Trump Ponders Pardon for Snowden – What About Assange?

US President Donald Trump recently announced that he was considering a pardon for Edward Snowden, an American whistle-blower who had copied and leaked highly classified information from the National Security Agency (NSA) in 2013 when he was a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) employee and subcontractor. The New York Post has reported that the President polled his aides at the Oval Office on August 13 on their thoughts regarding a pardon for Snowden, allowing him to return to the US as a free man. “There are a lot of people who think that he is not being treated fairly. I mean, I hear that,” said the Presidet. “Snowden is one of the people they talk about. They talk about numerous people, but he is certainly one of the people that they do talk about,” added Trump. It would seem certain that others being “talked about” would include Julian Assange, another whistle-blower “not being treated fairly”. While Snowden has exposed the many crimes of Clapper, Brennan et al., Assange has done the same – in both cases – by telling the American people and the world the truth about the crimes of these traitorous assets of British intelligence in the Obama apparatus.

Speaking to his aides on Snowden, President Trump said: “I guess the DOJ is looking to extradite him right now? … It’s certainly something I could look at. Many people are on his side, I will say that. I don’t know him, never met him. But many people are on his side. How do you feel about that – Snowden? Haven’t heard the name in a long time. I’ve heard it both ways. From traitor to he’s being, you know, persecuted. I’ve heard it both ways.”

Sources have quickly come forward to support the idea. The ACLU tweeted: “Edward Snowden is a patriot. Our Democracy is better off because of him. As we said four years ago, the President should pardon him.”

The “progressive” Common Dreams news centre wrote: “Forget Your Feelings About Trump, Say Allies of NSA Whistle-blower, ‘Snowden Pardon Would Be a Major Win’”. They reported: “The US-based Freedom of the Press Foundation – for which Snowden serves as Board President – tweeted a link to the Post report along with a ‘long and varied’ list of individuals who have demanded a presidential pardon for Snowden.”

Meanwhile, Journalist Matt Taibbi tweeted that the fact that Snowden “has been in permanent exile while the creators or defenders of the illegal surveillance programme he exposed have not only gone unpunished, but have been feted and given high-profile media jobs, is an ongoing outrage.”

On the Conservative side, Michigan Congressman Justin Amash – who quit the GOP in anger at Trump, and is now a Libertarian – tweeted: “Edward @Snowden is a whistle-blower who exposed unconstitutional surveillance practices that violated the rights of millions. He deserves the opportunity to return to the United States and receive a pardon as part of a fair process that examines his actions.”

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) tweeted: “Employees of the US Government violated the Constitution and lied to Congress and the American people about it. @Snowden exposed them. This is bigger than him. If he’s punished for his service to the Constitution, there will be more violations of the Constitution, and more lies.”

Boundless Ocean of Politics has received this article from Christopher Lewis of Schiller Institute, Frankfurt, Germany.

Editor’s note: The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of Boundless Ocean of Politics. Boundless Ocean of Politics makes no representation, warranty or guarantee as to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained in any News, Research, Analysis or Opinion provided in this article. Under no circumstances will Boundless Ocean of Politics, its employees, agents or affiliates be held liable by any person or entity for decisions made or actions taken by any person or entity that relies upon the information provided in this article.

Boundless Ocean of Politics on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/boundlessoceanofpolitics/

Boundless Ocean of Politics on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/kousdas?s=09

Boundless Ocean of Politics on Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/boundless-ocean-of-politics

Contact us: kousdas@gmail.com

Published by Koushik Das

Koushik Das (born on May 16, 1976 in Kolkata) is a career journalist. Based in the Indian capital of New Delhi, Koushik writes mainly about foreign policies and current geopolitical issues, and rarely about other topics. His own political ideas are highly influenced by Antonio Gramsci, Louis Althusser, Michel Foucault, Michael Oakeshott and others. English philosopher and political theorist Oakeshott (Dec 11, 1901-Dec 19, 1990) says that “in political activity, men sail a boundless and bottomless sea. There is neither harbour for shelter nor floor for anchorage, neither starting-place, nor appointed destination. But we have to keep afloat”. (Rationalism in Politics, 1962) As a student of Political Science, Koushik loves to share his views on issues, which have great impacts on his thought process (and also on India, South Asia and of course on the global community), with his readers through his website – Boundless Ocean of Politics. By doing so, he tries to keep himself afloat. You will find some of his articles in https://inserbia.info/today/ (https://inserbia.info/today/author/kou_das13_i/), as he has been trying to assess the global geopolitics since 2003. You can also mail him at kousdas@gmail.com View all posts by Koushik Das