The surprise decision by President Obama to commute the sentence of Chelsea Manning over leaks immediately sparked speculation about the possibility of other whistleblowers falling into the same category, particularly NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, who stands virtually alone among leakers of documents on the scale of Manning.
President Obama seems to be throwing cold water on this suggestion, however, arguing that there is a “stark difference” between Manning, who admitted to wrongdoing and has been in prison for the last six years, and Snowden, who fled the country to avoid prison.
The White House is definitely positioning Snowden as worse than Manning, noting that Manning’s leaks were all at the “secret” level, and that Snowden’s leaks included documents of far higher classification and “far more dangerous” by the administration’s reckoning.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest also made a bureaucratic argument against any clemency for Snowden, arguing that Snowden “has not filed paperwork” that would qualify him for clemency, in spite of a major petition with around a million signatories calling for him to be pardoned.
We did not prosecute the leaker or leakers that told us about the mali massacre . In fact we jailed lieutent. Kelly for his part in the crime .
I guess technically they are right. They can’t pardon or commute a sentence where there isn’t one. But of course they forgot to mention that they can drop whatever ridiculous charges they have filed or would file against Snowden and re-activate his passport. That would be even easier.
“They can’t pardon or commute a sentence where there isn’t one.”
Actually they can pardon even when the pardoned person hasn’t been charged yet:
“Now, THEREFORE, I, GERALD R. FORD, President of the United States, pursuant to the pardon power conferred upon me by Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution, have granted and by these presents do grant a full, free, and absolute pardon unto Richard Nixon for all offenses against the United States which he, Richard Nixon, has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 20, 1969 through August 9, 1974.”
What happened with Karl Rove? Did he actually get charged?
And hasn’t Snowden been ‘charged’ by the ‘Chief Magistrate’ of the land in public comment?
Good to know. Then Obama has no excuse, other than he’s spineless.
This pardon of Manning is hugely popular with the people. I’m saying that as a challenge to anyone who doesn’t agree.
A pardon for Snowden would not be popular with the people. It might not even be popular with the few who take part on this site and we could assume perhaps, that Snowden’s best supporters would be found on this site, due to the antiwar slant.
Would Snowden receive more support from the Dem party in congress or the Repub party? I haven’t heard any support expressed from either party’s members but I may have missed it.
And as for support for Snowden, we don’t really hear much support coming from people who comment on this board. Instead we hear condemnation of Obama, to the point where it seems that’s much more important to them than Snowden’s wellbeing.
Maybe Trump’s supporters can convince Trump to pardon Snowden? We should watch for some indication of that kind of support for Snowden.
Do you think that Obama would like to pardon Snowden but can’t because there are too many obstacles in the way?
Or, do you think Obama would like to pardon Snowden but won’t because it would be hugely unpopular with the people?
Or, do you think that Obama has himself condemned Snowden and has no feeling for pardoning him?
Or, …………………?
I’m not aware of any obstacles to pardoning Snowden. Franky I, have no idea how Americans see Snowden, whether a pardon would be popular or not. At this point, popularity shouldn’t be an issue for Obama. All these establishment people see whistleblowers as betrayers of the establishment. Manning isn’t a threat to them anymore. Snowden on the other hand has a bright future regardless of where he ends up, which is why it’s completely moronic for a president to not bring him back into the fold.
Check out my reply to Thomas above. And keep in mind that’s not the extent of it all. It’s what I came up with in a quick search for Snowden’s continuing behaviour from Russia.
Don’t let your vanity as an American influence how you view Snowden. He’s not your country’s friend at all and that will be reflected by the people with animosity similar to that which they view Assange.
“Don’t let your vanity as an American”
What are you talking about?
“He’s not your country’s friend at all”
Where’s this coming from?
“that will be reflected by the people with animosity”
Really? Well, in your view then all is well. He’s not a friend and somehow magically the people respond with animosity. If only that were the case for other non-friends of the US like israel.
Do you interpret Snowden asking his former aquaintances in the CIA/NSA to come out with more of the same, as Snowden being a friend to your country?
I’ve had enough of talking to you. All you want to do is be contrary
I think you may be conflating country and government. So because Snowden revealed government wrongdoing you take that to be unfriendly to the country. It’s not. But it’s a common misinterpretation, especially among those who work for government.
“Snowden made me look like a tool so he can drop dead”
Well Duh. Snowden has yet to face Justis and have an opportunity to admit his malfeasance and be sentenced for the harm he has done. Brad Manning did all that, confessed, made his excuses and actually did some time. He may be going free, but aside from ‘appearing’ at gay bars or writing his memoirs he is, essentially, a Benedict Arnold zombie waiting to die.
Snowden and Assange as well will be grist for the great mill of democrazy. “Sic Semper Perfidii.”
Obama is just the one to write the rule book on breaking silence and doing the right thing versus serving the Lying State.
There’s also a possibility that everything about America is now repugnant to Snowden personally, and he has no wish to live within it. A lot of what he says gives us that indication.
Even though it’s going to be hard for Americans to accept that Snowden prefers Russia.
To imagine that Snowden is still actively working against the US, it becomes quite the stretch to think that Obama would pardon him!
If “a lot of what [Snowden] says” indicates that he doesn’t want to come home, feel free to point at a little of that lot. Or anything at all from it, for that matter.
Snowden is obviously not “still actively working against the US.” In order to “still” be doing that, he would have had to be doing it in the past.
There’s no mistaking Snowden’s agenda, as he expressed it.Fair enough and I wouldn’t argue that. But there’s also no mistaking that Snowden’s revelations which were revealed were contrary to US interests. Most would probably have to agree that it should be seen as treason. Although there’s little doubt that ‘we’ are sympathetic to his actions.
Snowden doesn’t directly say that he doesn’t want to come home, and fwiw, I didn’t say that. Still, much of what he says on any particular subject in the news, lessens his chances of ever being able to come home.
Granted that he wouldn’t be speaking out against Russia, from within Russia, because that would make him a nuisance and Russia would react to that. I suggest that his behaviour in Russia is completely and totally in Russia’s best interests. Which of course, makes every thing he says, contrary to US interests.
https://sputniknews.com/science/201608031043913532-snowden-tweet-its-time/
That’s a link in which Snowden asks his former colleauges to contact him. It’s obviously Snowden asking for those others to commit treason against the US too. I would suggest that should be seen as working agianst his country. Can you interpret that as Snowden working in the best interests of his country? I think that might be where you are coming from but I don’t buy into it.
“Can you interpret that as Snowden working in the best interests of his country?”
So far that’s the only rational way to interpret anything and everything he’s done.
From my POV and from your POV, the results of what Snowden says and does in Russia can definitely be seen as working for the “betterment” of his country. Exposing US crimes and wrongdoing is in our eyes admirable. Happy to agree with you on that at least.
But you are a subversive who is likely being watched closely by your country’s spooks, while I’m just a foreigner who doesn’t talk like I have the US’s best interests in mind. So while Snowden’s revelations were so good and commendable to we two, we know at the same time that your country didn’t see it quite that way. LOL