Edward Snowden And His Secrets
BY Herschel Smith
11 years, 6 months ago
When a National Security Agency contractor revealed top-secret details this month on the government’s collection of Americans’ phone and Internet records, one select group of intelligence veterans breathed a sigh of relief.
Thomas Drake, William Binney and J. Kirk Wiebe belong to a select fraternity: the NSA officials who paved the way.
For years, the three whistle-blowers had told anyone who would listen that the NSA collects huge swaths of communications data from U.S. citizens. They had spent decades in the top ranks of the agency, designing and managing the very data-collection systems they say have been turned against Americans. When they became convinced that fundamental constitutional rights were being violated, they complained first to their superiors, then to federal investigators, congressional oversight committees and, finally, to the news media.
To the intelligence community, the trio are villains who compromised what the government classifies as some of its most secret, crucial and successful initiatives. They have been investigated as criminals and forced to give up careers, reputations and friendships built over a lifetime.
Today, they feel vindicated.
They say the documents leaked by Edward Snowden, the 29-year-old former NSA contractor who worked as a systems administrator, proves their claims of sweeping government surveillance of millions of Americans not suspected of any wrongdoing. They say those revelations only hint at the programs’ reach.
Some are saying that Edward Snowden is a hero. That word is bantered about too casually for me these days, and frankly, I would never have worked for the IRS, NSA or any division of the DHS (including the ATF). I’m not being a snob, I’m just pointing out moral choices and the fact that I would never have even been in the position of relinquishing this information to the public.
Furthermore, I’m not sure what he’s telling the government of China right now, but if they asked me I would tell them where they can stick their questions. You see, I don’t cotton to communists. Totalitarianism in any form or manifestation is wicked.
No ruler becomes a totalitarian by mistake, looking to do the right and good thing and just overreaching because he let himself go too far. No. Totalitarians are what they are by choice. They are evil men with evil designs, and their plans are wickedness and abomination in all cases and all of the time. God hates them – every one of them, whether they are Chinese or American.
On the other hand, there are those who say that Snowden is a traitor and villain. Of course, this is silly talk by totalitarians. Those who say this don’t really believe it, they just feel threatened that Snowden said the things he did.
Listen carefully. Edward Snowden didn’t divulge any secrets. We have all known for a very long time that the government was dumping every one and zero that went across the lines to a government data base. Snowden simply brought it to the attention of a nation because he found a main stream media outlet that was willing to publish it.
If someone argues that Snowden is a traitor because he divulged secrets being used to protect American citizens, you can tell them that the American government doesn’t now and has not been protecting American citizens. Anyone who argues that Snowden revealed American “secrets” and should be prosecuted for treason is either a moron or takes you to be a moron. Snowden simply used his voice to inform the stupid American people that they had better wake up and look the Leviathan in the face.
I’m doubtful that the American people will have the attention span to do anything about it. As long as idiot workers have their stupid sitcoms to watch at night, and as long as little girls can text naked pictures of themselves to their boyfriends, American will stay fixated on bread and circuses.
On June 18, 2013 at 11:11 am, Brad Ervin said:
I work indirectly for a US organization so I won’t comment on Snowden’s allegations but he is a traitor. Of that there can be no doubt. He took an oath of silence when he was granted the clearance and was put on the payroll. He broke that oath. There are avenues open to any holder of a clearance to blow your whistle at and just because you disagree with their assessment does not make you right, them wrong, and clear your path to the evening news. If you feel uncomfortable with this then you should excuse yourself from that type of employment. Making a spectacle of yourself using the assets of others is not an honorable way to notoriety.
I don’t recall electing Snowden to a position of authority over the affairs of our nation. The point here is not that he is uncovering evil (who really knows at this point?) but that by his actions he has weakened the nation he says he wants to protect and has, himself, become the greater evil. We used to execute traitors. Now we don’t even know one when we he pops up on the evening news, in a foreign nation, his grubby hands filled with stolen artifacts, wiping his feet on our flag as surely as an Ayers. That his antics are embarrassing an embarrassment is not a high enough bar for pats on the back. The government has laws, whether or not you agree with them, it has oversight, whether or not you trust them, and it has channels for complaints whether or not you think you can depend on them. From where I sit, the government tries diligently to stay within the law and is committed to, both, doing it’s job and protecting the rights of citizens (U.S. persons).
You have a right to question those laws that guide the actions of our government just as you have the right to question (as I do) the right of that government to mandate seat belts, or lightbulb bans, or, whatever. The fact that you question the foundation of any of the laws of our nation does nor infer the right to personally invalidate those laws. That would be anarchy as no one supports every law and every anarchist has his sweet siren’s song of irrefutable facts.
How are Snowden’s actions any different than the Rosenbergs’ acting for world peace, or Hiss’ twisting the currents of history to favor his political team, or the Walkers’ marketing of military assets for personal gain? In every case they took what wasn’t theirs and used it to their own ends.
I don’t support using drone strikes against individuals but sans an extradition I would call one on him myself.
On June 18, 2013 at 1:04 pm, Herschel Smith said:
” … weakened the nation.” You are a liar, and you know it. Nothing Snowden did divulged anything that wasn’t already known. You are either a moron or you take me to be a moron. I assure you I am not a moron, and I don’t write in a style that would lead you to think so. That leaves only one option.
On June 18, 2013 at 6:00 pm, Arkindole said:
“…I’m doubtful that the American people will have the attention span to do anything about it.”
Exactly. And, that’s how they roll. Remember Benghazi? Short attention span theater.
Notice that Shillary has been named the top pick today. That’s how confident they are of the crusades.
Ka-friggin-buki.
On June 18, 2013 at 6:08 pm, Josh said:
Here we go again, throwing the “traitor” word around. Brad, it’s people like you that frighten me. Your comment is entirely self contradictory in so many ways. Edward Snowden’s actions do not come close to fitting the definition of treason.
And so, for blowing the whistle on a government run amok and rampant over the first five amendments, you would unilaterally, “yourself”, order the end of his life via a robot piloted by another human being?
That is the highest form of megalomania. You are a strange, daft person.
On June 21, 2013 at 1:10 am, Al Reasin said:
Yes, Snowden committed a crime by violating his confidentiality oath. But he is not a hero. I know from personal experience that going through the system destroys your career and can result in a firing. I was fired and blacklisted for going that route in private not public employment. I did have a VP friend, who years earlier I had worked for when he was just a few rungs above me, came to my rescue. However, especially with government information, whatever the classification, going through the system and then, if your efforts fail, going to the IG or Congress before going public is the proper path. And if you want a whistle blower status under federal law, that is the only way to achieve it.
This data gathering started in 1947 and later under Echelon we and our allies spied on other’s citizens to avoid each country’s laws. Of course as technology improved, so did the collection ability of the NSA improve. My concern is not the NSA per se’, just that after the IRS, SoS and DoJ revelations, why am I supposed to believe what this administration says about the NSA’s integrity. Did the Obama campaign use the NSA to data mine for them? Just saying.
On June 26, 2013 at 11:03 pm, Mark Matis said:
Snowden’s oath was ALSO to “defend the Constitution against ALL enemies”. He has complied with THAT part of his oath. He could NOT honor BOTH parts, Brad Ervin. Burn in hell where you belong.
On June 27, 2013 at 11:16 pm, Dick Cameron said:
Brad Ervin, I think I know who you are sir. You are me, about 30 years ago, just before I fully digested the impact of Lt William Calley and the tragedy of Me Lai. It was at that time I started to expand my experience and my ken embraced the concept of an “illegal order.” That experience made me a more intelligent and nuanced Naval Officer and strengthened my resolve to act in accordance with the oath I took at commissioning. I thank God for that revelation, and let me inform you that it never daunted my resolve to “kill the enemy” – whomever he might be.
It is clear to me that Mr. Snowden did not follow the prescribed path normalized for Whistle Blowers, but it is clear that he understood that the Obama Administration would not play by the rules established for whistle blowers – since the Obama Admin has routinely prosecuted them resolutely as traitors. Obama changed the game plan and Mr. Snowden simply complied with the “new” rules.
Eventually, Mr. Snowden will be returned to the United States and harshly punished. It is clear to me that if Obama knew he was in the air enroute to a South American Country, his aircraft would be intercepted and forced to land in the U.S. Or, as a signal to others too stupid to understand that their “oath” means nothing to the Obama Admin, they would be summarily shot down – without notice – and “lost at sea.”
Chicago Rules.
On June 28, 2013 at 7:38 pm, Roger J said:
I agree with Mr Cameron above. Chicago rules and anything goes. Personally, were I Mr Snowden, the only countries I’d feel secure in are China, Russia ad Cuba. It’s not that I admire their systems (I detest them) but they have the power to defeat US Government attempts at assassination. I think Mr Snowdon’s life expectancy in Ecuador, should he find refuge there, will be short. To protect oneself from a gangster government as ours has become, one needs another gangster government.