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Russia Considers Sending Snowden Back To US As a 'Gift' To Trump (nbcnews.com)
An anonymous reader quotes a report from NBC News: U.S. intelligence has collected information that Russia is considering turning over Edward Snowden as a "gift" to President Donald Trump -- who has called the NSA leaker a "spy" and a "traitor" who deserves to be executed. That's according to a senior U.S. official who has analyzed a series of highly sensitive intelligence reports detailing Russian deliberations and who says a Snowden handover is one of various ploys to "curry favor" with Trump. A second source in the intelligence community confirms the intelligence about the Russian conversations and notes it has been gathered since the inauguration. Snowden's ACLU lawyer, Ben Wizner, told NBC News they are unaware of any plans that would send him back to the United States. "Team Snowden has received no such signals and has no new reason for concern," Wizner said. Former deputy national security adviser Juan Zarate urged the Trump administration to be cautious in accepting any Snowden offer from Russian President Vladimir Putin. The White House had no comment, but the Justice Department told NBC News it would welcome the return of Snowden, who currently faces federal charges that carry a minimum of 30 years in prison. Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said talk about returning Snowden is "nonsense." If he were returned to American soil, Snowden -- a divisive figure in America who is seen by some as a hero and others as treasonous -- would face an administration that has condemned him in the strongest terms.
Dude sealed his own fate when he let himself be seduced by Putin. You know - the guy that murders journalists and political opponents.
Putin will give up Snowden when he's no longer useful. Giving him back to the US is sure to cause a whole shitstorm of controversy and political chaos, which is Russia's end-game anyway. Dropping Snowden back in Trump's lap along with some sweet words will further push the notion that Trump is in Russia's pocket and will undermine his administration.
Keep in mind that Trump getting elected was the failure. All that happens now is consequences.
1) It's possible to feel that Trump is right on some issues like the H-1Bs but still wrong on others and/or a raging asshole.
2) Jailed? If he's lucky. Trump has in the past implied Snowden should be executed, and his CIA director has explicitly said as much.
3) Don't make this partisan; Obama had plenty of opportunity to do the right thing. He didn't.
Already been confirmed as fake news. Look where it is coming from. His residency has already been extended to the year 2020. And spokespeople for Russia have already stated "Nonsense"
I'm sorry.
Old age.
Here ya go.
And, thank you.
It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
He did not plan to enter Russia at all and was stuck in international territory for quite a while as a result. Russia (unlike the US) accepts international law, so you can change planes at an international airport in Russia without entering the country.
Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
The argument is that he's a whistleblower who exposed rampant systemic violation of the law. Not that you want to engage a real argument.
Reality is a slackware box running on a 386 tucked away in god's sock drawer.
He wasn't trying to go to Russia, he got stuck there. It was an accident.
"First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
So what exactly were these foreign (who?) and domestic (who?) actors going to contest and how were they going to contest it? If a person commits a crime but enters into a legal contract that has nothing to do with that crime exactly how does that crime affect the contract and by what legal theory? How long do you think the odds are of the Supreme Court declaring Nixon's time in office a titanic fucking mulligan with everything he signed having zero legal standing?
Ford had one job: not get in the way of justice. He failed, and ever since then there has been an insidious legal theory that the President is above the law. Now that is catastrophic.