Snowden is illustrating one of those unwritten understandings between nations, upon which so much diplomacy is based. He is not the agent of any particular state, but is an “independent actor.” One of those “troublemakers.” All of the world’s governments recognize the “unlicensed troublemakers” not as the troublemaker for one country, but all for of them. I won’t provide a home for your troublemakers, you don’t provide a home for mine. Afterall, your troublemaker may become mine if he lives here.
Now, if he really were a spy, he would have been granted asylum by his sponsoring state. But since he is a free agent, no one wants him. So he is shunned.
Thus, Putin’s statement “we won’t take him so long as he makes public statements.” The flip side of that coin is pretty obvious: we’ll take him if the tells us everything and keeps quiet about it.
I understand Caracas is lovely this time of year...
That's a good point. Showden probably thought there would be other countries that would warmly welcome him once his disclosures had occured. I wonder if he had a plan B.