The sooner some country steps up and grants Snowden asylum ...

[Recursion]

... the sooner the conversation can go back to what the limits of government surveillance are and what they should be, which would be the one good thing to come out of this.

Alternately, the sooner he's in US custody, the sooner the conversation can go back to what the limits of government surveillance are and what they should be. Either way. I don't care. I'm just sick of the Snourne Ultimatum being screened on CNN right now.

[Pholus]

1. Sorry the narrative is set. Once Snowden is out of the picture, CNN will

yawn and find a new distraction. This one has served its purpose.

The next time a new abuse comes out, we will be told that we already discussed it this time.

[Robb]

2. It's the White Bronco Syndrome.

I'm afraid we must merely ride it out.

[Recursion]

4. I wish I disagreed with you, but for once we're in agreement.

Sigh.

[djean111]

3. The trick will be to get Snowden out of Moscow.

I do have trouble believing the Russians have no subway or underground tunnels between the two airports.
Too bad they can't have Pierce Brosnan orchestrate something like the museum robbery in The Thomas Crown Affair.
If Snowden is captured, he and the whole surveillance thing will just disappear, stonewalled, nothing to see here, move along now.

[Bad Thoughts]

8. Perhaps he should just accept Putin's terms

If he wants to say something more, he can always get to another country like refugees and exiles have done throughout history, not by invitation of a head of state.

[hlthe2b]

5. If he is brought back here, I believe there will be no or minimal further discussion of the actual

issues--the extent and overreach of secret NSA surveillance efforts.

That is why, on one level, I actually do hope someone will grant Snowden asylum--even while I remain equivocal in my estimation of him.

I do believe if we get him back and regardless of whether Snowden should be considered a whistleblower or a criminal, that the very last nail in the coffin of whistleblower protections will have been rendered. I do NOT think this to be a "good" thing.

[Recursion]

6. A "quiet" asylum seems to be the best result, IMO

As in, "we'll grant you asylum if you stop releasing stuff." Putin seemed to be hinting at that earlier. I have no idea if that's a deal Snowden would take.

[longship]

7. This is where I am on this.

Snowden (Assange, Greenwald, etc.) is sucking all the oxygen out of the room. The real issue is about the snooping. It is the conversation we should really be having.

R&K

on edit: I predict that nobody is going to offer Snowden asylum mainly because he would have to be "on soil" to apply.

He's caught in a trap of his own making, I am afraid (possibly with the ample assistance of Wikileaks). Russia will tire of him eventually, if not already.

This is going to end soon, I think.