Snowden Wants to Return to US, But Only After Reforms

[webfact]

Snowden Wants to Return to US, But Only After Reforms

WASHINGTON, January 23 (RIA Novosti) – US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden said Thursday that he would like to return to his native country but that current whistleblower laws there make this option impossible.

“Returning to the US, I think, is the best resolution for the government, the public and myself, but it’s unfortunately not possible in the face of current whistleblower protection laws, which through a failure in law did not cover national security contractors like myself,” Snowden said in a live web chat.

Snowden, a former US National Security Agency (NSA) contractor who received temporary asylum in Russia in August, has been charged under the US Espionage Act after leaking information about extensive electronic surveillance programs conducted by the US government around the globe.

Under current US laws on whistleblowers, Snowden said, he does not believe he would be able to defend himself against the charges.

“This is especially frustrating, because it means there’s no chance to have a fair trial, and no way I can come home and make my case to a jury,” he said.

Also Thursday, US Attorney General Eric Holder said that the United States is willing to discuss a settlement of the charges, but only if Snowden would plead guilty to his alleged crimes. [read more...]

Full story: http://en.ria.ru/world/20140124/186868430/Snowden-Wants-to-Return-to-US-But-Only-After-Reforms.html

-- RIA Novosti 2014-01-24

[Nowhereman60]

He can stay where he is. Damn Benedict Arnold

[TVGerry]

He did alright by telling Americans they were being spied on. But then decided to release other information as we. The guy deserves to hang as a traitor. And I hope they get him.

[Neeeko]

He did alright by telling Americans they were being spied on. But then decided to release other information as we. The guy deserves to hang as a traitor. And I hope they get him.

He told Americans that they are being spied on and because of this he deserves to hang?

Is this what the world has come to now?

Edited January 24, 2014 by Neeeko

[Credo]

No, he told the world secrets that belong to the American gov't. That is called treason. For THAT, he deserves to hang.

He could have stayed in his own country and told people. He didn't. He chose to tell countries who are hostile to US interests. He didn't seek asylum with any allies, like say the UK, Australia or even some relatively neutral country like Sweden or Switzerland. He went to China and then on to Russia. He sought asylum in such places as Venezuela.

[TVGerry]

He did alright by telling Americans they were being spied on. But then decided to release other information as we. The guy deserves to hang as a traitor. And I hope they get him.

He told Americans that they are being spied on and because of this he deserves to hang?

Is this what the world has come to now?

Telling Americans they are being spied on by itself is okay in my book. However, have you read all the other secrets he has released? And it's not just American secrets, he has released secrets of other countries as well. So yes, that's treason.

[Pikeybkk]

good on him....all americans are brain washed by their gov and are shovel fed crap every day....finally one of them coped on to their police state and self determined new world order, he only has shown them to be two faced hypocrites....give him a medal

[Lancelot]

He could have stayed in his own country and told people. He didn't. He chose to tell countries who are hostile to US interests. He didn't seek asylum with any allies, like say the UK, Australia or even some relatively neutral country like Sweden or Switzerland. He went to China and then on to Russia. He sought asylum in such places as Venezuela.

The UK or Australia have extradition treaties with the US and they would have, by law, given him up.

Why didn't he go to a country with no extradition treaties with the US, then leak the information?

Agreed, if he wanted to be a hero, he would have remained in the US and leaked the information to a major newspaper there.

[khunken]

He knew that he would end up like the mistreated Bradley Manning if he released his information in the US. He also knew that the likes of the UK or Australia, being implicated in the spying, would just hand hm over to the US.

I applaud him for what he has done and anyone else that blows the whistle on 'Big Brother' style activity. Spying on your enemies is a legitimate activity that many countries do. Spying on your friends and the non-US public deserves to be uncovered.

[falangadang]

No, he told the world secrets that belong to the American gov't. That is called treason. For THAT, he deserves to hang.

He could have stayed in his own country and told people. He didn't. He chose to tell countries who are hostile to US interests. He didn't seek asylum with any allies, like say the UK, Australia or even some relatively neutral country like Sweden or Switzerland. He went to China and then on to Russia. He sought asylum in such places as Venezuela.

“I know no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them but to inform their discretion by education. This is the true corrective of abuses of Constitutional power.”

Thomas Jefferson

Edited January 24, 2014 by falangadang

[Frank James]

No, he told the world secrets that belong to the American gov't. That is called treason. For THAT, he deserves to hang.

He could have stayed in his own country and told people. He didn't. He chose to tell countries who are hostile to US interests. He didn't seek asylum with any allies, like say the UK, Australia or even some relatively neutral country like Sweden or Switzerland. He went to China and then on to Russia. He sought asylum in such places as Venezuela.

Hang? That might be a bit of an over-reaction. He does deserve the label of "traitor", but a lot of good things are happening as a result of his treason.

None of America's allies, who are all hooked up to the same surveillance network, would give asylum to this guy. I'm sure Sweden or Switzerland would not let him in. If he comes back, it will be in shackles, and he will do some heavy time, unfortunately.

[Credo]

I am using the word 'hang', figuratively, not literally. Many of those countries would not have extradited Snowden, at least not easily, since the death penalty would have to be taken off the table.

If showed up in either Switzerland or Sweden -- and applied for asylum, he probably would have gotten it. At a minimum he would have been give protection for a long, long legal battle. Neither country is particularly aligned to the US and it's unlikely that either country has been hurt by his leaks. Also, early on, he appeared to be more of a hero or human rights activist. But then it became clear he was collaborating with China and then later Russia.

He is still under the thumb of what can only be considered an 'enemy' state. They determine what information he is allowed to release.

[rotary]

Snowden.......proof that stupid people do exist

[Mudcrab]

What about Assange.....his alleged boss. The founder of Wikileaks

[khunken]

I am using the word 'hang', figuratively, not literally. Many of those countries would not have extradited Snowden, at least not easily, since the death penalty would have to be taken off the table.

If showed up in either Switzerland or Sweden -- and applied for asylum, he probably would have gotten it. At a minimum he would have been give protection for a long, long legal battle. Neither country is particularly aligned to the US and it's unlikely that either country has been hurt by his leaks. Also, early on, he appeared to be more of a hero or human rights activist. But then it became clear he was collaborating with China and then later Russia.

He is still under the thumb of what can only be considered an 'enemy' state. They determine what information he is allowed to release.

You are making too many wild assumptions there.

There is no certainty that the Swiss or the Swedes would have granted him asylum. Both have extradition treaties with the US and, in the case of Sweden, it is precisely why Julian Assange refuses to allow the UK to extradite him there. I even doubt that either country would allow him in.

There is also no evidence that either China or Russia is censoring what information Snowden is releasing. He is releasing his information to journalists of the Guardian, Der Speigel & the New York Times and, of course, Wikileaks.

He chose places where he felt safe from being sent to the US. He was also lucky not to be on the plane from Russia to Bolivia where some European countries forced it to land believing he was on board. US tentacles are far reaching and include many European countries.

Edited January 24, 2014 by khunken

[Donnie Brasco]

Julian Assange, Ken Snowden and Bradley Manning all have something very significant in common.

Murky ill-defined back-stories and backgrounds.

They feed the narrative.

And in contrapuntal arrangement with the mainstream media version of events, they have established the parameters of a dialectical set-up which controls the narrative of the events which "alter and illuminate our times."

Goes back to "What colour ARE you Khun Somchai?" . . . . . . "Both, Khun Donnie . . . . I am BOTH"

That admission, for me, when declared by a man in a highly credible position of wealth and authority spells . . . . . . !POWER!

I cannot think of ONE thing, not ONE SINGLE THING that these so-called "traitors" or their "leaks" are supposed to have "revealed" that was not mere gossip, or that was of ANY strategic importance or that was not already COMMON knowledge among students and analysts of the geopolitical scene.

On the other hand there is a considerable number of unspoken issues.

Why do I think this way ?

How ELSE, pray-tell, was the NSA ever going to be able to use its massive collection of data ?

Does anyone still believe that cloak and dagger spooks are what's happening these days in our multi-TRILLION dollar a year intelligence industry ? Are we still supposed to believe in agents and operatives and spooks ???

Surely no one can still be THAT naive.

So, back to "why"

The deal is . . . . . . to control the narrative.

He who controls the past controls the present and he who controls the present controls the future.

These guys working in the USA's 18 (that's EIGHTEEN clandestine agencies . . . some with classified budgets and some with no name) these are the guys are charged with controlling the narrative.

It's what we do, they'll tell you.

And they'd also tell you that if the US really wanted Snowden, Assange and Manning dead, we'd NEVER even have learned their names.

But hey, <deleted> ? What do I know ;-?

I dunno nuttin'

An I'm just sittin' round na house doin' nuttin'.

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

Edited January 24, 2014 by Donnie Brasco

[Credo]

He would have had no trouble getting into either Switzerland or Sweden. When he left the US, nobody (in theory) knew what he was doing.

Russia set very specific terms to his stay and his use of the information. Do you think an ex-KGB agent is going to let a spy loose on his territory and not know exactly what he is up to?

[allan michaud]

He did alright by telling Americans they were being spied on. But then decided to release other information as we. The guy deserves to hang as a traitor. And I hope they get him.

He told Americans that they are being spied on and because of this he deserves to hang?

Is this what the world has come to now?

Telling Americans they are being spied on by itself is okay in my book. However, have you read all the other secrets he has released? And it's not just American secrets, he has released secrets of other countries as well. So yes, that's treason.

I am amazed at the comments on here. A recent poll in the US showed 57% now consider him a whistleblower rather than a traitor. I guess all you guys making the 'traitor' comments are all ok with being spied upon by your govt. A congressional investigation also found that the NSA program that he exposed had not resulted in any (zero) information whatsoever to stop an act of terrorism.

[allan michaud]

Seems like all the redneck Fox News viewers are busy on this post.

Hang em high, Ye ha!

[F430murci]

Seems like all the redneck Fox News viewers are busy on this post.

Hang em high, Ye ha!

I thought Fox News was anti NSA and more pro-Snowden than pro-Obama.

I love saying I was right. Back in original very first Snowden thread I said he would end up in Russia. He did.

When everyone said and thought he was on a plane to Cuba, I said no way, he ain't going anywhere now that he is in Russia. I was right.

Then everyone said Russia would not keep him and he would end up in some other country like Venezuela. I said the applications for asylum were ploys, he ain't going anyway where. He didn't.

I said FSB had his lap tops and pointed out that his lawyer was Putin connected when all the hail Snowden people on here said Russia did not have his lap tops. Guess who has his lap tops?

I said Russia would keep him and ship him off to Siberia or some place not inviting when those hailing Snowden on here thought he would have the life of a celebrity, marry a famous spy, and be treated like royalty. Guess who ended up in Novisibirsk and wants to come home now . . .

I also said he was not at the airport for 40 days, much less 2 days after arriving from Hong Kong. My wife and I were both at that air port during that 40 days and no sign of reporters, guards or media and people in Moscow were snickering about how Putin pulled one over on Obama.

No pictures of Snowden in the airport by anyone throughout the 40 days and no one saw him ever enter the airport. He was picked up by a black BMW on the tarmac before the plane got to the gate. Suckers!!!

This was set up by Russia and, as I said on day 1, poor Snowden is a pawn, in over his head and has ruined his life.

It it makes you feel warm and fuzzy to idolize him because you think this had something to do with domestic spying, so be it. This, however, was an act of espionage by the FSB to get sensitive US military intelligence. The rest was a smoke screen and publicity stunt that many fell for, including many suckers and paranoid types on here. Russia counted on you!

Hats off to Russia, they are one of the best at this stuff. Now US gets to waste billions more.

Edited January 24, 2014 by F430murci

[ntg187]

Seems like all the redneck Fox News viewers are busy on this post.

Hang em high, Ye ha!

Hmmm... Fox News. I watch BBC, Al-Jazeera, and Fox News. I guess I should go grab my torch and join the mob to demand that my satellite service includes left-wing obama loving propaganda MSNBC and CNN. Oh wait... that might conflict with my lynching mob. Damn you world for making us 'rednecks' choose. Maybe one day we can join the hi-so ranks of allan over there...

[OZEMADE]

What about Assange.....his alleged boss. The founder of WikiLeaks Snowden

Assange's life is now lived in a cellar, cant wait until he finishes his time in a cell. As far as the other ape Snowden goes, he is now missing his home country and his friends and family. He should have thought of that before he open his mouth and place other military personnel in danger along with other info he gave up.

Let him rot with his new friends in Russia.

[ggt]

Finally...a good reason to insist on reform in the US...

So Snowden...can safely return to the comforts of home...(:

There is much more to this story...than we have been told...I for one do not believe he acted alone...or has not benefitted monetarily from his disclosures...

He took an oath...chose to disclose secrets entrusted to him...has done great harm to US relationships...

He can not be trusted...

Stay where you are......you will receive more warmth in Siberia...than you will returning to the US...

Edited January 24, 2014 by ggt

[Senyo]

Snowden has been and still is an FSB recruit. The only way FSB could stop or at least curtail the NSA world spying was to present it to the media in an acceptable and thrustworthy way. So they arranged Snowden's "escape" in a way that it looked plausible to the world - first Hong Kong then Russia. Snowden has done his job as a spy. He now lives a good life in Russia. He will soon be relocated at some exotic country with a new identity to happily spend his money paid by Russia. Spying is a business, anyway.

Edited January 24, 2014 by Senyo

[kamahele]

He knew that he would end up like the mistreated Bradley Manning if he released his information in the US. He also knew that the likes of the UK or Australia, being implicated in the spying, would just hand hm over to the US.

I applaud him for what he has done and anyone else that blows the whistle on 'Big Brother' style activity. Spying on your enemies is a legitimate activity that many countries do. Spying on your friends and the non-US public deserves to be uncovered.

If Bradley Manning was mistreated by anyone it was by that tool that heads Wikileaks. The boy, stole information from the government and gave it to a foreign national. Prior to Snowden it was already common knowledge to those that actually watch the news and read the papers that the US was collecting data from phone calls. I saw an news piece with the former head of the NSA more than a decade ago where he admitted as such. Our allies know we spy on them because they also spy on us. The fake indignation from foreign leaders has been quite entertaining. All Snowden has really done is embarrass the US government. He isn't a hero. A hero would have stayed in the USA and fought for his beliefs. Instead he ran away to China. He can still come back and fight through the courts to make the changes he believes is necessary.

[Credo]

About 6 or 7 years ago, a friend of mine sent his parents a picture of him and his daughter in the bathtub taking a bath together. His daughter was still a baby, less than a year old. Lots of soap so nothing visible and nothing of a sexual nature going on. The picture was sent as an attachment to an email.

My friends family lives in Canada and the picture was taken in Thailand. Two days after he sent the email, his parents received a visit from the police about the picture which was labeled as 'child pornography'.

I wonder who and how this picture was discovered by the gov't?

This, at least at face value, has nothing to do with the US or the NSA, but somebody was watching and opening attachments.

Edited January 25, 2014 by Credo

[wwest5829]

No, he told the world secrets that belong to the American gov't. That is called treason. For THAT, he deserves to hang.

He could have stayed in his own country and told people. He didn't. He chose to tell countries who are hostile to US interests. He didn't seek asylum with any allies, like say the UK, Australia or even some relatively neutral country like Sweden or Switzerland. He went to China and then on to Russia. He sought asylum in such places as Venezuela.

Hmmm, I seem to remember that our U.S. Allies would not touch Snowden out of respect for U.S. Gov't interests. And, if I remember correctly, The Guardian released the information. As it is in England, that would mean the information was released from an allied country. While I have mixed feelings about Snowden, I favor seeing the info release as beneficial in bringing to light gov't actions. For my money, he is neither to be given a medal nor severely punished.

[Johnny99]

good on him....all americans are brain washed by their gov and are shovel fed crap every day....finally one of them coped on to their police state and self determined new world order, he only has shown them to be two faced hypocrites....give him a medal

Yes, that's a great idea. He only committed espionage.

[NowImEasy]

He did alright by telling Americans they were being spied on. But then decided to release other information as we. The guy deserves to hang as a traitor. And I hope they get him.

He told Americans that they are being spied on and because of this he deserves to hang?

Is this what the world has come to now?

Telling Americans they are being spied on by itself is okay in my book. However, have you read all the other secrets he has released? And it's not just American secrets, he has released secrets of other countries as well. So yes, that's treason.

I am amazed at the comments on here. A recent poll in the US showed 57% now consider him a whistleblower rather than a traitor. I guess all you guys making the 'traitor' comments are all ok with being spied upon by your govt. A congressional investigation also found that the NSA program that he exposed had not resulted in any (zero) information whatsoever to stop an act of terrorism.

Let the man return to the USA and be tried before a jury of his peers.

Breath there the man with soul so dead

who never to himself hath said

"This is my own, my native land"

as home his footsteps he has turned

from wandering on a foreign strand?

If such there breathes, go mark him well.

For him no minstrels rapture swells.

High though his title, proud his name,

boundless his riches as wealth may claim,

Despite these titles, power and pelf,

the wretch concentered all in self,

Living, shall forfeit fair renown.

And doubly dying, shall go down

to the vile dust from whence he sprung

Unheralded, unnoted and unsung.

Sir Walter Scott

[Langsuan Man]

I think Mr. Snowden is starting to understand why there are no lines of applicants at the Russian Federation Embassy in Washington trying to get visas to Russia but there are long lines at the US Embassy in Moscow trying to get visas for the US

Sort of ironic that he is stuck in the country that literally invented spying on one's citizens