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Killing somebody on foreign soil opens you up to a whole can of worms that killing on your own soil doesn't, so regardless of whether or not he is being activel

Killing somebody on foreign soil opens you up to a whole can of worms that killing on your own soil doesn't, so regardless of whether or not he is being actively protected there is significant passive protection just by being there.

atmosx 10y ago
So are we to assume that the CIA wants Snowden dead, but they can't get a chance to kill him in Russia? I found that hard to believe. Maybe, there is some kind of commitment to the FSB (don't kill in the US, we won't go on a killing spree in Russian soil kind of deal), but even that I find it hard to believe. I also find very hard to believe the claim the the FSB somehow protects him.
- drspacemonkey 10y ago
  >So are we to assume that the CIA wants Snowden dead, but they can't get a chance to kill him in Russia? Not so much can't get a chance as the price would be too high. He's under Russian protection. That protection is political far more than tactical. The CIA could probably pick him up in less than an hour if they knew they could do it without pissing off the Russians. It's the "pissing off the Russians" part that's stopping them, not the logistics.
  - Normal_gaussian 10y ago
    It isn't just pissing off the Russians, its pissing off everybody. When you perform an act on foreign soil you open yourself up to scrutiny from everyone. The USA is already largely considered a warmonger state As for whether the CIA would want Snowden dead - I presume it would only have been useful to them pre-leak, and I doubt murder would have been on the cards then anyway. I don't see retribution as being particularly high on the CIA's list of priorities, and the political entities in the US that are keeping Snowden relevant wouldn't appear to gain anything from his death.
RUG3Y 10y ago
The US Govt kills people on foreign soil often, even in countries that we're not at war with. If we hear about it happening in Pakistan, where does it happen that we don't hear about? Also, you're assuming that the US Govt is rational and doesn't want an excuse to go to war with Russia or anyone else.

atmosx 10y ago

So are we to assume that the CIA wants Snowden dead, but they can't get a chance to kill him in Russia? I found that hard to believe. Maybe, there is some kind of commitment to the FSB (don't kill in the US, we won't go on a killing spree in Russian soil kind of deal), but even that I find it hard to believe. I also find very hard to believe the claim the the FSB somehow protects him.

drspacemonkey 10y ago
>So are we to assume that the CIA wants Snowden dead, but they can't get a chance to kill him in Russia? Not so much can't get a chance as the price would be too high. He's under Russian protection. That protection is political far more than tactical. The CIA could probably pick him up in less than an hour if they knew they could do it without pissing off the Russians. It's the "pissing off the Russians" part that's stopping them, not the logistics.
- Normal_gaussian 10y ago
  It isn't just pissing off the Russians, its pissing off everybody. When you perform an act on foreign soil you open yourself up to scrutiny from everyone. The USA is already largely considered a warmonger state As for whether the CIA would want Snowden dead - I presume it would only have been useful to them pre-leak, and I doubt murder would have been on the cards then anyway. I don't see retribution as being particularly high on the CIA's list of priorities, and the political entities in the US that are keeping Snowden relevant wouldn't appear to gain anything from his death.

RUG3Y 10y ago

The US Govt kills people on foreign soil often, even in countries that we're not at war with. If we hear about it happening in Pakistan, where does it happen that we don't hear about? Also, you're assuming that the US Govt is rational and doesn't want an excuse to go to war with Russia or anyone else.