Restore Honor and Pardon Edward Snowden

[xchrom]

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/08/13


How do you justify criminally charging a government contractor for revealing an alarming truth that the public has every right to know? That is the contradiction raised by President Obama now that he has, in effect, acknowledged that Edward Snowden was an indispensable whistle-blower who significantly raised public awareness about a government threat to our freedom.

Unfortunately, the president didn’t have the grace and courage to concede that precise point and remains committed to imprisoning Snowden instead of thanking him for serving the public interest. But Julian Assange, no stranger to unrequited integrity, nailed it. “Today, the president of the United States validated Edward Snowden’s role as a whistleblower by announcing plans to reform America’s global surveillance program,” the WikiLeaks founder said in a statement posted Saturday, the day after Obama’s remarks.

While boasting, “I called for a review of our surveillance programs,” Obama avoided the obvious fact that this review was compelled not by a sudden burst of respect for the safeguards demanded by our Constitution but rather Snowden’s action in making the public cognizant of the astounding breadth and depth of the National Security Agency’s spying program.

Once again, Obama managed to blame not those responsible for government malfeasance, himself included, but instead the rare insiders driven to do their duty to inform the American people. “Unfortunately, rather than an orderly and lawful process to debate these issues and come up with appropriate reforms, repeated leaks of classified information have initiated the debate in a very passionate but not always fully informed way,” he said.

[snappyturtle]

1. Absolutely! The President has himself between a rock and a hard place.

He addressed some problems of the NSA...tossing out feeble crumbs
of rectitude at his presser last Friday. On the other hand, he wants
Edward Snowden to face inquisition for bringing to light the need
for the crumb toss.

We really need to remember that the President didn't come forth with
suggestions to remedy privacy issues with the NSA on his own. He should
have. He took an oath to protect the Constitution and had he done that,
Edward Snowden wouldn't be in daily headlines. imho

[RetroLounge]

2. kick

[Pretzel_Warrior]

3. Our country's honor doesn't hinge on Snowden outcome

Enough with the deification of Snowden.

[snooper2]

4. Oh Jesus B. Christ on a Banana Pepper

Snowy is a little shit who leaked classified information...

The President is calling for a review so people (Beltway types) can shut up about it for a while.



Nobody is listening to your phone calls or reading your email. The only thing Snowy revealed that I didn't already assume was happening is that there are 117K active targets. Thanks for giving folks in Sudan a heads up Snowy! (asshole)

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

5. He'd have to get permission from his bosses in the MIC and NSA to do that.

[HardTimes99]

6. What else would you expect from a President who refused to prosecute or even

investigate war crimes and crimes against humanity under the puerile excuse that he was "looking forward, not backward"?

[Puzzledtraveller]

7. k&r