Posted on 06/18/2013 7:48:29 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
It’s the question on everyone’s lips: "Why is Edward Snowden in China?”
The implication is that spookiness is the only plausible explanation for why the NSA whistleblower would have absconded to Hong Kong. “Why flee the country?” is the accusation du jour. “I'm deeply suspicious obviously because he went to China,” said the man-most-likely-to-accuse-you-of-being-a-spy, Dick Cheney.
CBS’s Bob Schieffer accused Snowed of cowardice, taunting: “I don’t remember Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks running off to China.”
Let me suggest an alternative explanation: Bradley Manning.
The trial of the man who handed over classified information to Wikileaks founder Julian Assange is a cautionary tale for all wannabe whistleblowers. While being held for nearly three years before his trial finally began, Manning—who had committed no acts of violence—was kept in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day, checked every five minutes, and stripped naked at night. More than 250 U.S. legal scholars signed a letter of protest, arguing that his "degrading and inhumane conditions" were illegal and unconstitutional. Human rights groups protested.
“There can be no conceivable justification for requiring a soldier to surrender all his clothing, remain naked in his cell for seven hours, and then stand at attention the subsequent morning,” Manning’s lawyer complained. “This treatment is even more degrading considering that Pfc. Manning is being monitored—both by direct observation and by video—at all times.” When President Obama was asked about Manning, he said that the "procedures that have been taken in terms of his confinement are appropriate and are meeting our basic standards." A military judge disagreed, later ruling that Manning was subjected to excessively harsh treatment in military detention. But the damage was already done.
Here’s another possible answer to the accusation-cum-query: Thomas Drake....
(Excerpt) Read more at thedailybeast.com ...
Comments?
When we’ve had FReepers say he should be shot on sight, that they themselves would cheerfully pull the trigger, and when called on it expressed no interest what-so-ever in him getting a trial?
I have no comments.
Why did he release his info on the very day the Chinese Premier arrived to meet with Obama - and when the #1 or #2 item on Obama’s agenda was Chinese hacking?
It’s likely that he busted out with the China part of his safety package strictly to incentivize some protection, there —he knew he’d have to give SOMETHING to survive.
He was in a good position to know the full reach of the octopus’ tentacles —the cases of Bradley Manning and especially Julian Assage showed that in very exotic detail.
Before I saw the photos of his real GF I honestly thought he might be stuck (even if unwittingly) in a Chinese honey pot op.
I don’t think that anymore.
Based on his comments this week about Obama not living up to his promises about wiretaps and Gitmo I suspect he’s another Obama voter having regrets over a broken bromance.
That info released at that very time would provoke the strongest Chinese outrage, making it considerably less likely that their gov’t would submit to US bullying.
somebody posted a thread the other day saying his girlfriend was half naked, or something. Well, that certainly destroyed any credibility he might have, right there....
If, after everything we’ve seen the federal government do in the past 8 years, anyone here is willing to convict this guy without proof, they’re just not paying attention.
I keep wondering if Snowden is waiting for Obama to tell a lie big enough for him to offer evidence of His Corruptness.
Maybe there is somewhere in the universe where being right and just is enough. Maybe a place exists where the phrase “Only the unjust have need to fear authorities” has some actual weight.
What is it when even the innocent have good reason to flee from authority? Whatever it is, it’s the government that we have today.
It wouldn’t be on this planet at this time though. Snowden would have been tossed in jail while the authorities trumped up charge after charge against him, even with no proof they could quickly bankrupt him and keep him out of the news.
The Federal Government has no objective need to collectively store all of that information. They have already proven that it does nothing to stop a terrorist. If they need an investigation, then they need to go to the court’s and get warrants specific to the people and the information. Of course, that would count as an expansion of our current rights, and it isn’t like the politicians and the bureaucrats give a rip about what the average American thinks.
Big Brother has not laid a glove on Fast Eddie.
Big Brother been digging and Big Sis too, but they cannot find no dirt on fast Eddie.
Their only smear is that he went to Hong Kong which is quite weak.
They dug up more dirt on Mittens. Eddie got no Cayman Islands accounts.
The Chicago machine called Mittens a felon.
If Eddie indulged in the local weed, they would have called him out as a stoner.
The local weed be good as the stoner in occupation of the Oral Office can attest.
Fast Eddie be good, Barry and Big Brother be bad.
So far, I haven’t seen anything from Snowden that has not been previously known or discussed. He’s been a bit vague on most important questions. I’m pretty nonplussed about all the hype surrounding his “revelations.”
Comments about what? Snowden and Manning? Or what time of the day, it is?
Feel free to comment on anything, it’s an (increasingly less so) free country.
Thanks, 2ndDivisionVet. I just pulled into Nazareth...all my best to you
Since he has been talking of our spying on Russia and China, then launching a screed against our nation murdering terrorists, I would not balk if the CIA took him out and left bread crumbs pointing to the Chinese. I suspect the boy is a vile liberal piece that deserves to be flushed by someone. He is to dangerous to let the Chinese get him if he has not been working for them already. If he was, then flush him!
Without waiting for proof?
Obama’s poll numbers have dropped. That is all the proof some on the left will need that this guy is not good.
Considering the situation involves an intelligence agency, IMHO, the only thing that can be discerned in a public forum is that he is accused of having leaked classified information. He therefore should be tried in a just trial to determine if the charges are true and if he is guilty, an appropriate sentence issued.
I’m with you. When he was alerting the American people about the insanely vast domestic spying apparatus that targets all of us, I was pro-Snowden. But this guy believes we shouldn’t even be allowed to spy on foreign targets? He couldn’t possibly have been that naive about how foreign intelligence is gathered when he joined the NSA. Is the guy just a slimy leftist worm, ala Bradley Manning?
While the foreign usurper watched 4 die in Benghazi, he’s now ready to call Snowden, (A U.S. citizen) a traitor while others call him a coward? American liberals and RINOS don’t use mirrors much. These same people said Palin wasn’t qualified or without experience.
And, more importantly, these same people where against the so-called patriot act when a republican president was in power. How come the right has not dug up all the videos of the left talking about how it invaded our privacy 6 or 7 years ago, but it is now perfectly acceptable
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