Reuters: Fugitive ex-NSA contractor Snowden seeks to come home: lawyer
(Reuters) - A Russian lawyer for Edward Snowden said on Tuesday the fugitive former U.S. spy agency contractor who leaked details of the government's mass surveillance programs was working with American and German lawyers to return home.
In Washington, U.S. officials said they would welcome Snowden's return to the United States but he would have to face criminal charges which have been filed against him.
Snowden's lawyer, Anatoly Kucherena, who has links to the Kremlin, was speaking at a news conference to present a book he has written about his client. Moscow granted Snowden asylum in 2013, straining already tense ties with Washington.
WNU Editor: When it became clear to everyone that Edward Snowden was going to stay in Russia over a year ago, I said in this blog that I did not envy him .... because I knew that he would miss his home country. Regular readers of this blog know that my nationality is Russian, but I am now a Canadian citizen living in Canada. Whenever I feel "homesick" or I miss the old country .... it is very easy for me to just arrange a flight .... and in a few days find myself in Moscow having a meal at my favorite restaurant. Edward Snowden does not have that luxury .... and I doubt that he will have it for a very long time ... if not forever. If he should decide to go back to the U.S. .... what will happen to him is easy to predict. A trial, a conviction, and about 20 years in a federal penitentiary. Is 20 years in jail worth not having a meal at your favorite restaurant .... I guess it all depends on the person.
More News On Reports That NSA Whistle-Blower Edward Snowden Wants To Return Return Home
Lawyer: NSA leaker Edward Snowden wants to return home -- AP
Edward Snowden 'ready to return to States' -- AFP
Edward Snowden may finally stand trial as Russian lawyer for the NSA leaker reveals they are working with the United States on his return home -- Daily Mail
Snowden's Legal Team Pushing for His Return to America -- Moscow Times
Lawyer: Snowden ready to return to United States -- CNN
Snowden Ready to Return to U.S. if Promised Fair Trial, Lawyer Says -- Newsweek
Edward Snowden in talks to return to United States from Russian exile: lawyer -- New York Daily News
Edward Snowden Is Ready to Return to the United States—if ... -- Slate
Lawyer: Snowden willing to return to U.S. for trial -- USA Today
Update: Apparently the story has being overblown by Moscow .... Reports Snowden Is in Talks to Return Home Are “Much Ado About Nothing,” Says U.S. Lawyer (Vanity Fair).
4 comments:
WNU Editor,
Yup, much adieu about nothing, agitprop.
As the Sterling Case shows, the sentence will be more like 100 years or death,
And "fair trials" in the US are only available for those that suffer from affuenza, or are highly politically connected.
My advice to Snowden would be, unless he wants to end up in jail, don't come back...
And if he is ever insistent on coming back, I would tell him to 'wait' for a more favorable administration than that of Obama.
His only hope is a promised Presidential pardon .... but it is not going to happen. Edward Snowden made the U.S. intelligence community look bad .... they want him behind bars forever and they hold enormous .... correction .... super enormous influence in Washington.
I don't think they can put Me. Snowden in jail. The political backlash against such an action against one who is regarded a hero in much of America and most of the world would be too much to bear and would mean the end of many, many careers and possibly lives should they attempt to put Mr. Snowden in jail.
Furthermore if American authorities did try to arrest him, try him, or put him in jail, in al likelihood he has held some things back to be released by someone which will make US Intel Services look even worse. If they were made to "look bad" before, they would look even worse after this. With that said these are incompetent, stupid, idiots. Perhaps they really are that stupid but I doubt even they are that dumb.
Why would he want to come back to America? After all he submitted huge benefits to Russia and America's enemies. In all likelihood the Russians have made him rich beyond measure supplying him with anything and everything he could possibly want for the rest of his life. In all likelihood, this whole belly aching about him wanting to come back to America is part of the propaganda war against America.
With that said, if I were POTUS I'd in all likelihood, grant Mr. Snowden a pardon. NOT because I think he's a swell guy but as part of a broader diplomatic outreach to solve our problems with Russia and to work on fixing our image and doing something to address the rampant anti-Americanism that is sweeping the world and gaining strength. If America is to survive let alone thrive, we are going to need the assistance of certain key countries and certain key leaders. As long as we are almost univerisally despised this is problematic at best to expect this.
Finally, very respectfully, the power of US Intel Services seems WAY overrated. US Intel services submit reports to POTUS, Congress, the Military and other key stakeholders. These stakeholders then act accordingly. Given the extreme incompetence of these personnel, their reports should be treated with extreme skeptisicim at best and as pure fiction at worst.
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