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Snowden seems to be making fairly adept strategic moves that were planned well in advance, while simultaneously pushing his information to be considered factual
by kposehn 13y ago
Snowden seems to be making fairly adept strategic moves that were planned well in advance, while simultaneously pushing his information to be considered factual without much evidence (that I have seen) outside his testimony. The media is lapping up what he states with little, if any, validation. Of course, as is the nature of leaks, the information is often impossible to fully validate.
There is some speculation that he was actually turned by the PLA prior to leaking and is providing them an excellent platform to exert pressure on Obama.
Obama did, after all, add the Chinese hacking attempts to the agenda of his summit without consulting them, an extremely rude (to the Chinese) maneuver.
If there is any conspiracy here, it is most likely China making an extremely effective effort to make Obama pay for their loss of face.
- caf 13y agoIf the Chinese had a source in Snowden's position, it does not seem credible that they would voluntarily burn him just to cause some temporary domestic embarassment for the US President.
- kposehn 13y agoIf Snowden were indeed turned, his position would likely be of less value than another much more highly placed source. The M.O. of the Chinese Intel community is to both gather as much information as possible, while also providing opportunities to pursue their foreign and domestic policy goals. Snowden nicely fits the foreign policy goal and his position was not one of extreme privilege. He may have also provided all of his value in his placement and now is serving a different purpose. This isn't unusual; the USSR had many highly trained agents inserted into Germany during the Cold War who were placed specifically to be burnt in times of crisis or when it suite them - this exact scenario.
- samstave 13y agoThis is really interesting. Can you expound on this? What is your personal opinion of the probability of Snowden being an asset to the Chinese? Clearly the USG has their best minds on the permutations of probability here. What is the likelihood that Snowden is not making these strategically sound moves on his own? What is the likelihood that Snowden IS, in fact, masterfully playing this situation.
- kposehn 13y agoAlso, the fallout from this scandal is not necessarily domestic; it is quite far reaching in foreign policy circles and provides quite a few opportunities to frustrate US policy goals both economic, military and political. After all, the US approaches foreign policy from a moral and human rights standpoint (publicly). It is much easier to push back at the US when you can (rightly) point to abuses of the very cause we supposedly hold dear.
- gwgarry 13y agoYou would not need this to point that out. America's righteousness is bullshit as has been shown by Chomsky for decades. America does not give two fucks as long as its public believes it.
- frozenport 13y agoHow much do the Chinese know? 1) This could be old news 2) They could have a dozens like him in the NSA 3) He could no longer be useful
- pmorici 13y ago"There is some speculation that he was actually turned by the PLA prior to leaking" By whom?