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>What's been done with the zero to a billion documents that haven't been provided to the press? Who knows? Have they been encrypted and stuck on the Internet as

>What's been done with the zero to a billion documents that haven't been provided to the press? Who knows? Have they been encrypted and stuck on the Internet as an insurance policy? Have they been provided to Russian intelligence? Glenn Greenwald has made it clear that if something happens to Snowden (i.e. he's killed), "all the information will be revealed"[1], implying that all the documents he stole will be released. So, let's imagine a conversation between a Russian intelligence officer and Snowden, sometime around the tail-end of July last year. In fair Sheremetyevo, where we lay our scene, Edward Snowden is sitting in a bare room, furnished with nothing but a table (bolted to the floor) and two uncomfortable chairs. Snowden's been looking at his reflection in a one-way mirror. A CCTV camera in a corner blinks a red LED at him and there is no door handle/knob on the inside. Suddenly, a friendly-looking Russian bursts into the room and greets Snowden warmly, full of bonhomie. Russian: "Good morning, Mr Snowden! You are keeping well, yes?" He grabs Snowden's hand and shakes it warmly. Snowden half-rises. Snowden: "Yes, thank you." The Russian holds onto Snowden's hand for just a split second too long, looking him in the eye with a half-smile on his face, before letting go and settling himself into the other chair. Russian: "Good, good! You just let us know if you need anything! So! I understand you seek asylum in Russia! No problem! We'd be delighted to offer you asylum! We'll just need you to hand over all the documents you stole." Snowden: "What?! No! I can't do that!" Russian: "Come now, Mr Snowden! Under Russian law, before we can officially consider your application for asylum, we need to... inspect these documents of yours for evidence of criminal activity in Russia." Snowden: "No, I can't... That's outrageous! I'm not going to do give you those documents!" Russian: "I'm sorry, Mr Snowden but I'm afraid I must insist! Otherwise..." [He glances down at his lapel and flicks away an imaginary speck of dust before looking back at Snowden and shrugging.] Snowden: "Otherwise what? You'll send me back to America! How could you threaten to do that?! They'll torture me! They'll kill me! How could Russia, with its long and impeccable record of respecting human rights and the freedom of the press even consider doing such a thing?!" Russian: "It's out of my hands, Mr Snowden. Besides... You know, there are some of my colleagues who have been reading what Mr Greenwald has been saying, about how the United States better hope nothing happens to you because, if anything does happen, all the documents will be released!" Snowden: "Well, that's an obvious way to make sure that the CIA don't try to silence me by killing me!" Russian: "Yes, of course but.. Well, some of my colleagues have beeen asking why we shouldn't simply kill you ourselves and manufacture evidence that it was a CIA hit squad. That way we can embarrass the United States and simply download all the documents from the Internet when they are released." Snowden: "...!" Russian: "I mean, these are crazy people! Relics of the KGB. They wouldn't think twice about shooting you in the head. Or torturing you to extract as much information as possible and then shooting you in the head. I tried to argue against them but my power here is limited, Mr Snowden. I begged them to reconsider and eventually, they agreed to give you a chance to cooperate." Snowden: "..." Russian: "So, Mr Snowden. You will share these documents with us?" No prizes for guessing how that scene ends. [1]: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/13/us-usa-security-snowden-greenwald-idUSBRE96C08Q20130713?irpc=932 http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/13/us-usa-security-sn...

fnordfnordfnord 13y ago
>No prizes for guessing how that scene ends. Snowden has the same kind of insurance policy against the Russians. (the plot thickens)
danielweber 13y ago
I find myself gradually coming around to the Snowden side, but it is entirely despite his fans on HN, not because of them. The concept of a self-releasing trove-in-case-I-die is fascinating to the HN crowd from a technical perspective, but it puts Snowden in a really bad light. Without it he can make a convincing argument that he only took what was necessary to expose bad behavior.
- talmand 13y ago
  I see it as the complete opposite. He took who knows how many documents. So far only a select few have been released that support his allegations. I have no doubt there is information in his stack that could cause very bad things to happen to various people and/or organizations. Chances are those documents will never be released, if he has any level of conscience. Therefore, if the people who might do him harm understand that such documentation will not be released as long as he is not harmed, then it's a defense mechanism that fits exactly in line with what he claims he is doing all this for in the first place. If he had done a massive document dump onto the Internet then I would have immediately questioned his motives.
vinceguidry 13y ago
Silliness. Why in the world would the the US kill Snowden? They have nothing to gain and everything to lose. You think the Russians are stupid enough to send a goon to threaten him? The second he gets out of that interview he's going to tell the media all about it. You've watched way too many spy movies.
- jbooth 13y ago
  Why would there be a very suspicious "lying about wearing a condom" charge leveled at Assange with multiple super-powers demanding justice for an unnamed swedish woman, coincidentally right when he's pissing off those super-powers? Sounds like silly spy movie stuff, like COINTELPRO or something, stuff that would never happen in the real world. It's not paranoia if they really are out to get you. There really are people out there playing the game for those stakes, and most of us aren't idealistic or dumb enough to jump into their game.

fnordfnordfnord 13y ago

>No prizes for guessing how that scene ends. Snowden has the same kind of insurance policy against the Russians. (the plot thickens)

danielweber 13y ago

I find myself gradually coming around to the Snowden side, but it is entirely despite his fans on HN, not because of them. The concept of a self-releasing trove-in-case-I-die is fascinating to the HN crowd from a technical perspective, but it puts Snowden in a really bad light. Without it he can make a convincing argument that he only took what was necessary to expose bad behavior.

talmand 13y ago
I see it as the complete opposite. He took who knows how many documents. So far only a select few have been released that support his allegations. I have no doubt there is information in his stack that could cause very bad things to happen to various people and/or organizations. Chances are those documents will never be released, if he has any level of conscience. Therefore, if the people who might do him harm understand that such documentation will not be released as long as he is not harmed, then it's a defense mechanism that fits exactly in line with what he claims he is doing all this for in the first place. If he had done a massive document dump onto the Internet then I would have immediately questioned his motives.

vinceguidry 13y ago

Silliness. Why in the world would the the US kill Snowden? They have nothing to gain and everything to lose. You think the Russians are stupid enough to send a goon to threaten him? The second he gets out of that interview he's going to tell the media all about it. You've watched way too many spy movies.

jbooth 13y ago
Why would there be a very suspicious "lying about wearing a condom" charge leveled at Assange with multiple super-powers demanding justice for an unnamed swedish woman, coincidentally right when he's pissing off those super-powers? Sounds like silly spy movie stuff, like COINTELPRO or something, stuff that would never happen in the real world. It's not paranoia if they really are out to get you. There really are people out there playing the game for those stakes, and most of us aren't idealistic or dumb enough to jump into their game.