Hello Alexander,   
      
    RW>> He's tried to keep his information from being revealed, but that   
    RW>> may not last, depending on who has that information now.   
      
    ak>> This information is just a scandalous information which tells the   
    ak>> world about methods of CIA and other similar organizations.   
      
    ak> ^^^   
    RW>> NSA-------------------------   
      
   AK>Anyway, Snowden did his best.   
      
   Snowden swore a national security oath.   
   Snowden violated that oath by leaking information   
   to others, ovbiously without authorization from his   
   superiors.  That is called treason, punishable by   
   death.  However, our president, being a nice guy,   
   has promised the Russians, as well as the rest of   
   the world, that Uncle Sam has a soft heart, and   
   promised not execute the traitor.   
      
   AK>If we think it over,   
      
   Snowden is a traitor, plain and simple.   
      
   AK>the logic is simple.   
      
   Yes, it is.  Snowden swore an oath.  Snowden violated that oath.   
   What can be more simple than that?   
      
   AK>The state must NOT have full control of its citizens.   
      
   That is not the issue.  Every state has secrets to keep.   
   Those who swear a national security oath are sworn to keep   
   those secrets.  Snowden swore a national security oath, and   
   subsequently broke that oath.  Therefore, Snowden is a traitor   
   to his country.   
      
   AK>The state must not have power to suppress all clandestine activity.   
      
   Again, that is not the issue.  Every state has secrets.  And   
   some secrets must be protected.  Especially secrets concerning   
   national security.  Snowden swore a national security oath.   
   Snowden violated that oath.  Snowden is a traitor.   
      
   AK>The state must not develop such technical instruments that make   
   AK>clandestine activity impossible.   
      
   The state has a duty and an obligation to do whatever it takes   
   to protect itself and its citizens in the name of national security.   
   That includes developing technical instruments that make clandestine   
   activity possible.   
      
   AK>Because it is a matter of democracy survival.   
      
   It is a matter of survival, not just of democracy, but also of the   
   human race.  Just think what would happen if terrorists had the means   
   to develop weapons of mass destruction, or even nuclear bombs.  It   
   would be not only bye-bye Moscow, but also bye-bye world.   
      
   Fortunately for us all, President Putin and President Obama are   
   not mad men.  Although Republicans and Pat Buchanan like to think   
   otherwise.   
      
   AK>Suppose, the state controls its people to such an extent, that   
   AK>it knows all people connections. This means that a member of   
   AK>clandestine organization cannot hide anywhere among his friends,   
   AK>acquaintances and even people with whom he once had a phone talk.   
      
   Don't be silly.  Maxwell Smart never left home without his shoe phone.   
      
   AK>Why it is bad?   
      
   KAOS has always wanted to take CONTROL.  But thanks to Maxwell Smart   
   (and Agent 99), we are all safe from that ever happening.   
      
   AK>Because clandestine activity is a holy cow of democracy.   
      
   Two-thirds of the world does not have democracy.  Nor do they   
   want to have democracy.  We tried to bring democracy to rhem, but   
   they rejected it.  Don't believe me?  Look at Iraq and Afghanistan.   
   Do you think the people in those places have democracy, or want   
   democracy?  What about Egypt?  Once they found out what democracy   
   was all about, what did they do?  They went back to what they had   
   before!   
      
   AK>If some bustards came to power and they have all levers to suppress   
   AK>any clandestine activity they will be able to do it.   
      
   Look what the Italians did in Libya, especially between WWI and WWII.   
   They built a fence around the entire country, keeping Libyans penned   
   up inside like animals.  And then, after WWII the British took over.   
   Did the British treat the Libyans any better than the Italians?  Not   
   really.  All the British were really interested in was the oil under   
   the sands.  And then a brash young man decided to do something.   
   Trained by the Greeks, and knowing how valuable oil was, a certain   
   Colonel Moammar Qaddafi decided he wanted to be ruler of Libya.   
   And the people of Libya followed him, as if he was the Pied Piper   
   himself, until the Arab Spring arrived, and a new tribal master   
   decided to be ruler.   
      
   AK>And resistance will fail.   
      
   That's what Col. Qaddafi thought.  And he was right.  For decades,   
   he was right.  But then, something went horribly wrong ...   
      
   AK>That why the state must not be too powerful, too omnipresent.   
      
   The best form of government is a benevolent dictatorship.   
   With me being the dictator, of course.   
      
   AK>That's why NSA activity to trace all phone calls must be stopped,   
   AK>and its equipment and spy bases destroyed.   
      
   Do think, even for a minute, that terrorists are going to play nice?   
   Every state has the right to defend itself.  Especially from terrorists   
   and other bad guys.  The state has no duty or obligation to play "nice"   
   to terrorists and bad guys.  The state has no duty or obligation to   
   abide by rules that terrorists and bad guys want the state to play by.   
      
   Every state has spies.  Every state spies on other states, both on   
   friendly and unfriendly states.  Of course, it is not always called   
   "spying".  Rather, it is "collecting information" - regardless of   
   the source.   
      
   AK>It will, maybe, create some difficulties in catching real criminals.   
      
   Why should the state tie its hands behind its back?  The state   
   should use all resources available at its disposal in order to defend   
   itself, and apprehend the bad guys.  Remember, to its own citizens,   
   the state is the "good guys".   
      
   AK>But it worth it.   
      
   Let's catch all the terrorists and bad guys first.   
      
   AK>It provide freedom and democracy more chances for survival.   
      
   Allowing terrorists and bad guys to run and hide is not an option.   
   As George W. Bush said, we have a War on Terror to fight!  You heard   
   that?  We must make war on a verb!  En garde!   
      
   --Lee   
      
   --- MesNews/1.06.00.00-gb   
    * Origin: news://felten.yi.org (2:203/2)