Are you of the opinion that whistleblowing and espionage are the same thing?

It's one thing to call attention to warrantless wiretapping and unconstitutional practices. It's an entirely different thing to take and distribute the source code of a tool used to access foreign government systems. The former is illegal the latter is literally the reason why the NSA was created.

The article clearly implies that Snowden's actions were "theft"

Which they were. Also, espionage. Also, treason.

And — also — not whistleblowing, because nothing he has alleged is illegal.

> nothing he has alleged is illegal.

At least one surveillance program revealed by Snowden has been challenged in US courts and found to be illegal, whether any others revealed were illegal remains a disputed point.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/07/politics/nsa-telephone-metadat...

> nothing ... is illegal

A federal court disagreed to that in 2015 [PDF]:

http://pdfserver.amlaw.com/nlj/NSA_ca2_20150507.pdf

Stealing source code from the NSA is not whistleblowing.

Depends on what that source code does. What if it overloads electrical systems placed in orphanages in China where they grow hackers and burns down the building with the kids inside?

I would love to see the scrum meeting for this one.

I would love to see the unit tests!

>"New Theft of Secrets", as if whistleblowing was a bad thing.

Thats not whistleblowing.