by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
The US has basically said to to Russia: “Turn over Snowden or risk long-term problems”. With this recent message from the White House the US left the Russians that American patience with Russia playing host to NSA leaker Edward Snowden is wearing thin.
“The Russian government has an opportunity here to work with us,” press secretary Jay Carney told reporters at his daily briefing. “This should not be something that causes long-term problems for U.S.-Russian relations.”
Washington and Moscow have been “engaging on a number of important issues, both economic and security related issues, and we want to continue that relationship unimpeded by this issue,” Carney added. By turning over Snowden, or at least expelling him, Russia could “resolve this situation that they have been dealing with now for three weeks.”
The US does not seem to understand, however, the ay things actually stand.. First and foremost Snowdenn is still in the transit area of the Sheremetyevo International Airport which, according to Russian law, is not Russian territory and thus the authorities have no way of actually expelling him. Secondly, he has committed no crime, as President Putin has stated more than once, in Russia or Russian jurisdiction and thus the Russian authorities cannot touch him and also have no intention of doing so.
“Our interest has always been in seeing him expelled from Russia and returned to the United States,” Carney told reporters. “He should not be allowed to engage in further international travel except as necessary to return to the United States,” Carney said of Snowden, who is regarded in some quarters as a whistle-blower for disclosing the incredibly broad sweep of NSA spying on American citizens.
“He is not a human rights activist, he is not a dissident,” Carney insisted. “He is accused of leaking classified information, he’s been charged with three felony counts related to the leaking of classified information. And for those reasons he should be returned to the United States.”
It is amazing that every time, in some other country, someone does the same as what Snowden has done, he or she is lauded by the USA as hero for freedom but when in the US someone leaks information on how the state spies on its citizen and the citizens of other countries then that person becomes an enemy of the state and a dissident.
As per usual the US, and allies, have a different set of rules for different circumstances and are almost prepared to go to war over such an issue with a well-armed state like Russia. Russia, Mr. President, is not Iraq or Afghanistan but a country with substantial arms and a well-trained military, one that is in many aspects better and more prepared to fight than the US military and the British one combined.
Also it is so hypocritical when the state says that people have nothing to fear is spied upon by the NSA, the CIA and the FBI if they have nothing to hide. Same applied to the state itself.
They know they have done and are still doing wrong to the American people and will try their utmost to silence anyone exposing their treachery.
Edward Snowden and Bradley Manning are not traitors. The traitors are in the White House, Langley and other such locations. It is those that have broken the very Constitution that they swore to uphold and defend.
© 2013
