Russia gives Edward Snowden permanent residency • Hacker News Board

Re: Russia gives Edward Snowden permanent residency

#31

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Oct 22, 2020, 5:19 PM UTC

wavefunction wrote: post #7

Shivetya wrote: post #2

I seriously hope that the President gives Snowden a pardon even it as a dick move on his way out. His releases were far less dangerous than Manning but I think his problem is no compelling story to distract from his actions and he did step on a lot of toes. Toes that deserved to be stomped.

I upvoted you because you merely posted your opinion, with which I agree. His actions did result in loss of trust in the US from foreign governments and people but I think his main intent was to alert the American people to what their government is doing. I consider him a patriot and my only regret is that he was trapped in Russia though I'm not sure his plans to travel to South America would have panned out.

[deleted]

Re: Russia gives Edward Snowden permanent residency

#32

Post by Semaphor » Thu, Oct 22, 2020, 5:19 PM UTC

tinus_hn wrote: post #22

The big question is what Russia has to gain from this. Is it just to troll the US?

It’s an easy PR win. The US behaves like a petulant child, and Russia can come off like the benevolent country protecting freedom. That seems like an extremely easy decision to make.

Re: Russia gives Edward Snowden permanent residency

#33

Post by damm » Thu, Oct 22, 2020, 5:20 PM UTC

Something to be thankful. I am sure he would rather come home; but I don't see the that changing with Biden as he hasn't said anything.

Re: Russia gives Edward Snowden permanent residency

#34

Post by kpierce » Thu, Oct 22, 2020, 5:21 PM UTC

chrisco255 wrote: post #16

Shivetya wrote: post #2

I seriously hope that the President gives Snowden a pardon even it as a dick move on his way out. His releases were far less dangerous than Manning but I think his problem is no compelling story to distract from his actions and he did step on a lot of toes. Toes that deserved to be stomped.

The president can't pre-pardon him though. He'd have to go to trial first.

You can but accepting a pardon is admission of guilt.

Re: Russia gives Edward Snowden permanent residency

#35

Post by pgt » Thu, Oct 22, 2020, 5:22 PM UTC

tinus_hn wrote: post #22

The big question is what Russia has to gain from this. Is it just to troll the US?

By granting Snowden asylum, Russia paints the USA as anti-free speech and pro-surveillance.

Re: Russia gives Edward Snowden permanent residency

#36

Post by seppin » Thu, Oct 22, 2020, 5:22 PM UTC

dirtnugget wrote: post #18

Is it still popular opinion that he seeked asylum in Russia? I feel most people don’t realize that he was on transit to Ecuador when the Russians told him passport had apparently been expired. He never planned to stay there.

Yes it's call a "cover story".

He visited the Russian consulate in HK (for a birthday party no less) before he left and his main legal advisor was the lawyer from Wikileaks , a Russian intel cutout.

All just coincidence I guess.

Re: Russia gives Edward Snowden permanent residency

#37

Post by failuser » Thu, Oct 22, 2020, 5:22 PM UTC

tinus_hn wrote: post #22

The big question is what Russia has to gain from this. Is it just to troll the US?

The more unfaltering facts uncovered about US the better for Russia. They also like to point to US to justify actions within the country: COPM is justified by NSA surveillance. They see Snowden as their guy and protect him.

Re: Russia gives Edward Snowden permanent residency

#38

Post by duxup » Thu, Oct 22, 2020, 5:23 PM UTC

tinus_hn wrote: post #22

The big question is what Russia has to gain from this. Is it just to troll the US?

It costs them nothing, yeah just PR.

I doubt there's anything they 'get' from permanent residency vs not. Beyond PR, I doubt they've been waiting to get whatever they want from him up until today ;)

Whatever discussions with him they wanted to have likely concluded LONG ago.

Re: Russia gives Edward Snowden permanent residency

#39

Post by moomin » Thu, Oct 22, 2020, 5:24 PM UTC

wavefunction wrote: post #7

Shivetya wrote: post #2

I seriously hope that the President gives Snowden a pardon even it as a dick move on his way out. His releases were far less dangerous than Manning but I think his problem is no compelling story to distract from his actions and he did step on a lot of toes. Toes that deserved to be stomped.

I upvoted you because you merely posted your opinion, with which I agree. His actions did result in loss of trust in the US from foreign governments and people but I think his main intent was to alert the American people to what their government is doing. I consider him a patriot and my only regret is that he was trapped in Russia though I'm not sure his plans to travel to South America would have panned out.

He was planning to go to Ecuador, wasn't he? Which at the time was pretty friendly to those viewpoints. And then Ola Bini got arrested and detained so I don't think it's that friendly anymore.

Re: Russia gives Edward Snowden permanent residency

#40

Post by classified » Thu, Oct 22, 2020, 5:25 PM UTC

The Greatest Country On Earth™ has its citizens flee to the Empire Of Evil™ just so they can speak a simple truth without being imprisoned or called a traitor. The incompetent bureaucrats in charge of Snowden's prosecution made him a martyr instead. Those people are massive fuckups even at playing bad guys and you trust them to operate an Orwellian surveillance and suppression system? Good luck with that.