Re:Snowden Does Not Deserve the Threat He Faces
by pdabbadabba on Wednesday January 18, 2017 @05:50PM
(#13431188)
True enough. But what does this have to do with GP's comment?
I took his point to be simply that, if Putin wants to boost Trump politically, and strengthen the connection between their administrations, then handing over Snowden might make sense. GP was just pointing out this possibility, not endorsing it.
Re:Snowden Does Not Deserve the Threat He Faces
by rootusrootus on Wednesday January 18, 2017 @05:45PM
(#13431128)
If that was all he had done, it would be easier to support him. Unfortunately he went a little further than that, into territory that arguably is a national security issue.
Re:Snowden Does Not Deserve the Threat He Faces
by baddox on Wednesday January 18, 2017 @05:49PM
(#13431177)
Arguably, yes. I'd like to hear a real argument, other than "leaking stuff might make us less safe." The leaks are public, so it shouldn't be too hard to find specific instances where people were harmed.
Re:Snowden Does Not Deserve the Threat He Faces
by mc32 on Wednesday January 18, 2017 @11:08PM
(#13432930)
Not necessarily. Human assets can be lost or they can be compromised, methods can be compromised, humint and other intelligence can be set back years so that what goes on in adversarial and even friendly governments is a black box to us (which is not good, given our heft.) so, unless other governments thinking and methods become transparent, this exposure is a real risk.
Re:Snowden Does Not Deserve the Threat He Faces
by CamperBob2 on Wednesday January 18, 2017 @05:52PM
(#13431211)
Unfortunately he went a little further than that, into territory that arguably is a national security issue.
Correct. When the illegal, unaccountable, and extrajudicial surveillance powers documented by Snowden are turned on our elected representatives, which they inevitably will be, the concept of "national security" will be well and truly lost.
That's the real threat, the one that nobody ever talks about.
Re:Snowden Does Not Deserve the Threat He Faces
by xyzzy4 on Wednesday January 18, 2017 @05:54PM
(#13431226)
The Bill of Rights is just a piece of paper. What really matters is how the people in various government branches interpret it.
Re:Snowden Does Not Deserve the Threat He Faces
by tankenmate on Wednesday January 18, 2017 @06:00PM
(#13431292)
And how the people that vote choose to interpret it. And how the people who adjudicate the constitution choose to interpret it.
There's not an asterisk at the bottom that says the above is null and void in the internet age.