Will China Protect Edward Snowden? - China Digital Times

[flamingdem]

After leaking information on alleged U.S. spying of Hong Kong and Mainland China’s computers to the South China Morning Post, former NSA contractor Edward Snowden may have complicated his legal options while appealing to China’s security forces. The New York Times’ Keith Bradsher reports that various analysts have disputed the potential consequences of his revelations in Hong Kong:

Kevin Egan, a former prosecutor here who has represented people fighting extradition to the United States, said that Mr. Snowden’s latest disclosures would make it harder for him to fight an expected request by the United States for him to be turned over to American law enforcement. “He’s digging his own grave with a very large spade,” he said.

But a person with longstanding ties to mainland Chinese military and intelligence agencies said that Mr. Snowden’s latest disclosures showed that he and his accumulated documents could be valuable to China, particularly if Mr. Snowden chooses to cooperate with mainland authorities.

“The idea is very tempting, but how do you do that, unless he defects,” said the person, who spoke anonymously because of the diplomatic delicacy of the case. “It all depends on his attitude.”

http://chinadigitaltimes.net/2013/06/will-china-protect-edward-snowden/#.Ub9Ph34xnbI.twitter

[flamingdem]

1. I find it odd that no one responds to defend Snowden

ahead of his troubles with Chinese authorities.

Are people sure of his integrity? Or not at all sure of it?

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. I think to your shock

People are done making this about Snowden, but about what he revealed, which is what all this is trying to obfuscate.

Sorry.

It is NOT about Edward Snowden, but about a police aparatus the Stasi would love to have had... in some ways a cheaper way to get the Panopticon going.

[longship]

4. Certainly some things about him are suspect.

I have addressed my concerns about that in other posts.

But I do not know what to think about what he has released beyond that the NSA is likely and obviously overstepping their Constitutional abilities.

But some of the more wild allegations seem to be a bit thin given the sources which have been released so far, Power Point slides and such, not more descriptive documents which might define what, for instance, "direct access" might mean in context with INet infrastructure. Without context, that could mean almost anything. Every Internet computer is directly connected to every other one in some sense. That's what the Internet does, after all.

So people are arguing back and forth here. Some are acting very childish by making personal attacks instead of addressing the issues. In short, I see some rational discourse going on here, but far too much infantile behavior.

Certainly many DUers are trying to help by posting information and sources as they become available. Some others are being constructive or are disagreeing with reasoned argument. Kudos to them all. That's where I am clicking through the last week or so. Mostly I am ignoring responses to those OPs.

[HubertHeaver]

2. They will protect him until he exhausts his supply of useful information.

Information has a dynamic quality--it ages rapidly and becomes less useful with age.

[FarCenter]

5. Information is like groceries -- some has a little longer shelf life, but it all rots

[flamingdem]

10. The Chinese already stole the plans for the US next generation weaponry

So this is probably a bit ho hum!

[FarCenter]

11. Snowden is very unlikely to know anything about weaponry

And the PLA probably has a good idea about US Cyber Command's forays against Chinese targets.

[randome]

6. I don't know, they might see him as more annoying than anything else and give him up.

Is it worth the trouble of making him one of their own, especially since what he's so far 'revealed' to us are internal NSA documents, not policy papers or illegal authorizations or anything of that nature?

If I was China, I'd say, "Very good. These men will now escort you to the American embassy. No offense."

[hr]
[font color="blue"][center]Stop looking for heroes. BE one.[/center][/font]
[hr]

[flamingdem]

9. But then Hong Kong has to take a stand and either let him stay

past what I assume is a tourist visa or not.

Maybe he's on a work visa and has a year to sort things out

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

7. The irony is delicious. I remember when we used to offer sanctuary to whistleblowers.

And, not a few Nazis and war criminals.

[zappaman]

8. Rec!

This traitor revealed nothing not already known.
But hey, he can help out China and be a hero...to China.