By Tom Cohen
The man who admitted leaking classified documents about U.S. surveillance programs purportedly went online live on Monday to declare the truth would come out even if he is jailed or killed, and said President Barack Obama did not fulfill his promises and expanded several "abusive" national security initiatives.
According to the Guardian newspaper, Edward Snowden answered questions in an online chat about why he revealed details of the National Security Agency's secret surveillance of U.S. citizens.
Snowden said he did so because Obama campaigned for the presidency on a platform of ending abuses. But instead, he said Obama "closed the door on investigating systemic violations of law, deepened and expanded several abusive programs, and refused to spend the political capital to end the kind of human rights violations like we see in Guantanamo, where men still sit without charge."
Snowden also wrote that he had to get out of the United States before the leaks were published by the Guardian and Washington Post to avoid being targeted by the government.
Read the latest here.
When You live under a Dictatorship, truth becomes Treason .
It's funny how these right-wingers not only display their ignorance but also their hypocrisy here. They'll fight like tigers for those three creeps who attacked that young lady at the Naval Academy but on the same breath, vilify Snowden as a "traitor"!
Snowden is a traitor, by any reasonable definition. He deliberately violated the non-disclosure agreement he signed with the NSA.
However, I too am conflicted on this one, because BO has been outed as a dictatorial a$$wipe by one of his own, another left-wing a$$wipe. In a way, it's hilarious.
Im on the fence on this one.
America is the root of all terror. America has invaded sixty countries since world war 2.
In 1953 America overthrow Iran's democratic government Mohammad Mosaddegh and installed a brutal dictator Shah. America helped Shah of Iran to establish secret police and killed thousands of Iranian people.
During Iran-Iraq war evil America supported Suddam Hossain and killed millions of Iranian people. In 1989, America, is the only country ever, shot down Iran's civilian air plane, killing 290 people.
In 2003,America invaded Iraq and killed 1,000,000+ innocent Iraqi people and 4,000,000+ Iraqi people were displaced.
Now America is a failed state with huge debt. Its debt will be 22 trillion by 2015.
Um, before everyone goes all Republican against Democrat here, let's remember who started the whole spy program? That would be Dubya, remember? Obama just hasn't dismantled it and should have. But then again, I have to say, if you have something to hide, don't blab it on your phone or in your email. Pretty common sense stuff.
Daniel Ellsberg, of the Pentagon Papers leak, stated that Snowden's action was the most important one to date. Doesn't get much press, however. Not all laws are right, and your conscience will tell you it is the right thing to do, to let the taxpaying public know the widespread abuse, edging us closer to tyranny. It takes great courage, especially in our polarized, post 9/11 world, where any citizen can be labeled "terrorist" and assassinated, all without any protection from the law...
What would Patrick Henry, or Thomas Paine, or Thomas Jefferson, even George Washington say about today's extreme surveillance?
We already know what Ben Franklin said...
Snowden and Bradley M. are both traitors BUT it doesn't change the fact that what they say is the truth.
Snowden will get whats coming to him......Swift and painfull
Another idiotic comment by another weak minded Tea Partier above. Edward Snowden is a hero as anyone with half a brain would know. We need more people like him to take the lid off the garbage can in Washington and show the public all the filthy things that go on there!!!
I'm a far cry from a Tea Party member having not only voted for President Obama twice, but donated and actively worked for him, as well and I agree with Truth. You break the law you pay the consequences – that's why we have laws. Until the SCOTUS says otherwise or until Congress changes or repeals the Patriot Act, it is the law of the land. Snowden should be tried as a criminal or as a traitor depending how much damage he did to our country by giving aid and comfort to the enemy.
You nailed it good, George. Thank you. Unfortunately, we'll see more idiots like the Truth above displaying their incredible ignorance on this web page!
It's a shame your post proves you don't even have half a brain.
Thanks for playing.
This dude will be shouting to his grave he's done nothing wrong. In truth he's really not guilty of too much...Except he broke his oath to keep very important or very stupid classified information from public dissemination. If it's a Mickey Mouse cartoon and is marked "Top Secret", It's "Top Secret" period. You don't question it. There are higher pay grades who make these decisions.
You're a "YES" man aren't you? Can you say "splunge"?
ass hole was just a Obama hating republican, I am not surprised.
Um, his complaint seemed to be that President Obama hasn't lived up to campaign promises and expectations... In other words I'd assume he supported Obama until he became disillusioned by reality not matching up to hope and change. Not that it matters if he's a republican or a democrat, but I don't know how you can read this and come to your conclusion.
He came to that conclusion, I would guess, because he is an Obama loving liberal.
I'm left of center a bit and I think Snowden is a left wing nut.
Actually my impostor above is an Obama loving, Muslim hating Tea Partier who loves the right-wing thugs in Washington, if not paid by them for trolling me here. Edward Snowden did the right thing and not all the right-wing bla-bla-bla is going to change that!!!
I did not know Snowden was a muslim !! you learn something new everyday.
The Bush Family is the real "traitors" Google The Bush Family to find out the truth.
Well put, Why. How true that rings!
Nothing surprises me about the US anymore. Mitt Romney would've done the same things. Snowden is my hero.
Snowden is mine too, manicdrummer. We need more people like him to lift the lid off the garbage can in Washington to show the public just how rampant corruption is there!!!