Anthonyn Cordesman on Edward Snowden

I really don't have an opinion one way or another regarding this guy since I'm not sure all the information he may have leaked is out there. So far as letting Americans know about what the government is doing with their phone records and high officials blatantly lying to Congress regarding that issue. Well all I can ask, is THAT ok?

I agree, this is not a political forum and if it was we still live under the constitutional right of innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, let the courts decide on what laws he may have broken. If he truly believes what he did was right in the interest of country and principle, he should come home and face the music. He so far is not demonstrating any "moral high ground" to me, hiding out with the likes of a despicable character like Putin who little doubt is putting the squeeze on him. This kid is in playing in a league WAY over his head.

I'm reminded of Dr Johnson's remark that "patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel," not to mention General Washington's: "I can hear the charming sound of bullets."

I know Cordesman used Thiel 7.2 speakers at one time and I use them now, so much for shared audio history. If Snowden hadn't revealed the information then we continue living under the naive presumption of constitutional protection of our privacy. At least now a national debate can/might ensue. I have no idea if Cordesman is a neo-liberal hawk or an audiophile of a different stripe. Working for the CSSI makes me wonder though.

Snowden is a hero.

Not sure how you can say that without weighing the degree to which privacy has been compromised against the number of innocent American lives that the surveillance programs he disclosed may have saved.

It seems reasonable to speculate that the programs prevented at least one attack that would have cost at least one American life. If saving that one life is not worth some degree of compromised privacy, how many would be? Ten, 100, 1000, 10000?

I don't see how Snowden can be declared to be a hero without that balance being drawn. And to me, the likelihood that at least one life was saved is sufficient justification for the programs, and Snowden is no hero.

This will be my only post in this thread.

Regards,
-- Al