BREAKING: Brazil will not grant Snowden asylum: report

[Cali_Democrat]

(Reuters) - Brazil has no plans to grant asylum to Edward Snowden even after the former U.S. National Security Agency contractor offered on Tuesday to help investigate revelations of spying on Brazilians and their president, a local newspaper reported.

The Folha de S.Paulo newspaper, citing unnamed government officials, said the Brazilian government has no interest in investigating the mass Internet surveillance programs Snowden revealed in June and does not intend to give him asylum.

In an "Open Letter to the Brazilian People" published by Folha and social media, Snowden offered to help a congressional probe into NSA spying on the country, including the personal communications of President Dilma Rousseff.

"I have expressed my willingness to assist wherever appropriate and lawful, but unfortunately the United States government has worked very hard to limit my ability to do so," the letter said.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/18/us-usa-security-snowden-brazil-idUSBRE9BG15920131218

[JI7]

1. so he wont help them unless they give him something ?

this is why he doesn't criticize russia and what they do ? because it's all about what he can get , what others can give him ?

it's not about the issues.

[Cali_Democrat]

3. Snowden must hate being stuck in Russia

seems like he's doing everything he can to get the hell out of there.

I don't blame him.

[JI7]

5. i'm sure their winters are different than in Hawaii

[DCBob]

2. Of course this is Obama's fault.

[Cali_Democrat]

8. Did you read the story about how the universe could collapse at any minute?

http://blogs.voanews.com/science-world/2013/12/16/data-shows-universe-could-collapse-any-minute/

Fucking Obama.

[Tarheel_Dem]

4. I just heard this on NPR. Basically it was a choice between Comrade Snowden or the POTUS....

according to the commentators on "The World". They explained that it would be economic suicide for Brazil. Russia looks like home for it's newest Comrade!

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

60. So, America bought the Brazilians off?

[Tarheel_Dem]

65. Didn't take much. Nobody wants his ass!

[CK_John]

6. Snowden reminds me of Oswald.

[alcibiades_mystery]

7. As they say in that EPMD song, "You better get yourself an anorak, cuz it gets bitterly, bitterly

cold up there."

Enjoy the Russian Federation, Mr. Snowden!

[former9thward]

9. Keep on releasing stuff Snowden.

It is fun watching authoritarian heads explode.

[cherokeeprogressive]

46. ^^^THIS^^^

[DevonRex]

10. Since Brazil has admitting to spying on US, they can't trust Snowden

not to reveal who else they've spied on. Or trust that he won't attempt to infiltrate their intelligence operations via secured computer networks just as he did the United States'. In order for Snowden to see how far the U.S. had gotten Snowden would of course have to have access to Brazil's intelligence network.

Who in their right minds would give him that? Why not just open their doors for Russia and China? That's what it would amount to. That is what Russia and China are after. Open doors to wreck competitors' economies and to have ongoing access to every single classified project, every single classified negotiation. Those networks have it all - defense projects, economic negotiations, regional and national security agreements and plans.

[okaawhatever]

26. Not to mention Brazil was also caught spying on Canada a couple of years ago. They can't play

completely innocent and get away with it. Brazil is too big to not spy on other countries, it would probably only be a matter of time before their secrets were revealed and they'd look like total hypocrites.

[DevonRex]

31. Exactly. Piss off both Canada and the U.S. too much and

things will go down hill for Brazil very quickly. Both nations give Brazil a hell of a lot of work but that could change...

[Tarheel_Dem]

66. +1000

[WillyT]

11. Good !!! - Break The Bank... Put It ALL Out There !!!

[DevonRex]

14. Oh, but Snowden said he doesn't have it.

And Glenn & Poitras seem to be rather, um, slow at releasing the docs. Gee I wonder why that is. Even after Omidyar...

What could be holding them up? Just a tiny drip...drip...drip...😴

[Luminous Animal]

32. If you spent as much time reading the foreign press as you do

slurping up propaganda, you would know that they've been corroborating with news agencies around the world.

India, Denmark, Brazil, Australia, Canada, Germany, England....

Bart Gellman, freelancing for the Washington Post also has a significant amount of documents as do reporters at the NY Times. The NY Times seems to have flushed theirs down the toilet. How many articles have been produced by them since the Guardian handed over the docs? The Guardian published a whopping 300 articles and stories on them before they were forced by their government (freedom of the press, indeed) to ferry courier them out of the country.

They've also been slow in releasing docs and reporting. I don't think I've ever seen you criticize either of them.

Perhaps, just fucking perhaps, as Greenwald has stated over and over and over and over again, the documents are complicated and he and Laura want to get it right.

[DevonRex]

34. I don't care what Greenwald states.

I don't like him. I don't trust him. I don't believe him. There. Can't say it any more clearly than that.

[Adrahil]

49. I'm sure glad....

... an unelected, self-righteous prick like Greenwald is deciding which secrets are appropriate to release and which aren't.

[Luminous Animal]

50. Yeah.Too bad a journalist is practicing journalism.

[VanillaRhapsody]

12. All I got to say is....see I told ya'll so...

he is no longer trustworthy....

[CFLDem]

13. I guess Snowden is learning the hard way

that no one likes a rat.

[WillyT]

15. So... How Is Snowden The Rat... As Opposed To Say... The NSA ???

They're the ones defiling the Constitution.

[hack89]

16. What government can trust him?

If he is motivated by principles then you have to assume he will report government misconduct regardless of country. Governments don't like people like that. Putin used him to poke Obama in the eye. Brazil is not that stupid.

[CFLDem]

17. "Rat" definition

rat
rat/
noun
noun: rat; plural noun: rats
1.
a rodent that resembles a large mouse, typically having a pointed snout and a long, sparsely haired tail. Some kinds have become cosmopolitan and are sometimes responsible for transmitting diseases.
2.
informal
a person regarded as despicable, esp. a man who has been deceitful or disloyal.
synonyms: scoundrel, wretch, rogue; More
an informer.
synonyms:informer, betrayer, stool pigeon;

The outcome of a rat's snitching is irrelevant. Once untrustworthy always untrustworthy. Who knows who he'll stab in the back next?

[WillyT]

19. It's Like A Mathematical/Grammatical Double Negative...

deceitful or disloyal

From YOUR OP...

I'm thinking the same thing could be said of the NSA.

After all... as of this moment... THEY are the ones that violated the U.S. Constitution.

[CFLDem]

20. The NSA May be a rat of sorts, too.

But they are a legitimate organization until Congress says otherwise. And as such they don't have too many consequences to worry about.

Still doesn't change the fact that Snowden is a no-good Benedict Arnold who can't be trusted.

(And stupid to boot- who gives up a six figure job in Hawaii and stripper gf? Definitely not someone I would trust.)

[WillyT]

21. ("And stupid to boot...") - An Actual Patriot Would... Explain Why You Do Not Understand That...

Are you saying that anyone unwilling to to sell their soul for the money is a fool ???

Cause it sure sounded like that.

Please clarify.

[CFLDem]

24. I just postulate

that he took his former life for granted. So many people sell their souls working McJobs for so much less.

Him wanting to leave the frigid tundra for Brazil is evidence of his wistfulness IMO.

[WillyT]

28. Or...

DULink: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024190291

[CFLDem]

44. So he's a rat with a whistle.

It's a nice trick but it won't earn him his trustworthiness back.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

61. Do you think that Brazil "trusts" the NSA or, for that matter, the USA?

[Cha]

18. But, but, but.. WHY NOT?!!! It was so generous of the big Leaker...

TheObamaDiary.com @TheObamaDiary
Follow
Too funny: @CNN deletes tweet after @ggreenwald complains, replaces it. And the first one was true. Fearless media!

5:18 AM - 17 Dec 2013
44 Retweets 7 favorites
Reply
Retweet
Favorite

http://theobamadiary.com/2013/12/17/rise-and-shine-701/

[Luminous Animal]

25. Really. Here is his letter. Please show me where he offered to spy on the U.S.

http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/internacional/en/world/2013/12/1386296-an-open-letter-to-the-people-of-brazil.shtml

On the contrary, he says this: "My act of conscience began with a statement: "I don't want to live in a world where everything that I say, everything I do, everyone I talk to, every expression of creativity or love or friendship is recorded.

That's not something I'm willing to support, it's not something I'm willing to build, and it's not something I'm willing to live under."

Not the sentiments of a spy.

[DonViejo]

29. The Brazilian newspaper Snowden wrote to and

which published his letter was first to say Snowden wanted the tit-for-tat deal:

Espionage Whistleblower Edward Snowden to Seek Asylum in Brazil
12/17/2013 - 08H29

FÁBIO ZANINI
"WORLD" EDITOR

US espionage whistleblower Edward Snowden has promised to cooperate with investigations into the actions of the National Security Agency (NSA) in Brazil. In order to do so, he wants political asylum from Dilma Rousseff's government in return.

The promise of help is in an "open letter to the people of Brazil" obtained by Folha that will be sent to authorities and will be part of an online campaign, hosted on the site of NGO Avaaz, which specializes in petitions.

The idea is to talk Dilma into providing shelter for Snowden, a former intelligence agent of the American government.

"Many Brazilian senators have asked my help with their investigations into suspected crimes against Brazilian citizens. I expressed my willingness to assist, where it is appropriate and legal, but unfortunately the US government has been working very hard to limit my ability to do so," said the letter.

###

http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/internacional/en/world/2013/12/1386666-espionage-whistleblower-edward-snowden-to-seek-asylum-in-brazil.shtml

[Luminous Animal]

30. I assume you've read the letter published by Folha. Where does he state he that he was willing to

spy on the U.S.? That was the point I was responding to.

http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/internacional/en/world/2013/12/1386296-an-open-letter-to-the-people-of-brazil.shtml

[DonViejo]

35. You're not incorrect about him not asking for asylum, but...

you're not totally correct. Forget the rhetoric and hyperbole contained in his letter. These portions I've excerpted from the letter, below, are definitely not direct requests for asylum, but rather, indirect requests. Snowden, or his ghost, writes like a politician, speaking politicalese. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with him asking, I don't begrudge him that. I just think it a little disingenuous of Greenwald to try and say Snowden didn't at minimum, suggest he be given political asylum in exchange for assistance to the Senators.

"The reaction in certain countries has been particularly inspiring to me, and Brazil is certainly one of those."

"Many Brazilian senators agree, and have asked for my assistance with their investigations of suspected crimes against Brazilian citizens."

"I have expressed my willingness to assist wherever appropriate and lawful, but...."

:::SNIP:::

"Until a country grants permanent political asylum..."

[Luminous Animal]

37. The post I was responding to asserted that he offered to spy on the U.S.

CNN asserted as much in their tweet that, due to blatant dishonesty and being called on it, they deleted.

My question is simple and not addressed to you. Where in Snowden's letter did he offer to spy on the U.S.?

[DonViejo]

38. Yep, sorry...I responded under the wrong comment.

I was responding to your comment below, but missed. lol

Is spying the correct term? I don't know. Is volunteering to tell the government of a foreign country how the government of his homeland is gathering information about their country considered spying?

[Luminous Animal]

43. Snowden has always maintained that he does not want the how to be revealed...

Only the what.

[Luminous Animal]

40. Or perhaps he recognizes that Brazil has taken the

lead, both globally and domestically, in advancing internet privacy rights.

This is precisely the response that he was hoping. The advancement of human rights. It is to ALL of our advantage that he takes the time to thank them with the goal of urging them on.

At one time the U.S. was a beacon for the personal freedom from government invasion of privacy. At this point on time, it looks like Brazil is taking up that mantle while we are abandoning it.

Why wouldn't an activist thank those who have been most instrumental in thanking those who have been most active in advancing the vision for which he sacrificed so much?

[ProSense]

45. Even

I just think it a little disingenuous of Greenwald to try and say Snowden didn't at minimum, suggest he be given political asylum in exchange for assistance to the Senators.

...the Guardian reported it that way.

Edward Snowden offers to help Brazil over US spying in return for asylum
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/17/edward-snowden-brazil-spying-asylum

[Luminous Animal]

22. Why would they grant him asylum when he hasn't applied for asylum in Brazil.

And isn't this outright contradictory?

"citing unnamed government officials, said the Brazilian government has no interest in investigating the mass Internet surveillance programs Snowden revealed"

"Snowden offered to help a congressional probe into NSA spying on the country,"

Either they are investigating or they are not.

Bizarre.

[Luminous Animal]

23. Chair of Brazil Senate Foreign Relations Comm... Snowden deserves asylum.

Said a NAMED government official.

https://twitter.com/RicardoFerraco/status/412966107838812160

[DesMoinesDem]

27. There is nothing breaking here: Brazil hasn't received a formal application for asylum from Snowden

therefore they haven't considered his asylum. You and the media act like they rejected an asylum request. They have not. I guess if you had an accurate title it would just make you look stupid.

Breaking! Breaking! Brazil hasn't received a formal application for asylum from Snowden therefore they haven't given him asylum!!!!!!!!

[Luminous Animal]

33. Amen.

[tritsofme]

36. It's going to be a cold winter in Russia, Eddy.

Get used to it, or come home and face justice.

[demosincebirth]

39. He should ask N. Korea. Mr. Un, seems like a likeable fella.

[mn9driver]

41. Snowden can't help Brazil.

This has nothing to do with whether they can trust him (they can't, but if he had some skill or information they needed, it wouldn't matter), or even whether the US would use terrible economic retaliation (we won't. Brazil's economy is too big and much more important to us than Snowden).

It is all about his value to them as a resident dissident/exile. He has nothing else to offer. That value happens to be zero. He has nothing that they want. On the other hand, Russia sees him as a propaganda asset. They will accommodate him as long as he holds that value for them. And not a minute longer.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

42. Bless his heart

[Blue_Tires]

47. In all seriousness: Who in fuck's name is advising Snowden?

Because these asylum pleas through the media or open letters are just flat-out moronic and counter-productive....

[randome]

48. If it's Sarah Harrison, Assange or Greenwald, he is, as usual, getting bad advice.

You'd think he'd have learned by now. His father called it right: these people do not have his son's best interests at heart.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]TECT in the name of the Representative approves of this post.[/center][/font][hr]

[Cha]

54. Oh, I dunno know..

roadkillrefugee @rkref
Follow @Lawrence notes that the Snowden letter to Brazil is filled with grandiose statements demonstrably false. Gee, who else writes that way?5:37 PM - 17 Dec 2013
18 Retweets 10 favorites ReplyRetweetFavorite

http://theobamadiary.com/2013/12/18/rise-and-shine-702/

[Tarheel_Dem]

67. I loved that segment on LO's show. Snowden's a bullshitter, just like GG.

[Cha]

68. Of course they.. albeit, world

class bullshiters.

[Pholus]

51. Brazil didn't need him. They already have their plan.

Brazil doesn't need Snowden, they already have a plan. Remove American dominance of their internet.

http://www.csmonitor.com/Innovation/2013/1112/In-light-of-NSA-spying-Brazil-may-take-a-step-back-from-World-Wide-Web

Since the provisions of this are that data on Brazilians must be kept on South American soil, our tech giants are not happy because that will cost a lot of money...

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/12/17/obama-nsa-google-aol-yahoo/4060461/

Sorry apologists! Once again you concentrate on personality at the expense of discussing the situation.

[Cali_Democrat]

52. Yup...and Brazil can continue to spy on US diplomats and nobody will make a peep:

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/brazil-admits-it-spied-on-u-s-diplomats

IOKIYAB

It's OK If You're Brazilian

[randome]

53. Or INOKIYA.

It's Not OK If You're American.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Precision and concision. That's the game.[/center][/font][hr]

[Pholus]

56. Glad YOU can joke about financial damage done to US companies

so a few dorks in the USG can get their PERV on...

[Cali_Democrat]

57. Google's stock price recently blasted through $1,000 and it keeps going higher

They aren't exactly falling on hard times.

Notice how people barely even noticed when it was revealed that Brazil spied on the US? Nary a peep!

Like I said, it's IOKIYAB.

Gawd I love the smell of hypocrisy in the morning.

[Pholus]

58. Funny, I only smell hypocracy when your posts enter the room...

American competitiveness versus its desire to peep like a common pervert.

I love watching that play out.

[Cali_Democrat]

59. The truth hurts

It seems to me you just can't handle the fact that the same people blasting the NSA for spying are the same people who say nothing when other countries engage in the same behavior.

Snowden cries for asylum in a country that was caught spying. You've gotta be fucking kidding me.

Doesn't Greenwald live in Brazil? What has he said about Brazilian spying? Nuthin. Nada. Zip. Zilch.

The hypocrisy is so thick you can choke on it.

[Pholus]

63. Rich. Very Rich...

This has never been about foreign countries. Pretending otherwise
to boost up your faux outrage is par for your course though...

This has always been about domestic abuses.

You obviously don't remember or were tuning out the cold war. Hell
yes the NSA watched other countries. But they did it in a way that
preserved our liberties and they were proud of it. Some Republican
yoho decides the "gloves come off" and all of a sudden they're gonna
record Aunt Emma's email and financials just in case it might be
useful to find those terra-ists. No wonder NSA morale is so low it gets
in the news -- it ain't just your reviled Eddie who is apparently realizing
the uselessness of some of the things they're doing. The other NSA leakers
describe the post-9/11 environment as ruining the professionalism
of the agency.

You love that the walls on the non-terra use of this data are crumbling.
Oh yes, this stuff can fight the wonderful "War on Drugs" too. There are
real scumbags there but teaching our detectives to simply lie and do
"parallel construction" instead of being true to impartial facts does
nothing but weaken our legal system in the end. What a sense of justice
you defend!

Worse, the potential for abuse really isn't a bug, it's a feature.
RIght now this is all under the control of someone we can trust now
but just wait till some tea-partier schemes their way into the White House
and starts giving commands to those Republicans that President Obama
inexplicably left in charge. Think they're not going to roll over?
Once the orders start rolling in to look up dirt on some political liability
or to once again preemptively arrest the protestors of the next RNC
convention or Occupy meeting -- or the next group of Quakers
to protest the next war of choice we'll just see how long all those legal
safeguards you brag about hold up. You can't even argue it -- historical
precedent is clearly not on the side of "it will only be used legally."

It's about intelligence adding up to 10% (!) of the massive DoD budget.
That same budget that is untouchable as we inexorably wend our way to another
grand bargain that strips domestic and safety net spending in the name
of the Austerity fairy.

It's about waste and ineffectiveness. It's about whooshing starship doors
and gleaming "command centers" based off of a low quality sci-fi show yet
paid for with money deemed too dear to spend on actually improving our
country or fixing its infrastructure. It's about money wasted with no accountability
because all those results are too secret for oversight. Oh we get talking points
all right, but things like those immortal "fifty four plots" fall apart under casual
scrutiny.

Domestic surveillance is a turkey, with NO REAL SUCCESSES yet an
ASTRONOMICAL PRICETAG.

And all you can do is make jokes about Snowden -- cause on the actual issue

YOU

GOT

NOTHIN'!

[ecstatic]

55. It's the arrogance, silly

Just ask for asylum, don't present yourself as a rogue superhero who can solve all of their problems. If they ask for your help, then you can go from there... but be careful. They definitely will not trust you, and I don't think they'd be as patient as the US has been if you attempted to leak their data.

[UTUSN]

62. R#10 & K just because n/t

[SidDithers]

64. Snowden is a modern day Paul Revere with a thumb drive full of news that Tyranny is coming!...

(No he's not)

Sid

[treestar]

69. lol

I remember that TS'd poster's utter enthusiasm for Snowjob!

[SidDithers]

70. I got a post hidden yesterday, for calling out his zombie...

the zombie that was again TS'd today for being a returning disruptor.

DU is a strange place sometimes.



Sid