• @[email protected]
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    417 hours ago

    I’m guessing that was a deal Russia made with him, he gets to live as long as he’s useful to Russia.

    I don’t think anyone is calling him a saint. He’s a whistleblower whose best option was to defect to Russia, after a period of trying not to do that.

    • Alphane Moon
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      17 hours ago

      Treating him as a saint; because he revealed the NSA stuff, all his subsequent actions are justified and he should not be subject to criticism.

      This is an extremely common view in some part of the English speaking internet.

      I reject this approach. As far as I am concerned, I hope him and his family get to experience what they the wish upon Ukrainians in the occupied territories (getting sent to to a torture camp for speaking Ukrainian).

      • @[email protected]
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        13 hours ago

        all his subsequent actions are justified

        You’re putting words in my mouth. I’m saying his actions are understandable. He has no chance of returning to the US, his only real chance at a somewhat normal life is playing into Russia’s hand.

        Whether someone thinks those actions are justified is an opinion. I’m merely stating the most likely explanation for his actions.

        As far as I’m concerned, his usefulness to Americans concerned about government spying ended as soon as he exposed internal NSA docs. Everything else is merely him trying to survive. Make of that what you will.

        • Alphane Moon
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          13 hours ago

          I am not putting words in your mouth. You literally state that it impossible that Snowden made a decision to support russia for more malicious reasons. The only scenario you are even willing to consider that he innocent by default and he was pressured, without even a drop of nuance.

          I’m merely stating the most likely explanation for his actions.

          How do you know this? Can you read russian? Have you ever had any type of contact with russian officials or members of the elite (in any capacity)? What do you know about russian doctrine on foreign propaganda? What other historical examples can you cite to strengthen your argument?