A former CIA software engineer has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for what the government called the biggest theft of classified information in CIA history and for possession of child sexual abuse images and videos.
It’s been a minute since I’ve refreshed myself on the Snowden story, and I don’t have time to go deep into that rabbit hole again, but if memory serves I believe he released non-redacted documents that exposed the positions/identities of deployed US assets, and some who were operating undercover had their identities blown.
He gave it to specific journalists with proven track records who concluded that the published info was in the public interest while running it by the government and redacting confidential identifying data.
Both of these are pretty typical of all the articles I have seen, which is the government claiming he did great harm, but no actual examples of getting anyone killed.
If the gov didn’t want its secrets out in the open, they shouldn’t have been spying on their citizens. Maybe there would be less sympathy if the leaks didn’t bring to light the bombing of Bagdad full of civilians in the middle of the night and how the military hid it.
Maybe it was all for the money and Snowden is just a dick, but I’m glad he did it.
Several things can be true at once. We don’t have to be all-in on one side or the other of the Snowden affair. I’ve never understood why people seem so eager to pick a team on this issue.
I guess I see the leaks as a direct consequence to the action of various agencies and military, and I’m conflicting villainizing Snowden and villainizing the leaks themselves.
The government got caught red handed and I can’t really see myself being on any side other than the one directly opposite to them on the issue.
Bro, Snowden literally got people killed. That guy isn’t the hero people like to pretend he is.
What people did he get killed?
It’s been a minute since I’ve refreshed myself on the Snowden story, and I don’t have time to go deep into that rabbit hole again, but if memory serves I believe he released non-redacted documents that exposed the positions/identities of deployed US assets, and some who were operating undercover had their identities blown.
He gave it to specific journalists with proven track records who concluded that the published info was in the public interest while running it by the government and redacting confidential identifying data.
You can’t get more responsible than that.
You remember the government claiming it, but as far as I know they never released any actual statements that his leaks killed anyone.
https://www.vice.com/en/article/438jmw/official-reports-on-the-damage-caused-by-edward-snowdens-leaks-are-totally-redacted
https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL2N1BR287/
Both of these are pretty typical of all the articles I have seen, which is the government claiming he did great harm, but no actual examples of getting anyone killed.
If the gov didn’t want its secrets out in the open, they shouldn’t have been spying on their citizens. Maybe there would be less sympathy if the leaks didn’t bring to light the bombing of Bagdad full of civilians in the middle of the night and how the military hid it.
Maybe it was all for the money and Snowden is just a dick, but I’m glad he did it.
Several things can be true at once. We don’t have to be all-in on one side or the other of the Snowden affair. I’ve never understood why people seem so eager to pick a team on this issue.
That’s probably the best stance.
I guess I see the leaks as a direct consequence to the action of various agencies and military, and I’m conflicting villainizing Snowden and villainizing the leaks themselves.
The government got caught red handed and I can’t really see myself being on any side other than the one directly opposite to them on the issue.
Being a spy is dangerous.