Is Snowden a traitor or a public servant?

[bdsorcic]

Just my option, Edward Snowden damaged national security by exposing a spy program. He's dangerous to the U.S. I am interested in what all you have in mind. Lets all be careful not to have this thread damaged by anger.. Okay fellas??

 

[WuzzFuzz]

All part of the Patriot Act.....You do like and believe in the Patriot Act don't you?


WuzzFuzz

 

[pharmer]

In China he would be shot or locked in an insane asylum, same in Russia. It would be more harsh in the middle east. This is America and until recently the "enemy" was presumed to be "out there." The current leadership considers "us" the enemy, hence the "intelligence gathering." Don't have much of an opinion of Snowden except that he is also wanting his "15 minutes." Joe

 

[kozmic]

I have mixed emotions. I don't believe that his revelations have damaged the security of the country to any great extent. I praise his bravery for exposing a program that we (citizens) were told didn't exist just 2 months ago.

His interview doesn't paint him as a bitter person who tried to damage the country but a rather a person who is frustrated at the deceit against us.

He did however take an oath and he broke it. But was he a Whistle blower or a traitor?

Ultimately, I think he will be made out to be an evil traitor but, mostly because he embarrassed those in power (as has become typical) and not for the severity of his crime. At least that's my opinion.

 

[Grayfox]

Seems to me that our current government is spending more time and effort to watch "US" rather than "THEM".
Is there any wonder why we don't trust .gov?

 

[Gunslinger808]

Hmm.
The difference between him and Pvt. Manning is what?

 

[keith44spl]

.

Snowden is jest a pawn in all of this....I'd say we ain't heard nothing yet!

There couldn't possibly be a dossier on everyone....Could there?


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[Faulkner]

Seems to me that our current government is spending more time and effort to watch "US" rather than "THEM".
Is there any wonder why we don't trust .gov?

That's because it seems there are those in the government who think us is them . . . and I'll just leave it at that.

 

[G.T. Smith]

I operated krypto gear in the USASA in the 70's. That required a top secret security clearance. I don't care if I liked what I heard while in a communication center in Germany or not, I would never break the oath. Not even today. To say he is anything but a criminal is to say that if you think you're right, even if it is against the law and you break that law, then, hey, maybe you're a hero. Not so in my mind, but the world and society are changing and so are the values people hold, so there will be many opinions about this topic. He knew it was wrong, or he would have stayed around to face the consequences. I think he is in deep trouble.
Peace,
gordon

 

[rags]

I'm reserving my right to comment, as I'm waiting 'til the other shoe drops.

 

[HankG]

Mixed thoughts on this one.

When I was young, I grew up idolizing the guys that beat the Japanese and the Nazis. It was a life and death fight with no holds barred, winner take all. It shaped my idea of what my government was all about. Then came Vietnam...joined the Marine Corps a semester before I graduated from college and showed up at Quantico a month after graduation, ready to be turned into a second lieutenant and fight for the oppressed people of Vietnam.

It was in Vietnam that I began to get the feeling that my government wasn't as knowledgeable and forthright as I thought. We were getting shot up every day and didn't seem to be accomplishing anything but as a good Marine, I carried on and did my duty. I sent back a lot of dead Marines on medevacs and to this day, feel their lives were thrown away. Iraq came and went. No WMDs, just more dead and disfigured Marines coming home.

I don't really trust our government anymore. I wish I could but I fell off the "Turnip Truck" in the Ashau Valley in 1969 when I lost almost a squad in 10 minutes. I think the American people should know this is going on and how vast it is. Once the camel gets his nose under the tent, it will pull it down and with the ability we have to collect and correlate data on people, the time will come when it will be used against us. All it will take will be the right people in the right places pushing the right buttons.

I've said my piece...wish everything was as black and white as it seemed when I was 22 and ready to save the world.

 

[ralph7]

I'd like to comment, but isn't this considered politics and therefore taboo here?

 

[LVSteve]

There is no doubt about the effectiveness of traffic analysis. The trouble is you cannot ask the American people if they are comfortable with all their communications being picked over without revealing the existence of the capability. Tricky.

Mr Snowden clearly felt that he could not let the US public carry on in ignorance while unbridled snooping continued. Did he have the right to do this? If you take the strict interpretation of his terms of employment, certainly not. However, a jury of his peers may feel differently. If they do, then all our representatives involved in intelligence oversight should resign. If a jury says he is a traitor, then they will have been vindicated.

Short version, the milk is spilt, we just have to decide what make of paper towel to use to mop it up.

 

[Badquaker]

Did he actually reveal any information on anyone? or did he just let the world know the deapth of the governments snooping?

 

[armenius]

Folks should have seen this coming,as this was in the news during the Clinton Administration as I recall, and the super computer was referred to as "the Beast".Scary huh? Perhaps Model 666 -M1.

 

[dswancutt]

Did he actually reveal any information on anyone? or did he just let the world know the deapth of the governments snooping?

I think he just let everyone know about it. Manning on the hand, released names and info that could be used by our enemies.
That said, I'm torn that someone has to break the law to protect the constitution.

 

[chief38]

I am on the fence with this one. I DO believe the BEST thing about America WAS that we were FREE, and it now seems we aren't so FREE anymore. I wonder how effective this program actually was and if it was worth all of us giving up our privacy. I tend to think NOT!

 

[WuzzFuzz]

Hmmmm....Let me try and put it this way.

You and your wife decide to take a little short vacation. Maybe only 50 miles away. Just to get away. You and the Mrs. go out on the town, and decided to stay at the local No Tell, Motel....

In the morning as you two are leaving, you see your best friend's wife and a man who isn't your best friend leaving from one of the other rooms.

Should you say anything about the wrong doing, or keep your mouth shut? Are you sworn to silence? To protect who? Him or her?


A while back the question was posed here about all of the cameras watching our every move....And the results of that question was?


Do all of the folks here believe the Gov't should know how many guns we have, and where we keep them? How much ammo we have on hand?

What's the difference? (The Gov't heard you telling your friend the other day on the phone about all the guns and ammo you have.)



This Snowden guy just told you that the Gov't was listening to you. He didn't say anything about your secret stash.


WuzzFuzz

 

[Lost Lake]

Fourth Amendment.

Our forefathers saw this coming and wrote a law to protect us.

Problem is.... Most of the leaders think they are above the law and know better than us.


.

 

[Xtasy]

I think he just let everyone know about it. Manning on the hand, released names and info that could be used by our enemies.
That said, I'm torn that someone has to break the law to protect the constitution.

You fulfill the oath you took