The Guardian newspaper names Edward Snowden, 29, as the source who...

[Adam Wood]

There is something that is starting to stink about this story, now Edward is talking about defecting to China, like they are some sort of freer country.
I'm wondering if in some way we have been had.

It's hardly unusual to strike a deal with the Chinese government for a life of protection and comfort. In fact, there's rather a long tradition of this. Mao certainly did it. So did Chiang Kai-shek (not exactly a saint himself, just better than the Communists at the time). The Chinese are nothing if not pragmatic: buy an American willing to turn over who knows how much intelligence, and it's almost certainly a bargain at any price for them, and if not, they have no qualms about just putting a bullet in the back of his head.

[Rockntractor]

It's hardly unusual to strike a deal with the Chinese government for a life of protection and comfort. In fact, there's rather a long tradition of this. Mao certainly did it. So did Chiang Kai-shek (not exactly a saint himself, just better than the Communists at the time). The Chinese are nothing if not pragmatic: buy an American willing to turn over who knows how much intelligence, and it's almost certainly a bargain at any price for them, and if not, they have no qualms about just putting a bullet in the back of his head.

The part that looks bad to me is his stated intentions as a patriot are starting to look somewhat less than sincere, I know how Chinese intentions work.

[Adam Wood]

The part that looks bad to me is his stated intentions as a patriot are starting to look somewhat less than sincere, I know how Chinese intentions work.

Ah! I see what you're saying.

Right thing (maybe) for the wrong reasons. Well, it happens.

[Rockntractor]

Ah! I see what you're saying.

Right thing (maybe) for the wrong reasons. Well, it happens.

Who knows, I just have a feeling there is something playing out underneath that is less than righteous.


There is also the chance here that a government that has gotten caught with it's hand in the cookie jar has set up a less than upstanding individual to take a fall for them to make those that accuse them look like fools, I smell a rat.
Unprovable conspiracy theory fodder at best on my part

[Adam Wood]

Who knows, I just have a feeling there is something playing out underneath that is less than righteous.


There is also the chance here that a government that has gotten caught with it's hand in the cookie jar has set up a less than upstanding individual to take a fall for them to make those that accuse them look like fools, I smell a rat.
Unprovable conspiracy theory fodder at best on my part

I have a fresh roll of tinfoil. Let's share it.

[Odysseus]

The surprise is that the Guardian burned their source. That's unusual in the press.

[Rockntractor]

The surprise is that the Guardian burned their source. That's unusual in the press.

He requested it.

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[Odysseus]

He requested it.

Sent from my Dell Streak 7 using Tapatalk 2

In that case, he might be trying to avoid a quiet and sudden accident.

[Eupher]

In that case, he might be trying to avoid a quiet and sudden accident.

Based on the transcript I read of his "interview", Snowden is far from comfortable.

Even in his swanky Hong Kong hotel, where he takes his meals in his room. And hasn't really been out of that room since early May.

Even more telling, he's an Obamabot who, despite Barry's declarations about his "transparent" administration, concluded that Barry just dug in more. And became disillusioned.

What we're seeing here is sour grapes -- not some kind of righteous insistence that right beats might.

I admire the guy's courage. High school GED, 29-years-old (meaning very little world experience), and he's cowering in his hotel room.

Awaiting that bullet in the back of the head. Or that little pinprick and eternal blackness.

[Odysseus]

Based on the transcript I read of his "interview", Snowden is far from comfortable.

Even in his swanky Hong Kong hotel, where he takes his meals in his room. And hasn't really been out of that room since early May.

Even more telling, he's an Obamabot who, despite Barry's declarations about his "transparent" administration, concluded that Barry just dug in more. And became disillusioned.

What we're seeing here is sour grapes -- not some kind of righteous insistence that right beats might.

I admire the guy's courage. High school GED, 29-years-old (meaning very little world experience), and he's cowering in his hotel room.

Awaiting that bullet in the back of the head. Or that little pinprick and eternal blackness.

Had he gone through channels as a whistleblower, he'd have been fine, at least legally, but because he decided to go the leak route, he's got serious jail time ahead of him. A couple of thoughts:

• It's a bit scary that a relatively junior contractor had access to this information, and it doesn't bode well for the administration's claims that they will safeguard our personal information in all of the other areas where they are now intruding.
• I wonder if the Chinese will grant him asylum. He's going to have a lot of information that they will want.