Snowden Is Said to Renew Plea for Asylum in Russia

&gt;...Mr. Snowden could stay in Russia only if he agreed to “cease his work aimed at inflicting damage on our American partners.” Mr. Snowden told the gathering of activists that he did not see an obstacle in this condition. “No actions I take or plan are meant to harm the United States,” he said, according to the activists present. “I want the United States to succeed.”<p>A few days ago:<p>&gt;Edward Snowden has withdrawn an application for asylum in Russia, apparently deciding that he couldn&#x27;t abide by President Vladimir Putin&#x27;s insistence that he stop leaking U.S. secrets, a Kremlin spokesman said Tuesday.<p><a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-edward-snowden-russia-asylum-20130702,0,5873964.story" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.latimes.com&#x2F;news&#x2F;world&#x2F;worldnow&#x2F;la-fg-wn-edward-s...</a><p>First, Hong Kong is a perfect place to avoid extradition. Despite that, he then goes to Moscow. He applies for asylum in Russia, then revokes it, then applies again.<p>I&#x27;m getting more and more skeptical of any claims that all of Snowden&#x27;s actions are part of some brilliant plan.

So Michael McFaul, the US ambassador to Russia, called a member of the human rights delegation today and asked her to pass on to the message to Snowden that he is not considered a whistleblower [1].<p>This is deliciously ironic timing -- just yesterday, the US Embassy in Russia released a statement condemning the posthumous conviction of tax fraud whistleblower Sergei Magnitsky [2].<p>[1] <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanLizza/statuses/355704161536450562" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;twitter.com&#x2F;RyanLizza&#x2F;statuses&#x2F;355704161536450562</a><p>[2] <a href="http://moscow.usembassy.gov/pr_071113.html" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;moscow.usembassy.gov&#x2F;pr_071113.html</a>

Long time NYT subscriber here. I am fairly sure I am going to cancel my subscription. I don&#x27;t like that they didn&#x27;t even include Snowden&#x27;s short statement; wasn&#x27;t that newsworthy? I thought the opening sentence in the article did not set an impartial tone -far from it.<p>This reminded me of when the NYT helped the Bush administration make a case for invading Iraq.<p>The writing in the NYT is good and I generally enjoy it, but I want impartial news coverage that seems easier to get by a random sampling from a few international news sources on any story I am interested in.

So, what are his prospects for supporting himself post-asylum&#x2F;defection? Intelligence asset? Puppet for a leftist government?<p>Besides the White House petition, what organized efforts are underway to bring this guy back without rebuke?

I don&#x27;t think I would have the stomach to run. He clearly faces a possible execution if he comes back to the United States, but I think at this point he&#x27;s garnered enough support from the populous that there would be MASSIVE riots if an execution was passed or even being considered.<p>Plus, personally, I would rather come back to the U.S. and stand for what I did because (1) South America isn&#x27;t exactly the most healthy place. (2) The socialist governments are using Snowden to get back at the U.S. and some of the rhetoric the south american officials said upon accepting his request would scare me more than facing a public trial. (3) If it was actually attempting to show the world what the government is doing because its morally wrong part of standing up for what you believe in is looking your enemy in the eye. He&#x27;s made his point, clearly the rage the world and Americans feel is continuing to grow, festering under the surface. His best chances at survival are actually to come home and face the enemy, than run and get murdered in his sleep or simply disappear.