Senators: Move to Punish Ecuador, Russia Over Snowden

Schumer Urges Sanctions on Ecuador

As has been the case, the NSA surveillance scandal was mostly glossed over on the Sunday news circuit today, with Senators Chuck Schumer (D – NY) and John McCain (R – AZ) instead focusing on starting new diplomatic crises to spite nations involved with Snowden’s escape.

McCain termed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s refusal to immediately capture Snowden and give him to the US a “direct slap in the face,” and insisted that Russia must “pay the price” for its defiance.

Schumer also blasted Russia, but saved his focus for Ecuador, the nation that might conceivably grant Snowden asylum in the face of political persecution by US leadership. Schumer said the US ought to immediately impose sanctions on Ecuador to “dissuade” them from granting Snowden asylum, and also cancelling the existing free trade agreement.

Which apparently Schumer wasn’t keeping a close eye on. Ecuador actually preemptively cancelled the trade pact on Thursday in the face of US threats, saying the deal made it too easy for the US to dictate terms to them every time a disagreement arose.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.