Edward Snowden's leaks are a grave threat to US national security by John Bolton

[bemildred]

Edward Snowden's revelations regarding highly sensitive US techniques for gathering foreign-intelligence continue roiling Washington. And because Snowden combined elements of truth swirled together with paranoid speculation, outright lies and pure hype, reviving a rational discussion has been hard.

Snowden's sympathizers and anti-American activists have so far largely controlled his story line. But that is changing, and with it, the likely tenor of the debate over whether Snowden is a hero or a traitor.

Snowden initially violated his oath to safeguard the national security secrets entrusted to him by revealing National Security Agency (NSA) programs arguably affecting the privacy of US citizens. The second wave of leaks, however, involved purported American cyber-intelligence activities globally and against China. Snowden claimed there were more than 61,000 US hacking operations globally, with hundreds of them directed at China and Hong Kong, and implied the existence of numerous other activities to surveil and counter Beijing's growing cyber-warfare capabilities.

Publicizing America's alleged intelligence-collection programs against China may not be identical to Philip Agee revealing the identities of US clandestine operatives, thereby endangering their lives, but it is close. We do not yet know whether Snowden jeopardized US agents, but vital sources and methods of intelligence gathering and operations are clearly at risk. In cyber terms, this is akin to Benedict Arnold scheming to betray West Point's defenses to the British, thereby allowing them to seize a key American fortification, splitting the colonies geographically at a critical point during the American Revolution.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/jun/18/edward-snowden-leaks-grave-threat

[ablamj]

1. nothing

by John Bolton is a "good read"

[ret5hd]

3. I think someones slip is showing.

[ablamj]

6. What?

I don't understand your comment...

[ret5hd]

9. It means someone is accidentally revealing something that they don't want revealed.

My guess is that you're quite a bit younger than me, as it used to be a common saying.

[ablamj]

16. and

you're saying that about me? I know what the saying means I just don't understand why you said it in reply to my post. What am I revealing about myself? Or if you are referring to John Bolton then I still don't get it because I refuse to read anything he writes so I didn't read the article.

[ret5hd]

17. No, I was agreeing with you and made the comment in reference to the OP.

[ablamj]

18. Oh

OK, I see. I can be a little slow sometimes. Thank you for clarifying.

[Purveyor]

2. When Bolton is displeased, I am very pleased. ;) eom

[bemildred]

7. Some interesting admissions in his argument.

And his asian bashing continues ...

[Doctor_J]

4. Oh...My...God...The Cheney admin doesn't like Snowden

Maybe dead-eye will shotgun Snowden in the face when he repatriates. No, wait...he only shoots his friends.

Seriously the fact that this is posted at DU makes irony an obsolete concept.

[Doctor_J]

5. I got it - a new vanity post..."I STAND WITH BOLTON"

[PDJane]

8. John Bolton is not a credible source. He's a relic.

Like Bill Kristol, he's never been right about anything.

[bowens43]

10. Bolten? Why would you post this shit?

[bemildred]

11. I'm a conservative troll.

[Purveyor]

13. LOL. I love it when protests are lodged over OP's. It is like some are forced to click on the link

and scared to death they are so weak that they may be 'brainwashed' by propaganda.

Of course you know I get this all the time and take pride in interjecting different viewpoints into the discussions.

[bemildred]

14. Quite. It's just a bunch of talk anyway. It's one of the things we come here for.

Let's not take ourselves to seriously, that's Republican thinking.

[Scuba]

12. An odiferous gas bubble escapes a quivering blob of santorum.

[ehcross]

15. Edward Snowden´s leaks have created a grave threat to U.S. National Security

The United States, as the world leader, naturally has invested considerable resources in assets that are designed for capturing intelligence information. This is a practice that all countries, in one way or another, endeavor in an effort to enhance their national security.

Edward Snowden had a serious responsibility to handle such information on a top-secret basis. He had accepted such endeavor with an oath to respect secrecy and, obviously, avoid leaks. But he decided otherwise, and undertook a serious breach of his oath, by making public some of the most sensitive top secret information on his reach.

The reaction of Americans has been mixed, with a substantial segment of the population hailing Snowden as a hero, clearly reflecting their anger at the government "spying" on them.

But the PRISM program, operated by the National Security Agency (NSA), also offers the capacity to detect threats to the national security of the U.S., allowing Americans to enjoy
security protection against a repeat of the 9/11 tragedy.

Edward Snowden, very loudly, told the world of his purported findings. But failed suspiciously to present the power of Prism as probably the best tool to defend the United States and its allies around the world, a fine product of top American ingenuity.

America´s enemies are busy celebrating Snowden´s betrayal of his own country!

[xocet]

19. There is no need to read past the words John Bolton and no need to look at W's cat pictures. n/t

[struggle4progress]

20. I'm not going to pay any attention to anything that blowhard a-hole Bolton says

[polynomial]

21. Bolton is the Assassin of truth

Bolton gives value to the wretched shame, lies, corruption, all around profiteering policy of the Bush/ Cheney swindle in the new millennium.

Every time Bolton appears it should be cherished and savored as a fine selected wine that we the people know Bush and Cheney drink to as too big to fail is forever remembered in recorded history. The premium profiteering, the special pinot noir, sold by the commercial specials, by our complicit media, where money is called free speech compliments of the Supreme Courtiers.

Let Bolton blow as hard as he wants to, please give Bolton the space to continue the sham, swindle, deception, we the people know he is expert at.

Bolton knows how to make those derivative bubbles for a Sanvangue Sunday meeting. Add a twist of lime for a Gaussian banking bubble bust. Best of all that dark, dark, Burgundy to bomb away voting rights anywhere in the world.

[BillyRibs]

22. John Bolton says Snowden leaks were bad for the US?

That means they were good for the people. That man is the biggest bull shit artist I know.

[bemildred]

23. +1.

More to the point, there is no place for John Bolton, for the war lovers, in a transparent political world.

[BridgeTheGap]

24. Plamegate: The John Bolton Connection

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/plamegate-the-john-bolton_b_7648.html

[ehcross]

25. Edward Snowden's leaks are a grave threat to US national security by John Bolton

Edward Snowden´s revelations regarding American techniques for gathering intelligence have created either repulsion by some, or simply, indifference, by others. This is exactly what Edward Snowden wanted.

There may have been several reasons that would explain Snowden´s wild behaviour, ranging from a true sense of guilt for doing whatever his job required of him, to a conscious effort to achieve a degree of notoriety. In any case, Snowden had the choice of simply quitting his job and finding another.

But Snowden was probably tempted by the prospect of becoming famous and decided to grab the opportunity. He well knew how he could create havoc inside the National Security Agency, and thus the U.S. government. His travels have been worth a thriller, sure to be written soon.

As for the impact of Snowden´s actions, the U.S. government still has the PRISM program, which allows for
the high-quality surveilance that is required for the detection and monitoring of Al-kaeda operations across the world. Snowden might have been smart in his effort to play chicken with the U.S. government, but after his prolonged visit to the Russian´s bear yard he will eventually have to step up and pay his debt.

Snowden will be remembered by his role in the development of PRISM, as well as for his shameful betrayal
of his own country.

[Link Speed]

26. You're really pitbulling this, aren't you?

It almost sounds as if you wrote the Bolton piece.

[Vinnie From Indy]

27. Oh for fucksakes!

In cyber terms, this is akin to Benedict Arnold scheming to betray West Point's defenses to the British, thereby allowing them to seize a key American fortification, splitting the colonies geographically at a critical point during the American Revolution.

Yeah John, it is just like that! The only thing this guy has ever been good at is being wrong about everything!

[grasswire]

28. koo koo kachoo nt