Russia may turn Snowden over to U.S. as 'gift' to 'curry favor' with Trump (who wants to kill the NSA leaker)

[nimelennar]

@tigkiwi

because they didn’t have to give him a trial, they were able to deny the charges and confuse the issue with him being a perceived agent of Russia.

Motive is literally not allowed as an argument in Espionage Act cases.

They would be able to deny and confuse anyway, and he wouldn’t be allowed to argue otherwise at trial.

[nimelennar]

@tigkiwi

1. it is the rule of law as it stands at present. This is a social good.

The rule of law is protecting those who are flaunting it. The courts have ruled that the actions exposed by Snowden were breaking the law. Has anyone been punished for those breaches of the law? No? Then why should Snowden be punished for exposing them?

If the rule of law being enforced is to be a social good, it needs to be enforced equally and fairly.

@tigkiwi

2. It makes other people in a similar situation now, think twice before they commit themselves, which will curb excessive “cause” takers from breaching faith with their oaths of service. This is a social good

So, you think it’s a social good that crimes committed by the government are hidden from its citizens?

@tigkiwi

3. It makes society more aware of the military disciplines and punishments, these things are done in our name, we ought to debate their probity.

Since when was Snowden a member of the military? Manning was brought up on military charges, true, but why would Snowden be?

@tigkiwi

4. Possibly society will think it ought to change, possibly not, but at least now it is a matter of debate.

I do not see why that outcome depends on whether or not the crimes are punished. Snowden wasn’t imprisoned, and yet there were reforms done to how the spy agencies worked due to his revelations. I don’t see how that outcome would have changed in the slightest if he had ended up in prison.