If we're going to judge Snowden by the standard that he could've rectified his situation through a radical act of self sacrifice, then every US president has had the opportunity to pardon him and has failed to do so. It's an equally sensible proposition. It's plain to see that no US president would entertain the notion. Similarly, it's not reasonable to expect someone to return from exile without being offered some kind of clemency.

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lern_too_spel 4 hours ago | parent [-]

No radical act of self sacrifice would have been necessary had he only leaked illegal or possibly illegal programs. Instead, he went to Hong Kong and leaked a list of compromised Chinese networks and systems in hopes of getting asylum from China.

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maxbond 4 hours ago | parent | next [-]

That's a very optimistic view of the US justice system's treatment of whistleblowers (surely they would contend that all of their programs were legal), but now his being granted asylum by Russia isn't evidence but a new incongruous fact we need to explain since the hypothesis is now apparently that he is a Chinese turncoat. So I don't see how this helps the case.

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mannanj 4 hours ago | parent [-]

I once publicly stated here that I think some accounts are astroturfers, and I think some are deep state too. I am not making specific accusations.

	▲	tosapple an hour ago \| parent [-]
		i just had that conversation about 'industrial' effort and 'actors', we have recent examples of monetary corruption in the sacklers.

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mitxela an hour ago | parent | prev | next [-]

If one country wants to kill you why wouldn't you flee to a different one and give them everything you have against the first country?

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Arodex an hour ago | parent [-]

Sorry, but is Russia or the USA the one most likely to kill Snowden? Oh, yeah, it isn't Russia, because Snowden avoids saying things that could trigger his KGB handlers to disappear him... Like denouncing a genocidal war of aggression against a neighbor, or the assassination of journalists and political opponents, or the repression of any opposition in the streets...

	▲	pidgeon_lover 30 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		By leaking American info, Snowden painted a target on his back that can be reached by the USA and all allies with extradition agreements. That leaves him with very few superpowers who won't hand him over to the FBI/CIA and execution or imprisonment. If I were in his shoes, I too would relocate to a superpower not allied with the USA and avoid getting involved in anything political over there.

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achierius 4 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Just like with John Kiriakou, the only man ever convicted in connection with the torture program? He went to prison for two years despite only ever leaking information about illegal programs, lost his wife, lost all his money; is that the mercy you expected Snowden to submit to?

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pydry 2 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

That's a conspiracy theory I haven't heard before which I'm pretty sure I'll never hear a shred of evidence for.