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Espionage or Journalism? After the Snowden NSA Leaks (2020)

theatlantic.com

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Re: Espionage or Journalism? After the Snowden NSA Leaks (2020)

#2

Post by bediger4000 »

The "Snowden Associate" in the title is Bart Gellman, a long time Washington Post reporter who's covered national security issues in some detail for years and years. Just looking at his Wikipedia entry, he's been a thorn in the side of the DoD and other authorities forever.

This is not to make light or, or poo-poo his concerns or the counter-measures he takes, but rather to note that he should be watching his back after a career like that. Like Ben Franklin once said, "Never charge someone more money than it costs to kill you."

Re: Espionage or Journalism? After the Snowden NSA Leaks (2020)

#4

Post by whatshisface »

bediger4000 wrote: post #2

The "Snowden Associate" in the title is Bart Gellman, a long time Washington Post reporter who's covered national security issues in some detail for years and years. Just looking at his Wikipedia entry, he's been a thorn in the side of the DoD and other authorities forever. This is not to make light or, or poo-poo his concerns or the counter-measures he takes, but rather to note that he should be watching his back af…

There is no real evidence that the NSA kills its enemies or even that the CIA does when those enemies are American citizens.

Re: Espionage or Journalism? After the Snowden NSA Leaks (2020)

#5

Post by boomboomsubban »

whatshisface wrote: post #4
bediger4000 wrote: post #2

The "Snowden Associate" in the title is Bart Gellman, a long time Washington Post reporter who's covered national security issues in some detail for years and years. Just looking at his Wikipedia entry, he's been a thorn in the side of the DoD and other authorities forever. This is not to make light or, or poo-poo his concerns or the counter-measures he takes, but rather to note that he should be watching his back af…

There is no real evidence that the NSA kills its enemies or even that the CIA does when those enemies are American citizens.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anwar_al-Awlaki

Re: Espionage or Journalism? After the Snowden NSA Leaks (2020)

#7

Post by photochemsyn »

Shouldn't the title be "Espionage or Whistleblowing?" Journalism would just be reporting on the events.

For example, Daniel Ellsberg, leaking Pentagon Papers - basically everyone now agrees that was legitimate whistleblowing as it proved leading government figures were lying through their teeth to the American public about the reality on the ground in Vietnam. In contrast, Aldrich Ames and Robert Hanssen were CIA and FBI employees who sold all kinds of secrets to the Soviet Union for several decades - pretty sure we can safely call that espionage.

So Edward Snowden... proved the likes of James Clapper were lying through their teeth to Congress about mass warrantless collection of the private communications of American citizens. Hmmm... is it whistleblowing or espionage? Gosh what a tough question.

Re: Espionage or Journalism? After the Snowden NSA Leaks (2020)

#8

Post by boomboomsubban »

I had never heard the bin Laden satellite phone claim, but it stinks so much of intelligence agency bullshit. It blames the press for what is unquestionably their failure in the run up to 9/11, and it's central claim isn't even true. Yet it's become a staple of their rhetoric.
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