Following a week of hide-and-seek in the international “transit zone” of the Moscow airport, NSA leaker Edward Snowden is reported to be seeking political asylum in Russia.
The Russian government had been distancing itself from Snowden over the past week, as has the government of Ecuador, locations where Snowden had reportedly been trying to relocate.
WikiLeaks’ Julian Assange has claimed to be assisting Snowden find a more permanent “home” to ride out the spying charges filed against him by the US Department of Justice.
Whether Snowden is a hero whistle-blower or a traitor is much in the eye of the beholder at this point, with only a small portion of the leaked information having come to light. Indeed, candidate Barack Obama praised government whistle-blowers:
Often the best source of information about waste, fraud, and abuse in government is an existing government employee committed to public integrity and willing to speak out . . . [I] will strengthen whistle-blower laws to protect federal workers who expose waste, fraud, and abuse of authority in government. Barack Obama
Of course, it is Barack Obama whose government has been fingered by the former NSA spy as being the most abusive wielder of power through intrusive spying on citizens and foreign governments in the history of the US.
PUBLIUS
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