Posted on 06/27/2013 8:34:11 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Barack Obama started his tour of Africa today, but in one way it’s like he never left Washington. The big news from his first stop doesn’t concern American policy on that continent but instead the former intelligence worker who left the US and is currently in Moscow. Pressed on what he would do to get Edward Snowden in custody, Obama scoffed at the suggestion of cutting a deal with Vladimir Putin or in using military force to grab the “hacker”:
President Obama said Thursday he has not gotten personally involved in the case of Ed Snowden, because he expects other countries to “abide by international law” and not provide harbor to a fugitive. At the same time, he indicated he does not plan to go to extraordinary lengths to capture the NSA leaker, saying: “No, I’m not going to be scrambling jets to get a 29-year-old hacker.”
As Republican lawmakers urge Obama to get tough with Russia as it denies extradition requests, Obama said he has not directly spoken with Russia’s Vladimir Putin or Chinese President Xi Jinping. He flashed some annoyance as he declared he has not called either leader because “I shouldn’t have to.”
He noted that the U.S. does “a whole lot of business” with both countries, and said he doesn’t want to be in a position where he’s “wheeling and dealing and trading” just to “get a guy extradited.”
The president suggested this should have been a routine bit of business for either leader, so he decided not to get personally involved.
“Hacker”? ABC’s Jonathan Karl wondered about the use of that word:
Interesting that President Obama calls Snowden "a hacker" — Is that what he is?
— Jonathan Karl (@jonkarl) June 27, 2013
Actually, no. A hacker would have used technical knowledge to gain access to data to which he’d normally not have been granted access. The US government cleared Snowden to access this data, even if it was just to work on the technical issues involved. Booz Allen Hamilton hired him, but it was the government that cleared him. The more accurate term would be “leaker,” but “thief” also works, even if one is sympathetic to Snowden’s motives.
Obama told the press, which finally had a chance to ask the President about this topic only after leaving the US, that most of the potential damage has been done already with Snowden. If the NSA and BAH know what else Snowden has, either Obama isn’t worried about it, or perhaps hasn’t been fully briefed. The tone of his comments was clearly intended to minimize Snowden and his revelations, dismissing him as little more than a young “hacker” instead of someone who did deep damage to national security.
The intel community hasn’t gotten that memo, though:
U.S. intelligence sources say there have already been consequences to National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden’s actions, and it is changing the way terrorists do business. …
Intelligence sources say al Qaeda and other terror groups are already taking advantage of the leaks by avoiding Internet sites terrorists now know the NSA is monitoring.
Philip Mudd, a former CIA analyst, said that when U.S. sources and methods are revealed terrorists, like the former head of al Qaeda, change how they communicate. Mudd said, “Bin Laden was tipped off that we had his satellite phone, and he went off the net.”
But the U.S. also alters its security measures in response to changing terrorist tactics. “In the short term, there is going to be a problem because they’re going to read the newspapers, they are going to study up, and they’re going to change activity,” Mudd said. “But in the long term, I think the U.S. intelligence community is going to have the strategic advantage. We’ll find them, and we’ll hunt them down.”
The bin Laden leak was a lot more specific, though. While the revelations from Snowden might have terrorists rethinking their use of Internet services — especially Google and the other companies named in the initial leak — the worst part of the story for American privacy is also the worst part of it for terrorists’ ability to adjust. The collection is so broad that adjustment may not be possible without bailing out of the Internet altogether, and that will make it easier to find people falling back to older forms of communication, such as couriers and hard-copy mail. And even the transition might force terrorists out into the open while they establish those replacement lines of communication.
“No, The King just scrambles jets and moves an aircraft carrier to escort him, Big Moo and their squadron of 38 airplanes packed with 56 vehicles, sheets of bullet proof glass and about 400 of their pals, party goers and media rump kissers on their $100 million dollar vacation to Africa.”
.. and we can’t afford to scramble any more because there’s a sequester going on y’know../s
I listened to him make this statement and he was frightening. Truly. He said he wasn’t getting involved because he”shouldn’t have to”...it’s a simple matter really. .
He was downright scary.
The jets are too busy doing 24/7 flyover for the Dear Leader’s African vacay,,at his request.....he wouldn’t want to pull any from that rotation.
You have really learned this president, haven't you?
And this guy is just a diversion. He serves as the cover up for Benghazi, the Boston Bombers, the election rigging....
Get over it!!
Jets....You stupid people....I control more drones than the rest of the world only dreams about.
Just checked and Snowden apparently turned 30 the other day.
So the statement rings true, thanks to Clintonesque parsing.
I'dunno, Obama may be upset because the leak was unauthorized. He may be upset because it makes his administration look incompetent.
But in the larger sense of trashing the USA, Snowden and Obama seem to be on the same team.
“....unless that hacker has my Kenyan birth certificate and my school records.”
Maybe he should have mentioned that to Kerry before Kerry "threatened" Russia and China and every other nation he tried to blow away.
Putin must be toasting to the "basic stupidity" of Obama today!!
I’m confused. I thought barry wanted China and Russia to have all of the U.S. confidential secrets. Unless they also have secrets about him now.
“I’m confused. I thought barry wanted China and Russia to have all of the U.S. confidential secrets.”
Maybe bo already gave them the secrets, and Snowden’s alleged leaks give him cover?
If it sets America back and undercuts our superpower status, 0bama's all for it!
He is Putin’s b!tch
With the massive air convoy covering his worthless ass to Africa, there aren’t many jets left to be scrambled.
..... If you create enough diversions there can't be sustained attention given to any one scandal thus eliminating the chance that media can focus on any one subject and subsequently ... the public will tire and lose interest. It's a political tactic that is commonly used much like functional footwork is executed by a skillful fighter.
Did anyone else just see POSHITUS’ freudian slip where he said ‘execute’ then corrected to ‘extradite’? about 5 minutes ago on FNC?
Who knows, maybe it was just a way for Obama to get our secrets to the Russians...
RE: He is Putin’s b!tch
Remember this conversation last year (in an open mic he thought was shut):
Obama to Medvedev: “On all these issues, but particularly missile defence, this, this can be solved – but it’s important for him to give me space.”
Medvedev: “Yes, I understand. I understand your message about space. Space for you.”
Obama: “This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility.”
Medvedev: “I understand. I will transmit this information to Vladimir.”
Watch the video here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/mar/26/obama-medvedev-space-nuclear
Sighhhhhh.... Ollie North is on Cheney’s side over Snowden.
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.