Snowden asks Obama to pardon Manning over himself

[DonViejo]

Source: Newsweek


12 JAN 2017 AT 09:04 ET

Edward Snowden has called on President Barack Obama to pardon fellow whistleblower Chelsea Manning over himself before leaving office.

Snowden made the comments on Twitter following a report that suggested Manning is on Obama’s “short list” to have her sentence commuted.

Obama has faced pressure from public advocacy groups to grant high-profile pardons before Donald Trump is inaugurated on January 20, including former NSA contract worker Snowden and WikiLeaks informant Manning.

“Mr. President, if you grant only one act of clemency as you exit the White House, please: free Chelsea Manning. You alone can save her life,” Snowden said.

Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/2017/01/snowden-asks-obama-to-pardon-manning-over-himself/

[Renew Deal]

1. Obama should respond that he will only do it if Snowden turns himself in

Snowdens comment is a good way to keep Manning from clemency.

[potone]

2. Nonsense.

Snowden's request on behalf of Chelsea Manning proves that he does not care only for himself, as some have alleged. And why should he return home after the way that Manning has been treated? He'd have to be suicidal to do it.

[Renew Deal]

3. You're falling for his scheme

He makes the comment to make people think he is benevolent. In reality he and his Russian masters prefer to have Manning in prison. This keeps some Americans divided.

It will now look bad if Obama cuts Manning loose.

Snowden should turn himself in, but I don't expect an America hating traitor like Snowden to do anything honorable.

[flamingdem]

13. Exactly, by associating himself with Manning

Snowden worsened his chances of being released.

[cstanleytech]

18. Snowdens effect is negligible on Mannings as the odds of a pardon being granted are

already pretty close to zero as few presidents will issue a pardon for someone has only been in prison a few years for a crime over which there is no question of guilt.
Now if Manning only had a few more years left to serve or had a terminal condition a pardon might be more likely but as of now? Probably not going to happen.

[Crash2Parties]

37. She has already served longer than any other whistleblower.

[cstanleytech]

38. Oh, I didnt realize they were pardoned before their time was served.

[randome]

4. It is the height of naivete for Snowden to think this makes him look noble.

But that is in keeping with his past actions.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]There is nothing you can't do if you put your mind to it.
Nothing.[/center][/font][hr]

[karynnj]

11. I think it is self serving -- and designed to influence people just as it did you

1) It manufactures a constraint that does not exist that there is some artificial limit to the number of pardons Obama could issue.

2) The likely reason is to argue that both of them deserve to be pardoned because, in his eyes, what they did was laudable. Consider how unlikely he would be to use the word "forgiven" rather than pardoned. The former implies that they did something morally or ethically wrong - rather than only illegal. For this reason, I suspect the people who would be moved by this are the people who already wanted both not just pardoned, but credited with intending to do something good.

[Renew Deal]

14. And their circumstances are different.

Manning surrendered and served time. Snowden fled to the enemy and continues to serve them.

[karynnj]

21. True

Another difference was that Manning was in the military, meaning he was tried in military court. Snowden, if he returned, would be tried in civilian court, which I think means that the penalties and the process are different - not to mention, the definition of "peer" is pretty significant.

The ACLU posted this opinion of why Manning should be given clemency - https://www.aclu.org/blog/speak-freely/why-president-obama-should-commute-chelsea-mannings-sentence I think they ignore that in addition to the leak on Iraq, which would meet the description they give of what she did, a huge cache of raw State Department cables was handed over to Wikileaks. This was not the same as disclosing wrong doing -- unless you assume (like the very far left and very far right) that the government should have NO private channel for communication.

This left Assange, who hated Clinton and Obama,with the ability to put out cables that tried to hamper diplomacy at critical points. If you longed for better relations with South America (which the Cuba agreement and support of the Colombian peace effort actually did accomplish), it should have been disheartening when on the eve of Secretary Kerry taking his first trip to South America, Wikileaks put out many - out dated - cables that made things harder. Consider that Kerry was one of the very few Senators to speak out against the Contras - and beyond that to investigate drug and gun running in support of them.

Manning, a very troubled young soldier, was used by Assange.

[Alekzander]

5. Anyone watch the movie "Snowden". It was really interesting, not sure about Snowden but of course

the movie portrayed him in a very favorable light. That may be & everyone is going to have their own opinion no matter what.
Personally, I just see it as he probably went about it the wrong way. However, he is young, idealistic, the work he was involved in I can see where it could finally have hit the breaking point for him. It is hard for me to see him as actually wanting to do damage to the US but he did. What he did was wrong.

I think he should try if he can to find another place to live his life out rather than Russia & I don't think it would be wise for him to turn himself in & come back because he would not end up in a good place here as well. I doubt if he can ever come back here.

His options are really bad. That said; I think Trump actually is elevating his status somewhat, see Trump as dangerous to the US, even more so than Snowden.

[Sunlei]

7. IMO, wayy to many files were stolen to justify a 'went about it wrong way, young-idealistic' mistake

IMO he had unknown backers & help with the job placements & his running to Hong Kong & Russia 'new home'. I didn't watch the movie, I'm not very interested in the movie version.

[Alekzander]

8. Glad I did watch it, was really intgeresting & how they eplained a lot about the work Snowden &

others do in that field.

[Sunlei]

6. Snowden must have special government permission to tweet from russia?

when /if her sentence is commuted, Manning will probably have to wait a year or so longer to get out.

[JTFrog]

10. Well, I bet he gets all kinds of special Russian government permissions now. nt

[Equinox Moon]

9. Snowden is an honorable man.

[JTFrog]

12. Lol. nt

[Tanuki]

29. So was Brutus. eom

[Equinox Moon]

30. I support what he did as whistle blower.

We still would not know today how much the government spies on us if it were not for Snowden.

[Lil Missy]

35. Sure he is - in Russia

[Blue Idaho]

15. Stepping into the spotlight.

Stealing thunder, upstaging... take your pick.

[FreeStateDemocrat]

17. Right! Another "Hey, look at me," moment since he knows Obama won't even consider him for a pardon.

[keopeli]

16. I hope there are many more that are as brave and bold as Snowden in the coming 4 years.

Leaks and whistle-blowers may be the only hope we have at protecting our country.

[riderinthestorm]

19. Glad to see this. We're going to need more whistleblowers in the next 4 yrs

I never approved of Obama's unprecedented attack on whistleblowers.

We need them. Now more than ever

[LanternWaste]

20. On what specific and objective measure is that allegation based on?

"Obama's unprecedented attack..."

On what specific and objective measure is that allegation based on?

[riderinthestorm]

22. An ACLU report

https://www.aclu.org/blog/leak-prosecutions-obama-takes-it-11-or-should-we-say-526

[Lil Missy]

23. Instead of?? Snowden was probably not included in those being considered a pardon.

Hopefully, Obama will extend pardon to Manning. In fact, I think he already has.

[Blue Idaho]

24. Don't you have to be convicted before you can be pardoned?

So first, Snowden would have to be tried and found guilty first - right?

[Lil Missy]

25. Explain it to Snowden. He's the one who said it.

[Blue Idaho]

26. No kidding...

Not trying to ruffle your feathers - sorry if that's what it sounded that way.

[Lil Missy]

28. No worries

[scscholar]

31. But there's no proof he didn't say that under duress

Putin could easily be making him to say that.

[NobodyHere]

33. You don't have to be convicted

see Richard Nixon or Marc Rich

[Blue Idaho]

34. Thanks!

Forgot about Tricky Dick.

[Me.]

27. Talk About Trying To Make Himself Look Like The Sacrificial Victim

It's been reported in the news for several days now that the President was considering a commutation of Manning's prison term. To me, this looks like a Snowden ploy to make himself look good.

[bravenak]

32. I think i would free her if I could

[MyNameGoesHere]

36. Why is Putin throwing out this?

What plan does Putin have for his little puppet? Is there a cabinet position open for such a magnamonous Putin stooge?