4 ms·

He didn't have to escape to Russia with a bunch of laptops filled with classified documents, the majority of which he's never made public. If he cares so much a

He didn't have to escape to Russia with a bunch of laptops filled with classified documents, the majority of which he's never made public. If he cares so much about exposing the US government, he should stand up for his beliefs. Yes, it might mean arrest and prison. If he's not ready for this, he shouldn't get involved. Your convictions mean nothing if you are not ready suffer for them.

andix 2y ago
It might've been a big mistake on his side, not understanding what kind of country Russia was. I think a lot of Americans don't understand how different it is in autocratic countries. They complain about the lack of free speech in the US, without understanding what this actually means.
- codedokode 2y ago
  As I understand, he is not under arrest in Russia; he now has a citizenship and (probably) can travel without US being able to cancel his Russian passport.
  - andix 2y ago
    Yes, he's not under arrest right now, probably. But this can change any minute if he comes close to a border or an airport.
asynchronous 2y ago
Actually he did, once the NSA prevented him from fleeing to where he was hoping to have political asylum and trapped him in Russia.
zpeti 2y ago
He didn't "escape to Russia", this is a very disingenuous, and plain wrong to say. It's ridiculous having to explain this after 11 years on HN, which is supposed to be a techie place for intelligent people. Either you've been hugely mislead by anti Snowden people, or you are willfully ignorant, or worse.
codedokode 2y ago
It is not cool to suggest someone goes to jail for many years to prove something while you will be enjoying an online conversation in safety.
- voytec 2y ago
  It would likely also be a death sentence, like with Navalny in Russia.
aguaviva 2y ago
He didn't have to escape to Russia with a bunch of laptops filled with classified documents, Snowden says gave everything he had to the journalists he met with in HK, and destroyed all copies in his possession before attempting to transit through Moscow. If your belief is that he did otherwise -- you'll have to explain how you "know" this to be the case.
- regnull 2y ago
  I suppose it’s my belief that he gave everything he got to FSB vs your belief that he’s telling the truth and he didn’t. I base my belief on the first hand knowledge of how Russia works, and the fact that it held all the cards and Snowden held none once he stepped on Russia’s soil - and probably before.
  - aguaviva 2y ago
    Okay, speculation then. BTW I never said that I believed he was telling the truth. But that's very different from pretending to simply "know" that he wasn't.
simoncion 2y ago
> If he cares so much about exposing the US government, he should stand up for his beliefs. You should read what Daniel Ellsberg had to say about Snowden's decision to flee the country. Things have changed dramatically since Vietnam: <https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/may/30/daniel-ellsberg-snowden-fair-trial-kerry-espionage-act https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/may/30/daniel...> > He didn't have to escape to Russia... The intent was never to stay in Russia. Snowden's passport was revoked by the US State Department while he was in transit from Hong Kong to -IIRC- Ecuador. His trip had him stop in Russia, which would not let him leave because his passport was no longer valid. <https://apnews.com/article/82f87def2ddc4abfba271420f4e81ddf https://apnews.com/article/82f87def2ddc4abfba271420f4e81ddf>
voytec 2y ago
> If he cares so much about exposing the US government, he should stand up for his beliefs He did, and took a path that allowed him not to be disappeared, suddenly become suicidal or fatally ill with weird symptoms.

andix 2y ago

It might've been a big mistake on his side, not understanding what kind of country Russia was. I think a lot of Americans don't understand how different it is in autocratic countries. They complain about the lack of free speech in the US, without understanding what this actually means.

codedokode 2y ago
As I understand, he is not under arrest in Russia; he now has a citizenship and (probably) can travel without US being able to cancel his Russian passport.
- andix 2y ago
  Yes, he's not under arrest right now, probably. But this can change any minute if he comes close to a border or an airport.

asynchronous 2y ago

Actually he did, once the NSA prevented him from fleeing to where he was hoping to have political asylum and trapped him in Russia.

zpeti 2y ago

He didn't "escape to Russia", this is a very disingenuous, and plain wrong to say. It's ridiculous having to explain this after 11 years on HN, which is supposed to be a techie place for intelligent people. Either you've been hugely mislead by anti Snowden people, or you are willfully ignorant, or worse.

codedokode 2y ago

It is not cool to suggest someone goes to jail for many years to prove something while you will be enjoying an online conversation in safety.

voytec 2y ago
It would likely also be a death sentence, like with Navalny in Russia.

aguaviva 2y ago

He didn't have to escape to Russia with a bunch of laptops filled with classified documents, Snowden says gave everything he had to the journalists he met with in HK, and destroyed all copies in his possession before attempting to transit through Moscow. If your belief is that he did otherwise -- you'll have to explain how you "know" this to be the case.

regnull 2y ago
I suppose it’s my belief that he gave everything he got to FSB vs your belief that he’s telling the truth and he didn’t. I base my belief on the first hand knowledge of how Russia works, and the fact that it held all the cards and Snowden held none once he stepped on Russia’s soil - and probably before.
- aguaviva 2y ago
  Okay, speculation then. BTW I never said that I believed he was telling the truth. But that's very different from pretending to simply "know" that he wasn't.

simoncion 2y ago

> If he cares so much about exposing the US government, he should stand up for his beliefs. You should read what Daniel Ellsberg had to say about Snowden's decision to flee the country. Things have changed dramatically since Vietnam: <https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/may/30/daniel-ellsberg-snowden-fair-trial-kerry-espionage-act https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/may/30/daniel...> > He didn't have to escape to Russia... The intent was never to stay in Russia. Snowden's passport was revoked by the US State Department while he was in transit from Hong Kong to -IIRC- Ecuador. His trip had him stop in Russia, which would not let him leave because his passport was no longer valid. <https://apnews.com/article/82f87def2ddc4abfba271420f4e81ddf https://apnews.com/article/82f87def2ddc4abfba271420f4e81ddf>

voytec 2y ago

> If he cares so much about exposing the US government, he should stand up for his beliefs He did, and took a path that allowed him not to be disappeared, suddenly become suicidal or fatally ill with weird symptoms.