"Life is one long series of problems to solve. The more you solve, the better a man you become.... Tribulations spawn in life and over and over again we must stand our ground and face them."
Both played into the hands of Russia, China and other shitheads of that sort.
Snowden's situation isn't perfect but his life is fine.
Assange was basically held in confinement for many years on bullshit charges that were eventually dropped and now is being held in even worse environment in prison, where he seems to be visibly deteriorating.
Thus it's Assange no contest.
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If US didn't strand him in Russia he would just fly to Latin America as he planned.
Where he would likely be considerably easier to get.
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No crimes should be exposed because that will play into hands of enemies of those exposed! /s
Why? It undercuts every single US narrative about Russia, without spending a single dime or need to justify aggression. There is literally no safer place for Snowden to be, than in Russia... because how much he means to Russian rhetoric about US.
Speak of the devil, here is an example:
Folly and fakery have always been with us... but it has never before been as dangerous as it is now, never in history have we been able to afford it less. - Isaac Asimov
Every damn thing you do in this life, you pay for. - Edith Piaf
The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command. - Orwell
No amount of belief makes something a fact. - James Randi
I'd pardon Assange simply because they've already put him through enough and as the poster I quoted below noted a pardon is not an absolution.
Color me impressed, a reasonable stance on Assange for once. A welcome break from the usual guillotine enthusiasts.
Until he stops being a useful pawn and drinks a cup of tea laced with polonium or some such.
Folly and fakery have always been with us... but it has never before been as dangerous as it is now, never in history have we been able to afford it less. - Isaac Asimov
Every damn thing you do in this life, you pay for. - Edith Piaf
The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command. - Orwell
No amount of belief makes something a fact. - James Randi
How should I know? Ask Putin, he seems to have a pretty good idea of when someone stops being useful. It's not like he's ever been in a rush to assassinate people, and on foreign soil at that. There's one in particular who fled Russia six years before getting assassinated, and published two books that were very inconvenient for Putin for years prior to the assassination. Does that ring any bell?
Folly and fakery have always been with us... but it has never before been as dangerous as it is now, never in history have we been able to afford it less. - Isaac Asimov
Every damn thing you do in this life, you pay for. - Edith Piaf
The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command. - Orwell
No amount of belief makes something a fact. - James Randi
When it comes to Putin, I don't dare making assumptions that might seem reasonable to me.
Yeah yeah, whistleblowers are inherently evil because they reveal inconvenient truths and they deserve to live confined in a room for years at best and waterboarded at worst, I've heard that before. Let's start rounding up investigative journalists as well, shall we?
Folly and fakery have always been with us... but it has never before been as dangerous as it is now, never in history have we been able to afford it less. - Isaac Asimov
Every damn thing you do in this life, you pay for. - Edith Piaf
The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command. - Orwell
No amount of belief makes something a fact. - James Randi
Imagination? About Putin, or whoever might succeed him? I'm afraid I lack that kind of imagination, try someone else. All I can imagine is me not being surprised at the Kremlin sending "thoughts and prayers" at a poisoned Snowden.
An investigative journalist then. But more importantly, I'm deeply intrigued by your definition of damning. Plenty of pretty damning stuff here.
Neither should be pardoned, but I fully support both getting a short drop and a sudden stop.
pardons should not exist. everyone should be equal to the law, no exceptions, no special treatment. if there's a reason somebody deserves lenience then it should be decided at trial and not by somebody trying to score political points
and nobody should ever be subject to bullshit like the espionage act. everyone, no matter who they are or what their crime is, has the right to offer a defence before their accusers in court