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He can get arrested and killed if he speaks out like that against Russia, especially because Putin personally intervened to give him and his wife citizenship. T
by aamoyg 2y ago
He can get arrested and killed if he speaks out like that against Russia, especially because Putin personally intervened to give him and his wife citizenship. There is an understanding that his actions made the United States look bad and that's why he is getting this and that's pretty much it. If he causes problems in Russia he can go bye bye.
- dash2 2y agoRight. It's fine for him to be as cowardly as everyone else! But then he's not a hero who speaks truth to power, unlike say Vladimir Kara-Murza.
- mrbombastic 2y agoHe did upend his entire life to stand up for something he believed in and now is in the sights of the US gov until the day he dies. The fact that he does not also want to be a sacrificial lamb to speak out on Ukraine doesn’t really compromise that fact in my mind.
- tibbydudeza 2y agoIn contrast Chelsea Manning did not run off to a country run by a dictator but had some sense of conviction. Snowden is sadly now a useful idiot.
- Angostura 2y agoWhat has he said that you consider ‘idiotic’?
- tibbydudeza 2y agoThe term "useful idiot" refers to Lenin - basically it is folks who might not be for the communist cause but are propaganda tools and usually ignorant they are being used.
- DiogenesKynikos 2y agoThe term "useful idiot" was invented by conservatives in the West during the Cold War, as a slur against social democrats. Lenin never used it. It didn't even exist during his lifetime.
- dash2 2y agoIt was a slur against collaborators with communism, not against social democrats: https://quoteinvestigator.com/2019/08/22/useful-idiot/ https://quoteinvestigator.com/2019/08/22/useful-idiot/
- DiogenesKynikos 2y agoThe slur was originally directed against social democrats by conservatives who accused them of helping communism. Later, the term became a much more general slur used by conservatives against anyone who wasn't sufficiently "tough" against the USSR.
- ben_w 2y agoMuch easier to get out of harm's way when you've already got the example of Manning showing you that you need to.
- fsflover 2y agoSnowden didn't choose Russia, the USA chose for him by cancelling his passport (!).
- tibbydudeza 2y agoI guess it beats Venezuela, Iran, North Korea or other places less comfortable.
- fsflover 2y agoSnowden is not seeking death, he seeks justice. You won't get the latter by speaking up against a dictator while being in his hands.