Whatever your opinion on Snowden, his actions pre- and post-exposure, let's at least agree on the following: 1) Snowden would probably not have gotten a trial,

Whatever your opinion on Snowden, his actions pre- and post-exposure, let's at least agree on the following: 1) Snowden would probably not have gotten a trial, he would probably have gone to Gitmo, forever. That's how post-9/11 USA rolls. 2) Intelligence services everywhere operate outside the law wherever and whenever possible. That's why they exist. And they do not respect the legislature or the courts, except where it serves theie purposes. 3) Internal mechanisms such as IG don't work as efficiently as people would have us believe. Whistleblowers are considered, by and large, as "rats." And those whose job it is to maintain accountability are frequently shunned -- think of a police department's internal affairs. 4) Lawful does not mean moral, righteous, or even in the best interest of one's country. Before launching into a Joe Friday "if you don't like the law, change it" speech, ask yourself this -- when was the last time a cop or any other government minion ever took a public stand against a law they thought was wrong? Ever wonder why?