Snowden agrees to asylum in Venezuela: Russian lawmaker

[Scott]

Posts have been deleted for a variety of reasons, including being off-topic, inflammatory, and violating fair use policy.

[SinglePot]

So. For the moment he is staying in Russia.

China booted him out of HK.

Ecuador said pi** off when their hero Assange started getting too big for his boots.

A damaging hornet's nest was stirred up by Snowden in Europe. No European country wanted him.

Venezuela offered asylum. He didn't reply.

His supporters and countries prepared to give him asylum are anti US.

Sanctimonious crap about human rights doesn't do it for me in the case of Snowden.

And what is going to happen in the US? Suspension, curtailment, restriction of NSA activity? Criminal proceedings against individuals?

Another major terrorist attack on the US and everybody will be slaughtering the US government. They got enough heat over the Boston marathon.

Snowden has weakened the US materially and as a nation.

Disgraceful.

[wealth]

a full interview with Snowden in Russian and English (42 minutes) including Q & A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=cHwOi6-Onl8#at=1225

[jamhar]

a full interview with Snowden in Russian and English (42 minutes) including Q & A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=cHwOi6-Onl8#at=1225

Thanks for sharing

I was planning to look for it this morning.

Linking and posting the transcript of his statement for those who like print instead.

Hello. My name is Ed Snowden. A little over one month ago, I had family, a home in paradise, and I lived in great comfort. I also had the capability without any warrant to search for, seize, and read your communications. Anyone’s communications at any time. That is the power to change people’s fates.

It is also a serious violation of the law. The 4th and 5th Amendments to the Constitution of my country, Article 12 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and numerous statutes and treaties forbid such systems of massive, pervasive surveillance. While the US Constitution marks these programs as illegal, my government argues that secret court rulings, which the world is not permitted to see, somehow legitimize an illegal affair. These rulings simply corrupt the most basic notion of justice – that it must be seen to be done. The immoral cannot be made moral through the use of secret law.

I believe in the principle declared at Nuremberg in 1945: "Individuals have international duties which transcend the national obligations of obedience. Therefore individual citizens have the duty to violate domestic laws to prevent crimes against peace and humanity from occurring."

Accordingly, I did what I believed right and began a campaign to correct this wrongdoing. I did not seek to enrich myself. I did not seek to sell US secrets. I did not partner with any foreign government to guarantee my safety. Instead, I took what I knew to the public, so what affects all of us can be discussed by all of us in the light of day, and I asked the world for justice.

That moral decision to tell the public about spying that affects all of us has been costly, but it was the right thing to do and I have no regrets.

Since that time, the government and intelligence services of the United States of America have attempted to make an example of me, a warning to all others who might speak out as I have. I have been made stateless and hounded for my act of political expression. The United States Government has placed me on no-fly lists. It demanded Hong Kong return me outside of the framework of its laws, in direct violation of the principle of non-refoulement – the Law of Nations. It has threatened with sanctions countries who would stand up for my human rights and the UN asylum system. It has even taken the unprecedented step of ordering military allies to ground a Latin American president’s plane in search for a political refugee. These dangerous escalations represent a threat not just to the dignity of Latin America, but to the basic rights shared by every person, every nation, to live free from persecution, and to seek and enjoy asylum.

Yet even in the face of this historically disproportionate aggression, countries around the world have offered support and asylum. These nations, including Russia, Venezuela, Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Ecuador have my gratitude and respect for being the first to stand against human rights violations carried out by the powerful rather than the powerless. By refusing to compromise their principles in the face of intimidation, they have earned the respect of the world. It is my intention to travel to each of these countries to extend my personal thanks to their people and leaders.

I announce today my formal acceptance of all offers of support or asylum I have been extended and all others that may be offered in the future. With, for example, the grant of asylum provided by Venezuela’s President Maduro, my asylee status is now formal, and no state has a basis by which to limit or interfere with my right to enjoy that asylum. As we have seen, however, some governments in Western European and North American states have demonstrated a willingness to act outside the law, and this behavior persists today. This unlawful threat makes it impossible for me to travel to Latin America and enjoy the asylum granted there in accordance with our shared rights.

This willingness by powerful states to act extra-legally represents a threat to all of us, and must not be allowed to succeed. Accordingly, I ask for your assistance in requesting guarantees of safe passage from the relevant nations in securing my travel to Latin America, as well as requesting asylum in Russia until such time as these states accede to law and my legal travel is permitted. I will be submitting my request to Russia today, and hope it will be accepted favorably.

If you have any questions, I will answer what I can.

Thank you.

Link to snowden-statement-to rights-groups

[SinglePot]

So what's new? I listened to the audio.

He has said all this before.

[Credo]

He is not an aggrieved party. The US gov't has done nothing to him, prior to theft and escape. He has not named ONE internal aggrieved party, not one US citizen. He talks about unconstitutionality and human rights, but he is nothing more than a traitor who has given and sold information to foreign gov'ts.

[Mosha]

If the tweet is retracted, then it isn't valid is it?

Good luck on trying to get to Maduro land. The TPAC route is too dangerous which means having to try a European route. He'll have a difficult flight as the Daily Mail reported today; Snowden could avoid US-influenced airspace by flying north to the Barents Sea, through the Denmark Strait, head south while avoiding Canada's Newfoundland, until getting to the east of the Windward Islands, then squeezing through between islands.

Not likely. That airspace is tough to get through as both the UK and Canada would act to intercept and force the plane to land if Snowden got anywhere close. The USAF practically has free reign in the Carribean. He certainly can't take a flight to Havana on Aeroflot since the plane has to go through Canadian and then US airspace.

I have a feeling Putin is about to make trade with the Americans: Snowden in return for a player to be named later, most likely a favourable early release of Viktor Bout..

It will head for Africa, and cross the Atlantic off West Africa. A simmers site but quite realistic http://onlineflightplanner.netau.net/ UUDD-SVMI No need to get any where near American influence

use note pad to read the pln file.

[midas]

“He is accused of leaking classified information, has been charged with three felony counts and should be returned to the United States where he will be afforded full due process,” said White House spokesperson Jay Carney.

Supporters of the whistleblower have argued otherwise, however, and have cited the treatment of WikiLeaks source Bradley Manning as a reason to keep Snowden far away from the clutch of American authorities. Manning, who is currently on trial for his own leaks in Ft. Meade, Maryland, spent roughly ten months in isolation within a military brig in northern Virginia upon being arrested in 2010 on suspicion of cooperating with WikiLeaks. In all his pre-trial detainment extended for over three full years and included treatment that a special rapporteur for the United Nations has condemned as tantamount with torture.

http://rt.com/usa/snowden-russia-white-house-025/

[Credo]

Manning, if you recall, was in the Military and is subject to military tribunals. Quite different, but hey, let's not let facts get in the way.

[Publicus]

“He is accused of leaking classified information, has been charged with three felony counts and should be returned to the United States where he will be afforded full due process,” said White House spokesperson Jay Carney.

Supporters of the whistleblower have argued otherwise, however, and have cited the treatment of WikiLeaks source Bradley Manning as a reason to keep Snowden far away from the clutch of American authorities. Manning, who is currently on trial for his own leaks in Ft. Meade, Maryland, spent roughly ten months in isolation within a military brig in northern Virginia upon being arrested in 2010 on suspicion of cooperating with WikiLeaks. In all his pre-trial detainment extended for over three full years and included treatment that a special rapporteur for the United Nations has condemned as tantamount with torture.

http://rt.com/usa/snowden-russia-white-house-025/

Private First Class Bradley Manning is a member of the US military and as such is governed 24/7 by the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), not by the civilian laws under which we all live. All members of the military of the United States are governed by the UCMJ, which is radically different from the laws we as civilians live under.

It's ironic because while each person who enters the armed services of the United States affirms an oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States - with his/her life if necessary - the Constitution barely applies to active duty members of the armed services. The UCMJ applies instead and the UCMJ is strict, harsh, unforgiving.

There's an old saying in the US armed forces that military music is to music as military justice is to justice. That's entirely true, and then some. The same is true of most armed forces of the world, some more than others.

Some may remember during the Civil War a Union soldier on overnight guard duty protecting his encampment fell asleep and was found sleeping by his sergeant. His commanding officer ordered him shot. The soldier's parents appealed to President Lincoln, who upheld the order, and the Union soldier was shot to death by firing squad, all in accord to military law.

Edward Snowden is a civilian and is subject to all of the protections and rights afforded to all civilian U.S. citizens under the Constitution. The instances of Pfc Bradley Manning and Edward Snowden are radically different. If Snowden doesn't know this he is an idiot, as are the governments, NGOs and others who are falsely - perhaps maliciously - trying to claim that Snowden would be subjected to the similar, same or like treatment Pfc Bradley Manning is receiving under the provisions of the UCMJ. This applies to the UN rapporteur too because he/she is trying to interfere with discipline in the US armed forces.

Edward Snowden has all the protections and guarantees of the Constitution that you or I have. Snowden will enjoy the protection of the Constitution no matter what happens if and when he is apprehended.

Manning, if you recall, was in the Military and is subject to military tribunals. Quite different, but hey, let's not let facts get in the way.

Succinctly and accurately stated, thank you.

[Publicus]

Snowden is cheerfully aiding and abetting governments that are hostile toward the United States. I hope in this instance Putin in his gamesmanship is starting to feel some heat.

I still say it would be best for Snowden to travel by submarine , even tho Russian subs are all over the bottom of oceans sunk by internal explosions.

Obama Calls Vladimir Putin To Demand The Return Of Edward Snowden

Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/10177180/Obama-speaks-direct-to-Putin-about-Edward-Snowden-as-whistleblower-seeks-temporary-asylum-in-Russia.html#ixzz2YuTsBNEt

The American whistleblower Edward Snowden has sought asylum in Russia, in his first encounter with the outside world since becoming marooned at a Moscow airport three weeks ago during a globe-trotting flight from charges of espionage.

His move prompted President Barack Obama to pick up the phone and call Russian President Vladimir Putin directly, presumably to demand the return of the 30-year-old former analyst at the National Security Agency, who came from nowhere last month to trigger one of the biggest intelligence leaks in American history.

Jay Carney, the White House spokesman, warned Russia against allowing Mr Snowden a "propaganda platform" by letting him stay in the country. No exact details of the conversation have been disclosed, but Snowden was among the topics the leaders discussed, with security relations and counterterrorism preparations for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi also covered.

Carney said such granting Snowden asylum would "run counter" to Moscow's assurances that it did not want the affair to harm US-Russia relations. He renewed Washington's call on Russia to expel Mr Snowden so that he could be returned to American soil to face trial for leaking US national security secrets.

Snowden Just Put Russia In A Major Bind

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/snowden-just-put-russian-in-a-major-bind-2013-7#ixzz2YuRikti2

Due to his passport problems, prolific NSA leaker Edward Snowden is officially asking Russia for “temporary” asylum in order for him to leave a Moscow airport's transit zone “safely” to make his way to Venezuela or Ecuador (the most likely candidates).

His request effectively asks Russia to take a side, something they've been unwilling to do.

Putin — knowing the already frosty nature of U.S./Russia relations — is likely trying to avoid an awkward China-like Snowden situation. In a recent statement to Beijing, Obama reiterated his disappointment in China's decision to let Snowden slip away.

Putin has maintained neutrality throughout, saying several times that he hopes the U.S. “will understand” Russia's non-position on Snowden — which relies mostly on current international law.

[SinglePot]

looks like Obama wants him.....

[wealth]

the hounding continues ...

Obama called Putin over Snowden and a few other subjects, trying to pressure the Kremlin not to give Snowden a platform to speak out.

Now, since Snowden is such a low NSA employee, why is Obama interfering?

[SinglePot]

Let the hounding continue

[Publicus]

the hounding continues ...

Obama called Putin over Snowden and a few other subjects, trying to pressure the Kremlin not to give Snowden a platform to speak out.

Now, since Snowden is such a low NSA employee, why is Obama interfering?

Obviously you missed the fact the United States has charged Edward Snowden with violations of the Espionage Act. That's giving highly classified national and global security information to foreign governments. Before posting you might want to find out what the issues are.

[chuckd]

I've been inactive for most of the past week and I see the circle jerk continues.

Same story, different verse.

[SinglePot]

Useful factual information always appreciated to put the hero, victim story in context.

It seems to be very difficult to move this thread into discussion of the wider issues beyond: 'NSA have been spying on us' and 'failure of democracy'.

[SinglePot]

I've been inactive for most of the past week and I see the circle jerk continues.

Same story, different verse.

Welcome back.

Anti US feeling manifested through support of Snowden is alive and kicking.

Edited July 13, 2013 by SinglePot

[SinglePot]

Guess he will be dead soon, US may have to save face...

Nah...I guess he is untouchable ..he is too famous now...

Of course he might die from cancer ,a few years down the line.....courtesy of HAARP..

Probably safer in South America than North American then. Further from Alaska (for the people who didn't know what haarp is.)

[SinglePot]

Snowden is going to stay in Russia for a while until he can travel more securely to another country. He applied for a temporary asylum in Russia.

Good call.

It takes some time to work out all the slides he's provided until then he will be able to continue with more secure travel plans and do his job.

Well done Edward! We salute you.

Have a nice day son.

[SinglePot]

Latest update from the usually reliable British Broadcasting Corporation.

Russia 'has not received' Snowden asylum bid

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-23300425

Edited July 13, 2013 by SinglePot

[lovetotravel]

Guess he will be dead soon, US may have to save face...

Nah...I guess he is untouchable ..he is too famous now...

Of course he might die from cancer ,a few years down the line.....courtesy of HAARP..

Probably safer in South America than North American then. Further from Alaska (for the people who didn't know what haarp is.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Frequency_Active_Auroral_Research_Program#Conspiracy_theories

Stanford University professor Umran Inan told Popular Science that weather-control conspiracy theories were “completely uninformed,” explaining that “there’s absolutely nothing we can do to disturb the Earth’s [weather] systems. Even though the power HAARP radiates is very large, it’s minuscule compared with the power of a lightning flash—and there are 50 to 100 lightning flashes every second. HAARP’s intensity is very small.”[3]

Computer scientist David Naiditch characterizes HAARP as "a magnet for conspiracy theorists", saying that HAARP attracts their attention because "its purpose seems deeply mysterious to the scientifically uninformed".[4] Journalist Sharon Weinberger called HAARP "the Moby Dick of conspiracy theories" and said the popularity of conspiracy theories often overshadows the benefits HAARP may provide to the scientific community.[24][25] Austin Baird writing in the Alaska Dispatch said, "What makes HAARP susceptible to conspiracy criticism is simple. The facility doesn't open its doors in the same way as other federally-funded research facilities around the country, and it doesn't go to great efforts to explain the importance of its research to the public."[18]

[SinglePot]

Ionospheric control system to make sure bad weather doesn't affect major events.

World Series baseball and the Superbowl etc.

[Loptr]

Snowden is holding a dead man trigger on information to be released should he reach an untimely demise.

http://in.reuters.com/article/2013/07/13/usa-security-snowden-greenwald-idINDEE96C05520130713

"Snowden has enough information to cause harm to the U.S. government in a single minute than any other person has ever had," Greenwald said in an interview in Rio de Janeiro with the Argentinian daily La Nacion.

"The U.S. government should be on its knees every day begging that nothing happen to Snowden, because if something does happen to him, all the information will be revealed and it could be its worst nightmare."

Makes one wonder what else the US government has been up to. Things that make you go hmm.

[lovetotravel]

Snowden is holding a dead man trigger on information to be released should he reach an untimely demise.

http://in.reuters.com/article/2013/07/13/usa-security-snowden-greenwald-idINDEE96C05520130713

"Snowden has enough information to cause harm to the U.S. government in a single minute than any other person has ever had," Greenwald said in an interview in Rio de Janeiro with the Argentinian daily La Nacion.

"The U.S. government should be on its knees every day begging that nothing happen to Snowden, because if something does happen to him, all the information will be revealed and it could be its worst nightmare."

Makes one wonder what else the US government has been up to. Things that make you go hmm.

Probably about the same stuff your government is up to, as well as most others in the world. It's just the US gets most of the attention.

I think China and Russia are way worse. And since there's no freedom of press there, nobody will ever know. Except a select few.

[craigt3365]

A few off topic posts have been removed from view. This is not about events 200 years ago.

[midas]

Snowden is holding a dead man trigger on information to be released should he reach an untimely demise.

http://in.reuters.com/article/2013/07/13/usa-security-snowden-greenwald-idINDEE96C05520130713

"Snowden has enough information to cause harm to the U.S. government in a single minute than any other person has ever had," Greenwald said in an interview in Rio de Janeiro with the Argentinian daily La Nacion.

"The U.S. government should be on its knees every day begging that nothing happen to Snowden, because if something does happen to him, all the information will be revealed and it could be its worst nightmare."

Makes one wonder what else the US government has been up to. Things that make you go hmm.

"Snowden has enough information to cause more damage to the U.S. government in a minute alone than anyone else has ever had in the history of the United States."

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-07-13/greenwald-us-government-should-be-its-knees-every-day-praying-nothing-happens-snowde

Edited July 14, 2013 by midas

[Loptr]

Snowden is holding a dead man trigger on information to be released should he reach an untimely demise.

http://in.reuters.com/article/2013/07/13/usa-security-snowden-greenwald-idINDEE96C05520130713

"Snowden has enough information to cause harm to the U.S. government in a single minute than any other person has ever had," Greenwald said in an interview in Rio de Janeiro with the Argentinian daily La Nacion.

"The U.S. government should be on its knees every day begging that nothing happen to Snowden, because if something does happen to him, all the information will be revealed and it could be its worst nightmare."

Makes one wonder what else the US government has been up to. Things that make you go hmm.

Probably about the same stuff your government is up to, as well as most others in the world. It's just the US gets most of the attention.

I think China and Russia are way worse. And since there's no freedom of press there, nobody will ever know. Except a select few.

I am an American. That doesn't mean that I condone or approve of the actions of the US intelligencia. Or any other government's invasion into the privacy of their citizens for the sake of national security.

Had the US not stuck it's big nose into the domestic affairs of every government on the planet over the last 60 years, we wouldn't have ANY of these issues.

Wiser words have never been spoken.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gg-jvHynP9Y

[jamhar]

"Snowden has enough information to cause more damage to the U.S. government in a minute alone than anyone else has ever had in the history of the United States."

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-07-13/greenwald-us-government-should-be-its-knees-every-day-praying-nothing-happens-snowde

Thats seems to be a given.

The US "interests" in getting him back is unprecedented.

Therefore, i'm expecting that he has unprecedented amount of information.

or that he REALLY pissed someone off.

Also, I noticed as of 22 minutes ago, there is still no report of Snowded asking for Russian asylum.

I'm wondering if Putin told him quietly "if you formally apply, You will be kicked out immediately".

I wouldnt put it past him.

The embarrassment, and cost that snowden can cause the US,

will not translate to more trade or wealth to Russia.

Russia only has downside with the snowded issue.

Russia wants out of this situation ASAP.

China will still have a fallout from Snowded situation

but more and more, they are looking pretty bright,

getting him out of HK as quickly as they did.

[jamhar]

"The U.S. government should be on its knees every day begging that nothing happen to Snowden, because if something does happen to him, all the information will be revealed and it could be its worst nightmare."

Sounds like a threat in the clear

A true patriot!

Actually it sounds like the snowden camp is getting a little desperate

Any information he has, has to be considered compromised.

And any blackmail, will not stop the information from getting out.

so good luck with the threats.

But as a American, I'm resigned to days, weeks and longer of more embarrassing disclosures.

Just an FYI

Americans arent very good at doing the "on its knees" thing. Just not in our nature.

Edited July 14, 2013 by jamhar