The motivations of 'any random spy' are quite varied. From a personality profiling point of view, Manning & Snowden stand apart from espionage cases where peopl

The motivations of 'any random spy' are quite varied. From a personality profiling point of view, Manning & Snowden stand apart from espionage cases where people sold or released classified information. They are much more similar to 'Deepthroat' then they are Robert Hannsen or Aldrich Ames, in my mind. I believe both 'leakers' and 'spies' are disillusioned in the intelligence apparatus they are working in, but 'leakers' seem to be motivated by a belief that exposing particular cleared information will make a difference in that system, or benefit the public good. They leak as a way to make right with their conscience (or for the attention with that as a rationalization). People like Hannsen or Ames sold or traded secrets with enemy nations more as points of pride; they wanted to prove to themselves they could do it, and their ego's were stroked each time they did. I studied global security & intelligence in college, and had a personality profiling class focusing on cases of american espionage. My two cents is coming pretty heavily from that.