The Errors of Edward Snowden and His Global Hypocrisy Tour

[Galraedia]

My tolerance for Edward Snowden has run out.

The former contractor with the National Security Agency who divulged classified secrets about domestic surveillance programs has undertaken what can only be depicted as the global hypocrisy tour. A man outraged by American surveillance and who advocates free expression toodles happily to Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China? Then off to Moscow? Then tries for Ecuador (and, in some accounts, Cuba)?

And along the way, Eddie decided to toss out classified information about foreign-intelligence surveillance by the United States in other countries. For the Chinese, he was quite a spigot of secrets. He revealed documents showing that the N.S.A. had obtained text messages from the Chinese by hacking into some of the country’s telecommunications networks, engaged in computer espionage activities at Tsinghua University, and hacked into systems of Pacnet, an Asian provider of global telecommunications service.

Now, before I get into the specifics of Snowden’s China leaks, I want to stop for a minute. I know that, from the time he disclosed classified documents about the mass collection of Americans’ telecommunications data, there have been plenty of debates about whether Snowden is a whistle-blower or a traitor. And I can understand that disagreement when it comes to the data-mining program that slurps up e-mail and phone data of American citizens. But what, exactly, is Snowden attempting to prove with his China revelations? That countries engage in espionage? That the United States listens in on communications of countries with which it maintains often tense and occasionally volatile relations?

Read more: http://m.vanityfair.com/online/eichenwald/2013/06/errors-edward-snowden-global-hypocrisy-tour

[Thinkingabout]

1. I agree there have been many errors along the way and even if good intentions was meant it has

Gotten lost in the criminal acts. If as much time was placed into finding the facts as complaining this would be mostly settled by now.

[Cooley Hurd]

2. "My tolerance for Edward Snowden has run out."

Just now?

How many threads will be locked today?

[Zheldon]

8. the author pretends he ever had tolerance for Snowden

Slick.

[rhett o rick]

3. Typical authoritarian conservative. Assault the messenger and ignore the message. nm

[Galraedia]

4. Typical libertarian. Assault anyone who questions your message.

[rhett o rick]

5. I was referring to the author. And what is my message? More transparency?

Adherence to the Constitution.

I am far from a libertarian. I want to reduce defense spending, spend more on alternate energies, single payer health insurance, etc. But if libertarians are opposed to Big Brother spying on all Americans without probable cause then I agree with them.

I disagree with those that close their eyes and pray that Big Brother will take good care of them.

[yurbud]

6. I strongly support the leaking of info about domestic spying, but this article has a point

Enemies, rivals, and even allies spy on each other all the time.

Even Israel spies on us, and apart from sending some of the spies we catch to prison, it doesn't affect our relationship with them at all.

This doesn't taint the value of what Snowden released about domestic spying, but should be a reminder that the point is the content not the conduit.

[BridgeTheGap]

7. How long has China been hacking the U.S.? Is it a big surprise or

security breech that the U.S. is hacking China? I seriously doubt it. Besides, if Snowden has the support of Thomas Drake and other NSA whistleblowers, I've got to think he isn't attempting to damage the U.S. The fact that the NSA has tapped the EU and friendly embassies indicates that the NSA (and other officials) are patently lying about what they're up to.