or izzit dupka ). Putin surely can guarantee Snowden 120% of the vote.

[SinglePot]

If he comes to my home in Thailand I'm straight on the phone to Mr Obama.

[Publicus]

He has been granted asylum by Russia. He is not wanted in Russia. If he comes to your home, who do you call? The Russian police? The US Embassy?

I don't think the laws to which you are referring extend outside the USA. They did not help him escape.

I don't know for sure and maybe one of our legal eagles can shed more light on this.

I'm a citizen of the United States and subject to its code of laws whether I'm at home or abroad.

If I harbor a fugitive from US justice at my expat home in a foreign country I've violated a US law. As a citizen, I'm culpable, a perp.

The asylum is not recognized by US law.

If Snowden today tried to fly to, say, Venezuela, the U.S. Government would go after him. Any asylum papers would get tossed into the garbage can.

Then the US Government would come after me, or wait for me. I'd probably lose the passport by revocation during the commotion.

U.S. sovereignty trumps any other foreign government's laws or actions. The UN Amnesty Treaty/Convention has its provisos and caveats.

We're talking espionage here, not advocating democracy in the CCP-PRC.

Snowden isn't Aung San Suu Kyi.

Perhaps your zeal to have the book thrown at Snowden or anybody that might assist him is an overreach.

Here are the basic requirements for federal charges of harboring a fugitive:

"Harboring a fugitive refers to the crime of knowingly hiding a wanted criminal from the authorities. Federal and state laws, which vary by state, govern the crime of harboring a fugitive. Although supplying funds may make one an accessory after the fact, supplying financial assistance to a fugitive does not rise to the level of harboring or concealing.

The federal statute, 18 U.S.C. § 1071, requires proof of four elements: (1) proof that a federal warrant had been issued for the fugitive' s arrest, (2) that the accused had knowledge that a warrant had been issued, (3) that the accused actually harbored or concealed the fugitive, and (4) that the accused intended to prevent the fugitive' s discovery or arrest."

Since the world knows it was a US expat that gave him quarters, it would seem they would not be falling afoul of the law. I'm certain if the FBI showed up at their front door and asked to speak to Snowden, they would grant him entry and let Snowden decide whether he wanted to talk or not.

http://definitions.uslegal.com/h/harboring-a-fugitive/

The only question concerns Item #2. I don't see it as a practical question however, as the US expat(s) in Russia would have to be deaf, dumb, blind not to know of Snowden.

One question at a time, however. What makes you so sure the US expat(s) harboring him in Russia would be so cooperative? The question is conjecture given we don't know if the FBI is allowed by Putin to be present or operating in Russia, based in the US Embassy.

[SinglePot]

IF he is with US expats they are clearly deemed by Putin to be safe US expats.

What qualifies as a safe US expat in Putin's eyes is debatable.

[midas]

"I have never heard of anything like this at all," said Nancy Gertner, a Harvard Law School professor who served as a federal judge from 1994 to 2011. Gertner and other legal experts said the program sounds more troubling than recent disclosures that the National Security Agency has been collecting domestic phone records. The NSA effort is geared toward stopping terrorists; the DEA program targets common criminals, primarily drug dealers.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/05/us-dea-sod-idUSBRE97409R20130805

[SinglePot]

Mr Obama turns up at your door who you gonna phone?

Snowden hero.

Obama crook.

Up to you.

[F430murci]

"I have never heard of anything like this at all," said Nancy Gertner, a Harvard Law School professor who served as a federal judge from 1994 to 2011. Gertner and other legal experts said the program sounds more troubling than recent disclosures that the National Security Agency has been collecting domestic phone records. The NSA effort is geared toward stopping terrorists; the DEA program targets common criminals, primarily drug dealers.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/05/us-dea-sod-idUSBRE97409R20130805

Don't have time to read closely, but is this saying DEA is using NSA stuff to target domestic drug cases and etc. If so, that is beyond troubling.

[F430murci]

Some truth to this!

-----

The US' paranoid political culture will not fade until we can trust our leaders and the corporations holding power.

"Paranoids are not paranoid because they're paranoid," Thomas Pynchon wrote in Gravity's Rainbow, "but because they keep putting themselves, f%#king idiots, deliberately into paranoid situations."

On June 23, 2013, Edward Snowden left China, a repressive state with a vast surveillance system, to fly to Russia, a repressive state with an even vaster surveillance system, in order to escape America, where he had worked for a surveillance system so vast he claims it gave him "the power to change people's fates".

In proclaiming his ability to change the fates of others, Snowden lost control of his own

http://m.aljazeera.com/story/2013858490192123

Edited August 5, 2013 by F430murci

[manarak]

I mean, the best thing to do if you find yourself in Russia is to get out. I've never been to Russia and with good reason.

Well, you have no knowledge but make statements none the less.

I have been to Russia, and I don't share F430murci's opinions about seclusion and controlled communications.

Russia's FSB doesn't have the same means at their disposal as the US.

If Snowden wanted to communicate, he could do so and he could probably also keep his communications' content a secret if he wanted. Moscow is full of wifi places.

Not just my view, but just about everyone's view from Russia that can speak somewhat freely about the situation. And then we have history of how Russia has treated similar individuals in the past. No freedom of movement and very depressing situation.

-----

But the secrecy that surrounded Snowdens time at the Moscow airport and his unwillingness so far to talk to the press indicates he is being controlled by Russian intelligence, Andrei Soldatov, a Russian journalist who co-authored a book on the Russian intelligence services said.

Does he have independent sources of information and communication? My impression is that he has none, which means hes not his own master, Soldatov said.

. . .

One of the reasons for keeping Snowden isolated may be to prevent him from speaking about the people he met and what really happened to him during the 39 days he spent in the airports transit zone

http://m.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/lawyer-snowden-has-a-place-to-live-in-russia-still-figuring-out-what-he-will-do/2013/08/02/197ca9c4-fb67-11e2-89f7-8599e3f77a67_story.html

Before Philby died of heart failure in 1988, he was under constant Russian surveillance and his entire life was bugged. Philby knew this and drank heavily to numb the pain of his hellish existence, suffered severe depression, on more than one occasion slashed his wrists, and told his wife that his earlier belief in the communist dream had turned out to be utterly wrong.

Burgess and Maclean suffered a similar existence in Moscow, until their deaths.

Philby got nothing but Russian pain, despite what he did for the motherland.

Snowdens prospects are worse because hes not a top Russian spy like Philby. Instead, hes a nomadic snitch with a grudge. Putin formerly a colonel in the KGB will view him as such.

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/08/02/can-snowden-survive-russia-and-putin/#ixzz2b5zZGny5

My opinion is that the above is wildly exagerated.

Andrei Soldatov may also not be a stranger to the world of propaganda, maybe his role is to discourage others from doing the same as Snowden. The whole overkill in US efforts to get Snowden can only be understood in the way that the US are shitting their pants that others will reveal more dirty secrets and therefore want to make an "example" of Snowden.

Regarding Snowden's status in Russia, Putin is no idiot and he certainly won't apply to Snowden the same treatment as the soviets applied to Philby - which happened ample time before this century even begun. In this case, why not say the US will have Snowden executed by a hitman, because the US used assassinations in the 20th century, and because they did it during the WWII aftermath, they wuill do it again now... just to demonstrate how ridiculous the Philby argument is.

The Russians can't keep Snowden isolated and they can't control his communications. They can make a deal with Snowden about what he is required to keep secret, but they can't control him other than by threatening his life.

[manarak]

I mean, the best thing to do if you find yourself in Russia is to get out. I've never been to Russia and with good reason.

Well, you have no knowledge but make statements none the less.

I have been to Russia, and I don't share F430murci's opinions about seclusion and controlled communications.

Russia's FSB doesn't have the same means at their disposal as the US.

If Snowden wanted to communicate, he could do so and he could probably also keep his communications' content a secret if he wanted. Moscow is full of wifi places.

Before I came to Thailand I'd thought it was a backward place.

After twelve years I know it's a backward place.

I thank Burger King for its establishment in Silom, so I suppose I should thank Thailand to for allowing it. However, I'm sure some Thais are pocketing money over it.

translation please?

[Publicus]

If anyone's doing overkill it's Snowden.

Snowden went beyond domestic programs to external national security programs and operations. Whatever point Snowden may have had by his actions - if indeed he ever had a point to them - are lost in his theft of thousands of documents related to the global security of the United States.

A certain number of U.S. citizens are grateful to him for his actions regarding domestic surveillance programs.

They're not so sure however he's benefitting the United States by climbing into bed with Vladimir Putin and Putin's pal Julian Assange where the three of them can have an orgy of sorts reading the global security means, methods, techniques of the U.S. foreign intelligence services.

Snowden has shown no limits to his actions.

[Publicus]

I mean, the best thing to do if you find yourself in Russia is to get out. I've never been to Russia and with good reason.

Well, you have no knowledge but make statements none the less.

I have been to Russia, and I don't share F430murci's opinions about seclusion and controlled communications.

Russia's FSB doesn't have the same means at their disposal as the US.

If Snowden wanted to communicate, he could do so and he could probably also keep his communications' content a secret if he wanted. Moscow is full of wifi places.

Before I came to Thailand I'd thought it was a backward place.

After twelve years I know it's a backward place.

I thank Burger King for its establishment in Silom, so I suppose I should thank Thailand to for allowing it. However, I'm sure some Thais are pocketing money over it.

translation please?

PM to me to discuss my rates, thx.

[manarak]

If anyone's doing overkill it's Snowden.

Snowden went beyond domestic programs to external national security programs and operations. Whatever point Snowden may have had by his actions - if indeed he ever had a point to them - are lost in his theft of thousands of documents related to the global security of the United States.

A certain number of U.S. citizens are grateful to him for his actions regarding domestic surveillance programs.

They're not so sure however he's benefitting the United States by climbing into bed with Vladimir Putin and Putin's pal Julian Assange where the three of them can have an orgy of sorts reading the global security means, methods, techniques of the U.S. foreign intelligence services.

Snowden has shown no limits to his actions.

Honestly: how many of the Snowden documents do you think would have been published if he had pulled his stunt within the US with a major US newspaper other major media?

And what would have been the odds of the media withholding the story for "national security" reasons and Snowden put into a secret jail after being judged by a secret court?