If you were Edward Snowden and were offered a pardon or clemency by the US would you come home?

[yurbud]

12 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	YES
	0 (0%)
	NO
	11 (92%)
	I would wait a few years just to be sure.
	0 (0%)
	OTHER (please explain)
	1 (8%)
	0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
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[ScreamingMeemie]

1. Interesting poll, interesting question and no I would not.

For obvious reasons. Hey, I watch Criminal Minds and I see the things that are promised to guys holed up in houses...

[yurbud]

4. His only protection is if EVERYTHING gets released and even then, he better find a deep hole

to hide in until the dust settles.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

13. If it were Derek or Spencer doing the promising...

I might not be thinking too clearly.

[Shandris]

2. Don't think I'd trust it (n/t)

[quinnox]

3. I don't know. But for sure, not with the Obama administration

they have been very aggressive in trying to protect the spying machine, they are not friendly to whistle blowers, to say the least.

I would wait until the next presidential administration, and then assess it.

[ConcernedCanuk]

20. What made you think the President's Administration can protect anyone?

.
.
.

MIC PNAC et al run the country, and there's probably millions that consider him a traitor and whack him with no guilt whatsoever.

Besides - even IF any Administration COULD protect him - why bother?

Breaking it's promises and treaties for 200 years hasn't slowed down the USA's march on the Globe.

Why change now?

CC

[sabrina 1]

22. Do you have something to prove that Greenwald has made millions on this? Welcome to DU btw, where

you will no doubt enjoy the fact that if you just throw out a comment accusing someone of something, SOMEONE will ask you for proof. It helps curb false information and differentiates the site from FAUX type misinformation found on other sites and of course in the MSM.



Btw, I hope people like Snowden and Greenwald and Manning WILL make millions some day as they deserve it, unlike the criminals who collapsed the world's economies or the war mongers who I'm sure you agree, do not deserve the billions they have stolen by lying and corruption etc.

[sabrina 1]

32. That says nothing about your implication that anyone was paid FOR the NSA documents or whatever

it was you were trying to imply.

What you linked to is a legitimate, LEGAL offer to someone who has proven themselves as a JOURNALIST. Same way people like Woodward and Bernstein earned any offers they received after THEIR coverage of momentous events during their time as journalists.

Greenwald has earned any offers he receives as a JOURNALIST. I hope he accepts it and I hope more progressive, truth tellers begin to finally have the opportunity to accurately report on real NEWS. The US Corporate MSM is not about 'news' as most people know by now.

You implied that Greenwald and Snowden were involved in some kind of nefarious money deal. Which is what I asked you to prove.

You provided me with a legitimate offer to an actual, real Journalist which has nothing to do with your implication.

Thanks, I didn't think there was any truth to it.

[yurbud]

44. it's ironic that the worst the right can accuse someone of doing is what they themselves do as

a matter of principle.

You would think they would applaud that the way they do making money by outsourcing, union-busting, cartel and monopoly forming, government contracts and subsidies, and outright fraud.

[sabrina 1]

45. Well, I didn't get to see all the responses to my comments, but I can imagine what they contained.

Same old, tired, jaded, no longer effective talking points.

They are collapsing as people are waking up to their scams. And the frustration is showing.

I feel very positive about the furture where we no longer accept dehumanizing phrases such as 'collateral damage' when innocent two year olds are murdered by WMDS. It must be frustrating for them to see how awake people all over the world are to their attempts to emotionally manipulate the population. It just isn't working anymore.

[MannyGoldstein]

6. It might be the least untruthful clemency I could be offered

One day I hear a buzz overhead... Then suddenly I'm Freedom Mist™
.

[democratisphere]

7. No. How could anyone ever trust an elected government that should be upholding the Constitution....

yet is spying on its own citizens, allies and 'friends'.

[MADem]

8. Well, his lawyers have said he wants to come home.

I doubt that will happen unless he's in custody. He will have to do some jail time if he wants to live in America again.

Hope he likes Russian food....

[jschurchin]

9. No Chance.

If he did, he would be "debriefed" by the CIA and somehow "mysteriously" fall and die.

"We are not sure exactly what happened, we are doing a complete investigation and will be issuing our report very soon."

[FatBuddy]

10. hell muthafuckin nah

the US is a bad actor and terroristic threat

[DefenseLawyer]

11. Ibragim Todashev n/t

[Warren Stupidity]

12. I would assume that an unfortunate accident would occur.

Or that my computer would somehow become filled with kiddie porn.

[yurbud]

14. or both

[randome]

15. No, I would assume it's all a plot to trap me in a sexual 'honeypot'.

Then I'd run to Ecuador and claim the U.S. won't let me leave.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]All things in moderation, including moderation.[/center][/font][hr]

[sabrina 1]

35. The US wouldn't let him leave Russia which is why he is there.

Why do you think the US trapped Snowden in Russia?

[Nye Bevan]

16. Yes. I like Chicken Kiev but it's probably getting old at this point.

And I bet there's no Amazon Prime in Russia.

However, I would make certain to get it in writing.

[gulliver]

17. I would jump right on Pegasus...

... and fly straight to the US for my ticker tape parade.

[99Forever]

18. No freakin' way.

The reasons are self-evident to anyone with a functional brain.

[treestar]

19. Yes. I'd be far safer than in Russia.

And there would be plenty of money to be made.

[sabrina 1]

23. Well let's test that theory. It's easy to do since we have another case to go by of how another

Whistle Blower was treated by the US as opposed to Snowden's treatment so far.

Chelsea Manning described, during his 'trial' his treatment from the moment he was taken into custody by the SU. Airce he was confined to some kind of cage eg, eventually subjected to torture and kept in solitary for over a year denied access to the public even though that point he was not convicted of anything.

Snowden otoh, appears to be free and safe with the ability to speak freely to the public letting them ake up their own minds about the actions he took when he uncovered Crimes against the Constitution.

My mind is made up. He should not return for at least ten years and see if this country returns to respectinng the rule of law, puts the REAL criminals in jail and begins a new phase where we can start restoring Democracy and Constitutional Rights to the country.

[JoePhilly]

30. Snowden was in the military?

[sabrina 1]

36. Actually he was for a short time. But what does that have to do with the treatment of Whistle

Blowers? The US forced Snowden to remain in Russia, why do you think they did that?

[JoePhilly]

40. You suggested the comparison. Manning is accused of breaking

military laws ... so one should expect his situation to be different from that of Snowden.

The US did not send Snowden to Russia. He decided to go there on his own.

[sabrina 1]

41. 0ne should expect nothing of the kind. When crimes are exposed, one shoud expect that those crimes

should be investitgated. That did not happen. Why is that?

The US forced Snowden to remain in what was merely a stopover point. Why did they do that?

[treestar]

31. Snow is in Russia

Not free by definition.

Since the OP posits clemency, that means he'd be freer here.

On every talk show, being lauded as hero by many, writing the book. No brainer for Snowy.

[sabrina 1]

34. Snowden was forced by the US to remain in Russia so you are

correct, that was not his free choice and even more proof that Whistle Blowers in the US are under threat of losing their freedoms while the crimes they report on are never investigated.

Having said that, he is far freer even though it was not his choice to be in Russia, that Chelsea Manning and all the other Whistle Blowers over the past decade who remained here, including those who played by the 'rules'.

[treestar]

37. The OP says he would get clemency

He is forced to stay in Russia due to his own decisions. He would be here in a second cashing in should he get clemency.

Julian would be green with envy.

[sabrina 1]

42. Has the US restored his passport? I didn't know that. Got a link by any chance?

[BobUp]

21. If you were Edward Snowden, well, I'm not, but I'll play

pay me first, and I'll think about it.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

27. Not unless he's offered Clapper's job.

[Lasher]

33. Interesting hypothetical but it's never gonna happen.

I honestly don't know what I'd do in that case if I were Snowden.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

38. I'd probably shop for a new home ...

... Russia would probably not be my first choice, and don't know what other countries would accept my immigration/residency/work/citizenship/benefits and all that.

If it was possible to become British, that might be a nice choice. I could learn to hate Manchester United just like most of the Brits.

[otohara]

39. If Russia or US Is The Only Choice

I'd come back here.

[sabrina 1]

43. Like Chelsea Manning, or Binney or any of the other Whiste Blowers who have been persecuted here?

No way! Stay in Russia until the US restorese his passport, WE forced him to remain in Russia, where he is being treated as a free person with the freedom to speak to the public, which, like Manning, he would be denied here untill the US resores his passport after which he can continue on his way to his original destination. Maybe in ten years or so after the criminals he and Manning exposed have been taken into custody and charged with the crimes they have committed, AFTER the US has restored the rule of law, ONLY THEN should he consider returning. The Right Wing lunatics who hate Whistle Blowers are a real threat to people like Snowden and Manning and Binney.