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USA Calling For the Extradition of Snowden
Taco Cowboy writes "Edward Snowden, the leaker who gave us the evidence of US government spying on its people is under threat of being extradited back to the U.S. to face prosecution. Some people in Congress, including Republican Peter King (R-NY), are calling for his extradition from Hong Kong to face trial. From the article: 'A spokesman for the director of national intelligence, James Clapper, said Snowden's case had been referred to the justice department and US intelligence was assessing the damage caused by the disclosures.
"Any person who has a security clearance knows that he or she has an obligation to protect classified information and abide by the law," the spokesman, Shawn Turner, said.'"
I assume they are worried about what else he plans on releasing. If he has much more damning evidence (Which I assume he does) they want to get into the fold of Mother USA's arms to squeeze... hug him into silence before he says much more.
We have an obligation to do what is right and proper above any other law. In the sense of the USA government, the Constitution is the highest law and lies out what is right and proper. If our government is unjust and doing something unethical and against the constitution, then we must first do what is right and proper to protect the constitution.
Our Government is given power by the people, if they steal powers without consent of the governn than the highest law calls us to correct the misdeed and that trumps the laws on secrecy, etc. A soldier need not follow an illegal order!
Now that being said: Breaking confidentiality on top-secret stuff is no laughing matter. It's treason, a capital offense. But that doesn't mean we aren't called to follow the higher law if the top-secret stuff is in itself illegal.
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/pardon-edward-snowden/Dp03vGYD879 --- 8979 signed on in two days.
Also, over 4000 for repeal of the PATRIOT act so far and over 2000 for the impeachment of Roger Vinson, whose signature authorized some ridiculously broad data collection orders. And 11825 for the resignation of President Obama. I mention this last because people have been calling for his head for years and it's not clear what issue is the biggest factor in people calling for his resignation.
I will happily trade your fascist fear-mongering for democratic freedom.
Scruting the inscrutable for over 50 years.
The only way this is a crime is if actual information is released that hurts national defense. Congress has repeatedly resisted or failed to make the disclosing of classified information illegal, in and of itself.
I am not sure one could consider this national defense information.
Sorry, teleporters just kill you and then make a copy. A perfect, soul-less copy.
Contractor use is how they get around other aspects of US and [especially] Constitutional legal restrictions and limitations.
Problem with the military code, rules or laws? No problem -- hire contractors. Got a problem with accountability and being tracked or with requirements of reporting your activities? Just use contractors. Easy to blame and easy to fire.
Not shocking, but quite disgusting. We put these government controls into place to prevent all sorts of government abuse and they just route around it. And no one is called to the floor for these practices.
Yeah. It's legal because the U.S. Govt. says it's legal. The justification for this supposed legality is, of course, contained in a classified document. So we're just supposed to trust the govt. on this. IMHO, the govt. hasn't earned that level of trust on this.
This was tried already a few years ago, AFAIR, in response the secret room in the AT&T facility on the West coast. The case was thrown out because they couldn't prove that they were spied upon by a secret spying program.
CUR ALLOC 20195.....5804M
This man is a hero. He is providing the transparency and accountability that Obama promised and failed to deliver after he sold out the liberals who got him elected.
You're aware that the ACLU and others have repeatedly tried to bring this before the courts, and been shut down by the Obama's people claiming that, since the program is so secret, whoever is bringing suit can't prove that the program specifically harmed them, and so has no legal standing to even make the case before a court? The courts, by accepting the argument that no one has standing to challenge these practices, have avoided having to rule on the Constitutionality of it all.
Your "appropriate course of action" has been tried. It doesn't work, not because the courts rule these programs Constitutional, but because the courts accept Obama's argument that truly secret programs are beyond court review. If your view of the Constitution is that any law that infringes on our rights can be challenged in court, then you must accept that the courts, just as much as the administration, have found ways to slip outside the Constitution's bounds and responsibilities.
So the appropriate course of action, in your view, given this, is ... what?
"with their freedom lost all virtue lose" - Milton
No...I am not shocked. I worked for a defense contractor as contractor from another company. I had clearance. Its pretty common. There are several levels of clearance. Everyone knows about secret and top secret, but there are other levels that don't even have names. In addition to that, you have compartmentalization through program clearance. Which basically means, even if you have super duper top secret clearance, you still don't get to see anything until you are briefed on the specific rules of the specific program. The government hire contractors like BH for their ability to specialize.
Historically, the claim of consensus has been the first refuge of scoundrels.
The US is not a democracy, it's a Republic. Learn the difference!
-The wise argue that there are few absolutes, the fool argues that there are no probabilities.
First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.
Then they came for the human rights activists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a human rights activist.
Then they came for the terrorists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a terrorists.
Then they came for the people with Verizon,
and I didn't speak out because I don't like getting charged that much for a phone plan.
Then they came for me,
and there was no one left to speak for me.
The "professionals" didn't have clearance to see it so yes he dumped everything.
Oh yeah, unsafe driver and betraying democracy... same thing. Seriously, this guy is a criminal and should face the consequences of his actions.
Here is the thing the guy signed a document saying that he would protect classified information which he did not, that is a crime. The guy also signed a document saying he would protect the constitution which he may be able to argue he did by becoming a whistle blower. I this the constitutionality of this law is upheld this guy is fucked but overturned he would be protected.
Knowledge = Power
P= W/t
t=Money
Money = Work/Knowledge so the less you know the more you make
Warrants were not served.
The Supreme Court already ruled that warrantless GPS tracking is unconstitutional.
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2012/01/supreme-court-holds-warrantless-gps-tracking-unconstitutional/
There are two types of people in the world: Those who crave closure
One reason Peter King sees terrorists everywhere is that he personally has a history of fundraising and offering political support for terrorist groups. A bit of projection, perhaps.
10 PRINT CHR$(205.5+RND(1)); : GOTO 10
> That depends on your definition of right.
> Acting without a common definition is anarchy.
We have such a framework:
Common Sense
The Declaration of Independence
The Federalist Papers
The US Constitution.
Civil Disobedience
A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.
Sign petition here
Stop making stuff up, wholly shit it's easy to read his dossier. He was at the contracting company for 3 months before fleeing to Hong Kong and releasing. Prior to this job, he was a computer security person at the CIA, and prior to that a security guard at a Government agency. Who knows what he was doing at the CIA, but he was not there long and not a Guru. Look at the work experience! Before being a security guard, he was in the US Army and released because he broke both legs in an accident.
If your opinion is based on a lie, well... shame on you for not checking basic facts.
-The wise argue that there are few absolutes, the fool argues that there are no probabilities.